Erratic engine speed

tboothe

Recruit
Joined
Aug 13, 2014
Messages
5
I have a 1996 Cobalt with a Volvo Penta 5.0 FL (carb) motor. Took the boat to the lake this weekend and for the first few hours everything ran great. We docked for about an hour and a half and then on the way back to the ramp, the engine ran sporadically (somewhat of a surging sensation). It never died and appeared that once it got up to about 3400 RPM, did not really notice anything unusual. I thought maybe the prop was slipping so took the prop off, regreased and put everything back on and tightened it up. Took the boat out the next day and when my daughter was kneeboarding, it was very apparent that the issue was still present as you could hear the motor fluctuating and it was difficult to keep a constant speed pulling her. I then tried skiing and it was even more apparent as I could feel the speed fluctuating. I tried disengaging the shift function and revving the motor and did not notice any sputtering while not engaged with the drive shaft. I would point out that I put in a brand new fuel filter the week before all this happened. Any ideas on what might be the problem. Is it possible that I got some bad gas?

Thanks
 
Last edited:

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
50,224
Check the usuals.

Check contents of fuel filter for water
Check cap and rotor
Clean carb
 
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