87 115 6 cyl. low idle/stall

[Raghauler]

S/N 165923 has stereotypical trouble during cold starts, but will start. However, even after warming up, it tends to idle in neutral by revving up and down in the 700 rpm range. Putting it into gear (F or R) usually stalls unless I goose the throttle. I can then throttle down to the lowest setting in gear and the motor runs fine. Is this a common trait for this vintage, or is there hope adjusting the idle screws on the carbs (or something else)? I can live with it... Engine runs good otherwise.

 

[Raghauler]

Re: 87 115 6 cyl. low idle/stall

Anyone?

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: 87 115 6 cyl. low idle/stall

Yes it's common. Idle screws might help a bit, but it's par for the age.<br /><br />-W

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: 87 115 6 cyl. low idle/stall

And take heart... pound for pound the '85-'88 115 was prolly the best mid-size outboard ever built on this planet.<br /><br />-W

 

[Raghauler]

Re: 87 115 6 cyl. low idle/stall

Thanks. That's what I suspected...

 

[akendall]

Re: 87 115 6 cyl. low idle/stall

I have an '86 115HP and had the same problem for a couple of years until I decided to try to solve it.<br /><br />(1) First I did a carb job using this site and the manual as a guide (in this forum search for carb rebuild)<br /><br />(2) This helped but didn't solve it completely, so I go my idle stabilizer checked and sure enough it was faulty - replacing this as well as some timing adjustments fixed it 90%<br /><br />(3) Finally - I lost spark on three cylinders and it turned out to be a faulty stator - which I knew was not passing very strong spark at the time of testing but string enough (it was already failing). Replacing this as well as the work above has made the engine 100% corrected of this issue.<br /><br />Notice a pattern above? Instead of fixing this over months and extra $$ like me - start with this forum and your Seloc Manual (or other) and follow a methodology starting with fuel and then ignition. Believe it or not - even a bad vent on your gas cap can cause what you're describing! Worst case is leaking reeds along your crank shaft which floods the connecting cylinders, but I'm hoping it's something else...<br /><br />Hope this helps - there is hope left in your engine!