Sea Ray Ford 351 won't accelerate under load

AZsearat

Recruit
Joined
Aug 4, 2017
Messages
1
Hi all,
I have a 1975 Sea Ray srv 200 with a Mercury 233 and a 888 alpha one drive. I got this boat for free and have been slowly restoring it, I put on a new to me alpha one gen one drive, holley 4160 4 barrel carb 600cfm, and redid the interior. When I got the boat it would start up easily, on the trailer everything sounds fine but once in the water, the boat won't accelerate. It will rev up a little then want to die even when pinned, white smoke comes up through the carb area. Sometimes it will backfire, and be hard to start thereafter. I have replaced spark plugs, cap and rotor, reset the timing, set the valves, replaced the impeller, and oil change. I have played with multiple sized jets and the air mixture screws with a vacuum gauge. I can post a video in a moment but does anyone know what else I should look into? The boats old but is coming along quite well and am itching to get it running right. Any help is appreciated. Thank you!!!
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
43,398
white smoke comes up through the carb area. Sometimes it will backfire, and be hard to start thereafter

Howdy

Sounds like flooding and timing is out. What did you set timing at?
Timing 10 BTDC
Plugs
Points .016 to .021 Dwell 26 to 31 degrees
Firing order 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 (Note where No 1 cylinder location)
Plugs AC (MR)43T (14mm) for serial numbers 4615130 thru 4616217
Plugs above 4616267 and above ACR42T
For 18mm plug use AC-CR83T

ford.jpg
 

kenny nunez

Captain
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
3,470
I ran into this problem years ago and it turned out to be a hole in the intake manifold which caused exhaust gasses to enter under the carberator. From your description that is what it may be. Remove the carberator and look inside you may see a rusted out hole where one should not be. If that is the problem get a Edelbrock set up with the marine 4 barrel carberator and flame arrestor from Summit or Jegs.
 
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