idling issue continues

[jenoble01]

So my wife and I take the boat out today. still have the crappy idle issues. Have to bump choke/primer (key push) to keep running. It's obvious it's starving for fuel, just can't find why. However I noticed when I pump the primer bulb before starting I can hear noise from the tank where the fuel line hooks in. Is it possible the fuel tank pickup tube could be cracked and I'm sucking air. Need ideas here I'm getting very frustrated with this problem, probably something very easy that's waiting to slap me in the face. I'm convinced it's something with the pickup, anti-siphon valve or in that general area, just want to get reassurance as it's a royal pain to work here as there is very little clearance.

 

[clemsonfor]

Re: idling issue continues

mine makes that noise at the tank also i don't beleive that means a crack, but if it is sucking air you will never get to top speed as it will not be able to draw enough gas b/c of the air. But if you think it is just pull the pick up tube.

-Nate

 

[Silvertip]

Re: idling issue continues

If it's sucking air it also means the engine is running lean and that can destroy it. Try running on a portable tank. If the problem goes away you located the problem.

 

[jenoble01]

Re: idling issue continues

If it's sucking air it also means the engine is running lean and that can destroy it. Try running on a portable tank. If the problem goes away you located the problem.

I plan on trying the portable tank this week to isolate the problem. I know it can cause a lean condition precisely why I'm trying to locate it. Thought i had it figured out over the winter but nope, wrong again. I probalby didn't need to post the question on here as I already know the course of action I need to take to rule out a few more things, but my wife won't listen to me vent when I'm aggravated so sorry folks, you get to hear me out. To the above poster concerning your's making the same noise, well it's good to hear that your's does and you have no issues, what made me think it was a problem is because that's something that's started occuring since I've been having this problem, the portable tank will help me rule that one out. Seems like if it were a fuel tank issue I would have trouble at top end, but maybe I'm not even reaching top end who knows.

 

[jvaccarino]

Re: idling issue continues

Try replacing spark plugs.. It fixed my idle problems.. THe plugs in there were oooooold.. Also, when you pump the ball, have the wife, or when the wife pumps the ball, look at the fuel line to see if you've got a leak.. Is this a problem "new?"

 

[Silvertip]

Re: idling issue continues

Bumping the key or squeezing the primer bulb to keep an engine running is also a good sign the fuel pump is headed south.

 

[jenoble01]

Re: idling issue continues

The plugs are new so don't think that's it. I suspect the fuel pump right now, however figured it would be worth it to rule that out with the remote tank. Went to wally world today and our local boa t shop, looks like the 6 gallon tank at walmart is gonna have to work, not paying that much for a plastic fuel jug 60 bucks at the local place. I am hoping it's tank/fuel line related but I'm not holding my breath. Is it possible to replace the VRO with a regular fuel pump and just start mixing the gas, or is it possible to re-build the VRO. Had one guy at a parts place I use tell me you have to buy the whole pump, but I've read that you can purchase a re-build kit. Anyone know any part #'s that may cross reference for a non-vro pump?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: idling issue continues

Haven't checked here on iBoats, but if they don't have the VRO rebuild kit, a Johnny/Evinrude dealer would. The VRO can be replaced with a standard fuel-only pump but you did not indicate what engine we are talking about. You would obviously need to pre-mix fuel/oil after the swap and disable the VRO alarms.

 

[jenoble01]

Re: idling issue continues

Haven't checked here on iBoats, but if they don't have the VRO rebuild kit, a Johnny/Evinrude dealer would. The VRO can be replaced with a standard fuel-only pump but you did not indicate what engine we are talking about. You would obviously need to pre-mix fuel/oil after the swap and disable the VRO alarms.

Sorry, engine model # is j225TLERK. A Johnny/evinrude dealer is who told me you couldn't rebuild, had to replace whole pump. Looking at the factory manual though looks completely rebuildable to me. Guessing he would rather sell the 360 dollar pump though. I'm actually leaning more towards a recirculation system problem now, the list of 4 have to have symptoms listed there are present with the exception of smoking after a long idle when accerlerating(could be doing this as well, haven't watched it to see). I noticed the pistons are pretty gunked up(gonna decarb after I get it running correctly) so I'm thinking maybe one of the recirc fitting for the cylinders is clogged.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: idling issue continues

The carbon may actually contribute to the running problem so decarb first.

 

[jenoble01]

Re: idling issue continues

The carbon may actually contribute to the running problem so decarb first.

I wondered if it could have contributed, possible it's a mixture of both? I sprayed deep creep into the carb throats while idling, may have to make a portable tank mixed with a heavy dose of seafoam and oil gas mix, maybe running it harder will help, or it could have been carboned up that bad. I did noticed today a little blackish spot in the yard where I had it running.

 

[clanton]

Re: idling issue continues

Have you checked the idle timing? If you use a walmark tank you should make sure the pickup tube is at least 3/8.

 

[jenoble01]

Re: idling issue continues

Have you checked the idle timing? If you use a walmark tank you should make sure the pickup tube is at least 3/8.

I have not checked the idle timing, primarily because I didn't suspect a timing issue. Boat ran great one summer, winterized everything and the next spring ran in to this issue. Continued all last summer(lack of time to work on it) so we primarily stuck to a lake small enough we could use the trolling motor(better fishing honestly). But we would like to venture to some larger lakes that would require long runs this year so trying to get things operating properly.

 

[jenoble01]

Re: idling issue continues

Just wanted to thank everyone for the advice. I finally had time to run the boat today on a portable tank and it ran like a champ. Just for certainty I hooked up the regular built in tank again on the lake and ran it and what do you know, the stalling issue returned. So I'm going to suffer through changing the anti-siphon valve and tank pickup and change the fuel lines as well just to make sure they aren't causing the problems. As we were leaving a couple of guys pulled up in a baja with twin 454's, man that thing sounded great, but no place for a trolling motor so I'll stick with my Javelin. Thanks again folks.