MattinTally
Seaman
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2009
- Messages
- 58
OK... here's the history....
Purchased engine 4 years ago. Mounted on 24' pontoon with 13 pitch prop. Last time I checked compression it was around 110psi on all 3. Gas is approx. 4 mos. old. In the last few years, its ran fine. I'm religous about running the fuel out of the carb when I'm parking boat for more than a few days. I rarely go 90 days without being on the water (in Florida). I've never cleaned the carbs, nor have I rebuilt the fuel pump.
In August, took to the dock, launched, and engine died before I could get away from the ramp. After diagnosis, blue stator wire failed test and determined the stator was bad (lost spark on 2 of 3 cylinders). Since I was pulling flywheel, I also replaced the trigger. Both stator and trigger are CDI brand. After replacing those, did a spark check and 1 cyl was still getting no fire. I replaced the switch box/power pack with a used switch box from a parts motor. After new parts were installed, she fired right up and idles GREAT on a water hose. I didn't touch anything to do with the carb synch or anything to do with timing. Simply popped the flywheel off, unbolted the stator and trigger and replaced with new parts and reinstalled flywheel. I visually re-checked fuel lines and cannot see any leaks, so I don't think I've got an air leak. Vent cap on external fuel tank is open.
When I replaced the stator & trigger, I checked all the fuel lines and they were getting bad. The 1/4" fuel lines running from carb to carb were so bad they literally fell apart when I touched them. My guess is that they were original and fell victim to ethanol in today's fuel. I went ahead and pulled all fuel lines off and replaced, and replaced the fuel filter. I did NOT touch carbs or fuel pump.
Since this, I can get motor to idle great on flush muffs. Took to the launch and put in. Its a little hard to start. Takes about 7 or 8 turns of the key (always has since I purchased it). I could get it to perform pretty decent out of the hole and got up to WOT.... it runs for about 15 seconds at WOT and then decreased to about 2/3 power... Checked fuel bulb and its rock hard. Squeezing the bulb didn't have any noticable effect (didn't expect it to). When I pull the throttle back to idle, it would power down and idle decent. After a few seconds of idle, I could then accelerate to WOT, where it would again run fine for 10 - 15 seconds and then became sluggish and lost power to about 2/3 power. I repeated this over & over for about 20 mins. Response from idle to WOT was "acceptable" but not fantasic. There was some hesitation from dead idle, but once she started to accelearte, it would gain momentum rapidly. Of course, my tach broke last year and I came to the water this weekend with a new tach, but left the wiring harness at home. I have no idea what RPM I'm running at, but it "sounds" OK at idle and OK at WOT.
After a half-hour on the water, went back to the lauch and tied up, left motor idling while I got the truck/trailer backed in. THis time, when I dropped into R, motor died out. Put back in N, hit the key and she fired right back up. Put into F, it died. Put in N, turned key and fired right back up. Pushed key up to activate choke and then pushed into F, motor stayed alive but was very sluggish. Had to bump the key several times to re-choke to keep motor alive. Pushed trottle to about 1/2 power and motor didn't respond... But, was able to putt-putt onto the trailer.
Where do I go from here?
A) Rebuild Fuel Pump?
B) Do I have a dirty carb issue?
C) Do I have a timing / carb synch issue caused by replacing the stator/trigger?
D) Could I have a coil that's acting up causing me to loose a cylinder?
E) Something else I haven't considered....
Purchased engine 4 years ago. Mounted on 24' pontoon with 13 pitch prop. Last time I checked compression it was around 110psi on all 3. Gas is approx. 4 mos. old. In the last few years, its ran fine. I'm religous about running the fuel out of the carb when I'm parking boat for more than a few days. I rarely go 90 days without being on the water (in Florida). I've never cleaned the carbs, nor have I rebuilt the fuel pump.
In August, took to the dock, launched, and engine died before I could get away from the ramp. After diagnosis, blue stator wire failed test and determined the stator was bad (lost spark on 2 of 3 cylinders). Since I was pulling flywheel, I also replaced the trigger. Both stator and trigger are CDI brand. After replacing those, did a spark check and 1 cyl was still getting no fire. I replaced the switch box/power pack with a used switch box from a parts motor. After new parts were installed, she fired right up and idles GREAT on a water hose. I didn't touch anything to do with the carb synch or anything to do with timing. Simply popped the flywheel off, unbolted the stator and trigger and replaced with new parts and reinstalled flywheel. I visually re-checked fuel lines and cannot see any leaks, so I don't think I've got an air leak. Vent cap on external fuel tank is open.
When I replaced the stator & trigger, I checked all the fuel lines and they were getting bad. The 1/4" fuel lines running from carb to carb were so bad they literally fell apart when I touched them. My guess is that they were original and fell victim to ethanol in today's fuel. I went ahead and pulled all fuel lines off and replaced, and replaced the fuel filter. I did NOT touch carbs or fuel pump.
Since this, I can get motor to idle great on flush muffs. Took to the launch and put in. Its a little hard to start. Takes about 7 or 8 turns of the key (always has since I purchased it). I could get it to perform pretty decent out of the hole and got up to WOT.... it runs for about 15 seconds at WOT and then decreased to about 2/3 power... Checked fuel bulb and its rock hard. Squeezing the bulb didn't have any noticable effect (didn't expect it to). When I pull the throttle back to idle, it would power down and idle decent. After a few seconds of idle, I could then accelerate to WOT, where it would again run fine for 10 - 15 seconds and then became sluggish and lost power to about 2/3 power. I repeated this over & over for about 20 mins. Response from idle to WOT was "acceptable" but not fantasic. There was some hesitation from dead idle, but once she started to accelearte, it would gain momentum rapidly. Of course, my tach broke last year and I came to the water this weekend with a new tach, but left the wiring harness at home. I have no idea what RPM I'm running at, but it "sounds" OK at idle and OK at WOT.
After a half-hour on the water, went back to the lauch and tied up, left motor idling while I got the truck/trailer backed in. THis time, when I dropped into R, motor died out. Put back in N, hit the key and she fired right back up. Put into F, it died. Put in N, turned key and fired right back up. Pushed key up to activate choke and then pushed into F, motor stayed alive but was very sluggish. Had to bump the key several times to re-choke to keep motor alive. Pushed trottle to about 1/2 power and motor didn't respond... But, was able to putt-putt onto the trailer.
Where do I go from here?
A) Rebuild Fuel Pump?
B) Do I have a dirty carb issue?
C) Do I have a timing / carb synch issue caused by replacing the stator/trigger?
D) Could I have a coil that's acting up causing me to loose a cylinder?
E) Something else I haven't considered....
