Engine not running well after Kelp

[mtiernan]

I went over some kelp beds this weekend with my boat and my engine seemed to bog down quite a bit at full throttle. I stopped and pulled off the kelp and hit it high in reverse but never was able to get the engine to operate at top speed even at full throttle as the engine seemed to be at half speed even when opened all the way.

It is a small 15 mariner outboard engine, I could not see any kelp in the in-take or around the prop when I got out of the water and the engine did not seem to overheat as the water stream kept flowing out of the out take.

Any ideas on what I should do? Take off the intake screen and look inside? Take off the prop???

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Engine not running well after Kelp

I'd pull the intake screens and the prop. There may be some fibrous kelp stalks, or even some fishing line that was stuck in the kelp patty, gummin' up the works there.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Engine not running well after Kelp

I went over some kelp beds this weekend with my boat and my engine seemed to bog down quite a bit at full throttle. I stopped and pulled off the kelp and hit it high in reverse but never was able to get the engine to operate at top speed even at full throttle as the engine seemed to be at half speed even when opened all the way.

It is a small 15 mariner outboard engine, I could not see any kelp in the in-take or around the prop when I got out of the water and the engine did not seem to overheat as the water stream kept flowing out of the out take.

Any ideas on what I should do? Take off the intake screen and look inside? Take off the prop???

Depending on the year it may have an overtemp protection module that reduces the timing and subsequently your max RPM. It usually resets itself a short time after the engine is shut off. I'm guessing this is a tiller motor so make sure you turn the throttle fully back before going to the start position.