87 Formula, mercruiser stalls

[Deltat]

Hello all, put a new starter in chevy 305 mercruiser, starts, but dies when power is put to it. Idles ok for a bit, then sometimes will die. Ill try and post a video here as well. Just wondering why after the new starter, its pulling this on me. There was also an attachment that was on the old starter, dont know what it is...Thanks in advance!!!

 

[tpenfield]

Welcome to iBoats . . .

If you ask the starter, it will tell you that its job is to start the engine. Once it starts, that is somebody else job to keep it running.

A video may help. but if the engine starts, it has fuel, compression, and spark. It sounds like a fuel issue. Got any more info on the engine? 305 in a 1987 Formula? What model is it?

 

[alldodge]

Howdy

Don't know if your 87 has an electric fuel pump (someone would have changed it) but if it does check that a wire was not placed on the wrong post on the starter.

Agree we need more info, and you have to post three times for pics to be uploaded, but links work fine

 

[Deltat]

Ok, I believe it isnt the original engine, and all i know is it is a chevy 305, carbeurator, I changed the fuel filter, I researched and found that part attached was a fuse. This stalling appeared after the starter replacement

 

[alldodge]

Your first post list an attachment but there was none. We have not seen anything as yet

 

[Deltat]

Im trying like hell to post a video using photobucket, what a mess that website is....to continue this, we're going down tomorrow, we think it might be a timing issue, but Im still trying to post the video, ugg, sorry for the delay guys....

 

[Deltat]

Welcome to iBoats . . .

If you ask the starter, it will tell you that its job is to start the engine. Once it starts, that is somebody else job to keep it running.

A video may help. but if the engine starts, it has fuel, compression, and spark. It sounds like a fuel issue. Got any more info on the engine? 305 in a 1987 Formula? What model is it?

Ted, I believe it was replaced, I dont think it was the original, I dont have any serial numbers, nor can I get them, getting the starter alone was a *****. I can pull the motor, but Ill tell you what, if I do that, Ill sell the boat, aggravating to say the least, outboard next time, no more of this...

 

[Deltat]

Here is a video, finally

 

[alldodge]

The vid is unavailable

 

[Deltat]

Great, anyways, retimed it, adjusted it, runs good, no cutoff or stalling, until getting to 3000 rpm, then chugs and stalls, restarts right away, looking at the gas problem

 

[alldodge]

Probably fuel problem and the lack of it. What ignition is installed, and what fuel pump?

 

[Deltat]

Thunderbolt Iv or V, and dont know about the fuel pump..Trying to upload pic of distributor

 

[Deltat]

[No message]

 

[alldodge]

Managed to watch the vid and when it first stalls it appears to shoot fuel out the flame arrestor. It does start right back up, so its not fuel has to be in the ignition. It should have the TB-4 ignition and I'm think about the shift interrupter. Go to the shift plate and find the shift interrupter and disconnect it

 

[khe]

At the 21 second mark in the video, a ton of fuel shoots out of the flame arrester when the engine stalls. That does not seem normal to me.

 

[Deltat]

Managed to watch the vid and when it first stalls it appears to shoot fuel out the flame arrestor. It does start right back up, so its not fuel has to be in the ignition. It should have the TB-4 ignition and I'm think about the shift interrupter. Go to the shift plate and find the shift interrupter and disconnect it

Got it Dodge, that was it! Great job!.. Looked at it, and it appears that the interrupter switch isnt doing anything..Watched it doing the shifting from the shifter, forward to reverse, and it doesnt move, its king of floating, how important is this thing, its obvious it hasnt been working in some time, but causing havoc lately...

 

[alldodge]

The sift interrupter needs to work to get the drive out of gear and into neutral. When the boat is on the hard there is no load on the prop, when in the water there is a load. The Alpha drive uses a dog clutch and does not release unless its unloaded. The interrupter should cause the motor to miss just for a split second and is enough to unload and shift.

What is probably happening is as the speed is being increased the throttle is coming in contact with the interrupter and its killing the motor. To verify disconnect the wires and see if the issue stops

 

[Deltat]

Ok, disconnected the interruptor, and it didnt stall the motor at all, ran good, and getting back to the slip, couldnt get it out of forward gear, had to shut off the engine, like you said. ..I understand now why the intrrrptr is needed, as I cant get it out of gear without it, do you think the upper cable is hitting it (throttle) causing it to activate? Im just not sure why this is a problem all of a sudden I guess. Ill check it tomorrow at the dock, ....I dont think the switch is bad, its doing what its supposed to...I think

 

[alldodge]

Check the shift cables are adjusted correctly. The lower shift cable is seen in the vids in the adults only section. The throttle shift cable needs to have 3 inches of travel to work correctly. Here is the interrupter switch adjustment

 

[Deltat]

had a mechanic come out and check it out, and he was quite impressed with you"re diagnosis, the switch is crap, its connections are loose and corroded, so I will replace it,...heres the kicker, you have to replace the whole shift assembly!! Cant just buy the switch...anyways...Illl let you guys know,,,..