Maiden Voyage - Disaster

[mike-the-cobra]

I bought my boat a couple weeks ago from a doctor who lives on a lake, took it for a test run and it ran perfect.

I arranged a family picnic today, I usually do once a year. I take all the nieces and nephews tubing. Pulled into the boat dock and she started right up. Figured I would take a lap around the lake for the first time in the new (to me)boat. Made it halfway across the lake and she started slowing down. Put it into neutral to see what was going on and she stalled. That was it for the day.

Wind is pushing across the lake (small lake) and everyone else on the lake is just ignoring me! I yelled to this one boat, maybe 100 feet away, waving my arms, and this lady looks at me and turns away! WTF!

Finally I call my sister on the phone (she is on shore where the picnic was) and asked her to ask around if someone can come get me. Me and my son are getting precariously near shore where it is heavy weeds and brush. She finds this kind man with a jet ski to come get us. By now the batery is also dead from trying to start the boat (why is it a deep cycle marine battery he has in here?).

Maybe a float stuck because it is getting gas. Seems like it is flooding out maybe. Will idle momentarily, but if you give it gas it just dies. I took off the gas/water filter and poured it into a glass and it had maybe a tablespoon of water to a drink glass of gas (thinking water in gas).

Finally get another tow to the boat launch and pull it out. Have our picnic, then driving home the 40 miles it struck me that I forgot to change the hitch, it had the 1 7/8 from the old boat on it not the 2".

I just got the other boat back that I am selling, I took it up north to a cottage for a week and it never would start (so much for that vacation). Had it repaired (it was flooding out also, primer valve WTF) So I decided I wanted something a little larger and bought this one.

What a crappy year!

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Maiden Voyage - Disaster

I would call the doctor and see if that has ever happened to him, maybe there's a trick to it sounds nuts,I know, but hey you never know. Could be a number of causes, not saying it's what your problem is but mine did exactly identical to what you described and turned out to be my electric fuel pump had a loose wire, I would idle in a no wake zone and she just quit, fixed the wire after I looked everything over and she ran great the rest of the day. Just talking here. Sorry to hear about what happened, it sucks believe me I know!!

 

[dg512055]

Re: Maiden Voyage - Disaster

I found that my electric pump was not making good contact with it's power plug. I was lucky and found this in the driveway. I had to take the plug off the pump and bend the prongs inside the plug so they would make good contact with the fuel pump pins. No problems after that.

 

[mike-the-cobra]

Re: Maiden Voyage - Disaster

I will check, and get a starting battery. It definitely is getting gas, I can see it. Also if I loosen the float adjustment screw, gas starts coming out. Seems like maybe too much gas...

 

[jonesg]

Re: Maiden Voyage - Disaster

I will check, and get a starting battery. It definitely is getting gas, I can see it. Also if I loosen the float adjustment screw, gas starts coming out. Seems like maybe too much gas...

That is the bowl drain screw.
Check for spark. Needs very strong spark capable of jumping almost 1/2",
don't try to spark test with a sparkplug. Get a gap tester.

 

[mike-the-cobra]

Re: Maiden Voyage - Disaster

I will check the spark also.

I am pretty sure it is the float adjustment screw. It is on the top of the holley card, screw with the adjusting nut under it.

 

[gene8084]

Re: Maiden Voyage - Disaster

Are we talking about the 92 Four W?

I'm not sure I'd start by replacing the battery, great to have a starting battery, but doesn't make sense that it's your problem. Certainly would not explain quiting the way it did unless it was barely charged when you started for your test lap.

How was the battery when you started out for the day? and how was it immediately after stalling? You could have an alternator problem, tired coil, or a starter that drawing a lot of current at start time.

Bummer of a day, that drift and be ignored thing really sinks. Happened my first day out a few years ago with my 74 Forumula. I was amazed how many people ignored us with our little raft oars trying to make it back to the ramp.​

 

[mike-the-cobra]

Re: Maiden Voyage - Disaster

Battery wasn't the issue or the cause. I just mentioned it because from all I have read, a starting battery is better for cranking than a marine/deep cycle. It was charged, but was dead by the time I was done trying to start the boat. It's cranking power was definitely shorter than I thought a battery should be.

I will be getting a starting battery for the boat, plus a spare.

 

[sixmile723]

Re: Maiden Voyage - Disaster

The Holley has a float level inspection hole on the side of the fuel bowl. If you remove this screw you can see the fuel level inside the bowl. It should be at the bottom of the hole. This inspection is done with key off. Have a rag under the hole to trap any overflow of gas. If the fuel level is high and gas runs out, it will stop when it reaches the bottom of the hole. Replace the needle and seat, it comes out the top of the bowl. There are other reasons for high fuel level, improper adj. of needle and seat, and the old fuel soaked float.
Buy the way, this is also a very good way to start a boat fire. Jim

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Maiden Voyage - Disaster

The Holley has a float level inspection hole on the side of the fuel bowl. If you remove this screw you can see the fuel level inside the bowl. It should be at the bottom of the hole. This inspection is done with key off. Have a rag under the hole to trap any overflow of gas. If the fuel level is high and gas runs out, it will stop when it reaches the bottom of the hole. Replace the needle and seat, it comes out the top of the bowl. There are other reasons for high fuel level, improper adj. of needle and seat, and the old fuel soaked float.
Buy the way, this is also a very good way to start a boat fire. Jim

Also a good idea to disconnect the batteries before starting this type of work. I don't know much about that carb, but have never seen a carb with an external float height adjustment. I agree with this though, sounds like gummed up needles or soaked floats.

Ian