Occasional surging?

[nola mike]

Haven't had the boat out much for real yet this year. Took it out last weekend with 4 kids and matching parents on board. Ran fine on the way out (6 miles). On the way back, we went right into some 15 kt winds and accompanying heavy chop. Hit a big wave, and RPMs dipped immediately. Wasn't able to go over 1500 RPM. Didn't want to shut it off to investigate, so limped home. Got home and found the spark arrestor clogged with a lot of emulsified water. Cleaned it off, and went for 2 miles the next day, no problems. Felt OK that that was the problem, and went back out. Ran fine for 5 miles, then surged a couple of times (again while hitting chop). Not dramatic, but I noticed it. It leveled out and ran fine once I gave it more gas. Got home, dropped everyone off, and ran another couple of miles with no issues. No problems getting to WOT, and ran it for a bit at 4K RPM. Had a full tank of gas last year when I stored it with stabil. Have put in maybe 12 gallons of fresh so far this year (27 gal tank). Pulled the top half off the carb to look for water in the bowl (note, don't do this. Just pull the whole carb). and didn't see any. My fuel/water separator is still sitting on the shelf, waiting to be installed for the last 5 years. I'm wondering if hitting the chop is stirring up water in the fuel tank. Any other suggestions? Doesn't feel like it's missing at all. Symptoms don't seem to be related to RPM. Just don't want to be stranded 15 miles from home (of course).

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Sounds like fuel related. The watery crap would be at the bottom of the tank near the pick up. Have you checked the inlet screen at the carb inlet? If you haven't checked it, when/if you do decide to, while it is off.... stick the fuel line in a container and crank the engine over a little to get a "fuel sample" into the container and check it out. Disconnect the coil wire so she won't start on ya.

Get that separator installed!!

 

[nola mike]

I checked the inlet already. Easy enough to disconnect again though. Since it's usually running fine, I'm wondering if the sloshing around churns it up. Again, the bowl looked like straight gas and clean FWIW. I think that I needed to get a combination of adapters to install the separator, which is why it never happened. Now I'm motivated though, and have a day off sans kids on Friday, so I'll give it another go. I suppose that that would cure the issue, if that were the case.