Omc 4.3 diagnosis

[Winner88]

My 1988 omc gm 4.3 starting running very poorly. It will start but seems to be missing bad. It had spark plugs and distributor cap at the beginning of the season and it ran fine for a while. I replaced the fuel filter when it started having problems but that did nothing. My next thoughts are fuel pump, plug wires, or something else with the ignition system. Any advice?

 

[kenny nunez]

Unscrew the fuel filter and empty it in a clean container to check if there is any water present.

 

[Winner88]

My 1988 omc gm 4.3 starting running very poorly. It will start but seems to be missing bad. It had spark plugs and distributor cap at the beginning of the season and it ran fine for a while. I replaced the fuel filter when it started having problems but that did nothing. My next thoughts are fuel pump, plug wires, or something else with the ignition system. Any advice?

Had fresh fuel with the new filter.

 

[Bondo]

My 1988 omc gm 4.3 starting running very poorly. It will start but seems to be missing bad. It had spark plugs and distributor cap at the beginning of the season and it ran fine for a while. I replaced the fuel filter when it started having problems but that did nothing. My next thoughts are fuel pump, plug wires, or something else with the ignition system. Any advice?

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,..... It's time for some serious Diagnosis, rather than just throwin' parts at it,.....

What Kenny mentions is for Diagnosis reasons,....

That's an old boat,.... could be time to rebuild the carb,....
'n how 'bout the points,..?? are they fresh this year,..??

 

[Lou C]

Also make sure the ESA is not stuck on, that will make it run poorly as can a defective tachometer. I had a similar problem several years ago because the small buttons on the micro switches wore out (after 25 years!) and caused the ESA to stick on….

 

[itsathepete]

Start with filling the points at the very least. Better to replace and regap and check dwell

 

[Lou C]

If your ESA is working but gets stuck on it will lower the idle speed to approx 450 rpm and the boat will barely move.
Points do need to be checked every season, I just check dwell & timing & idle every season. I get approx 5-6 seasons out of a set of points.