Throttle and tachometer

skoboten2day

Cadet
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
27
Motor dies when idling in gear or neutral. Runs great when you give it the gas though. A retired boat mechanic told me to adjust the throttle adjustment on the carb. Please see the attached picture. I think my index finger is on the throttle adjustment knob? I suppose I would rotate it right to tighten it up so that it is giving more gas? Also, I think my tachometer is shot. I don't trust the reading. See attached picture. How important is it to get the same one with all the warning lights? Any idea of where to buy? Any diagrams or directions somebody could please send my way? Thanks!
 

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Joe Reeves

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Feb 24, 2002
Messages
13,262
If the idle rpm is your only problem, then yes, that threaded adjustable trunion would be the item to turn to lengthen the cable... that is when standing in the boat facing the trunion, to turn it counter clockwise. You;'ll figure that out I'm sure.

This is a_$$uming that the rest of the engine is in normal operating condition.... compression, ignition/spark, clean carburetors, etc etc.
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The tachometer?.... Exactly what is it doing? It may be fine and another problem is affecting it... as follows. Read on, then get back to us.
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(Testing Tachometer With Water Cooled Regulator/Rectifier)
(J. Reeves)

A quick check is to simply plug in a another new tachometer as a piece of test equipment. If the new tach works properly and the old tach didn't, obviously the old tach is faulty.... but usually boaters don't carry around a spare tach (see below).

A faulty rectifier wouldn't damage the tachometer, the tachometer simply wouldn't work. This is due to the fact that the tachometer operates off of the charging system and the rectifier converts AC voltage to DC voltage, enabling the charging system. A faulty rectifier disables the charging system, and the tachometer simply doesn't register.

However.... those water cooled regulator/rectifiers that are used on the 35 ampere charging systems (and some others) bring into play a different type problem, and as you've probably found out, they are really a pain to troubleshoot via the proper procedure. There's an easier way.

The tachometer sending/receiving setup operates off of the gray wire at the tachometer. That same gray wire exists at the engine wiring harness which is connected to the engine electrical terminal strip. You'll see that there is a gray wire leading from the regulator/rectifier to that terminal strip, and that there is another gray wire attached to it. That other gray wire is the wire leading to the tachometer which is the one you're looking for.

NOTE: For the later models that DO NOT incorporate a wiring terminal strip, splicing into the "Yellow Wire" mentioned will be necessary.

Normally the Gray wire leading from the tachometer is attached at the terminal strip to another Gray wire which leads from the water cooled voltage regulator/rectifier...... remove the gray wire that leads to the tachometer. Now, find the two (2) yellow wires leading from the stator to that terminal strip. Hopefully one of them is either yellow/gray or is connected to a yellow/gray wire at the terminal strip. If so, connect the gray wire you removed previously to that yellow/gray terminal. Start the engine and check the tachometers operation, and if the tachometer operates as it should, then the regulator/rectifier is faulty and will require replacing. If the tachometer is still faulty, replace the tachometer.

If neither of the yellow wires from the stator is yellow/gray, and neither is attached to a yellow/gray wire, then attach that gray tachometer wire to either yellow stator wire, then the other yellow wire, checking the tachometer operation on both connections.

I've found this method to be a quick and efficient way of finding out which component is faulty.... the tachometer or the regulator/rectifier. It sounds drawn out but really only takes a very short time to run through. If the water cooled regulator/rectifier proves to be faulty, don't put off replacing it as they have been known to catch on fire with disastrous consequences.
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F_R

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Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,226
Joe doesn't that motor have a knurled idle speed adjusting screw that should be adjusted for desired idle speed before adjusting the cable (finger point) to fit?
 

Joe Reeves

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Feb 24, 2002
Messages
13,262
Joe doesn't that motor have a knurled idle speed adjusting screw that should be adjusted for desired idle speed before adjusting the cable (finger point) to fit?

Seeing as how it is a few years after my retirement date, it most likely does as you say F_R. I'd appreciate having you correct my oversight so as not to have Skoboten make an error on my behalf.
 

F_R

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Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,226
Way past my retirement date also. A picture showing more of the side of the motor would help.
 

lindy46

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Nov 27, 2008
Messages
3,886
Joe doesn't that motor have a knurled idle speed adjusting screw that should be adjusted for desired idle speed before adjusting the cable (finger point) to fit?

You can just see the idle adjustment screw about 2/3 of the way up on the extreme left of the photo. Looks like someone has put some sealer on it to keep it from moving. Loosen the lock nut to adjust. It should be adjusted with the throttle cable disconnected, but there are several other adjustments which should be made IN SEQUENCE to get it right. You really need a service manual.
 
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skoboten2day

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Aug 28, 2018
Messages
27
Joe Reeves,

Everything else (compression, ignition, carbs) is running well, so I appreciate your advice. The tachometer never registers anything below 1000 rpm and it stops working altogether most of the time while running the boat. I've had the VRO disabled so it runs on 50:1 premix, so I'm not sure if I need a like for like tachometer with built in warning lights? Where do I buy and how much should I expect to pay? Thanks!
 

racerone

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Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
38,411
There are low speed idle mixture screws ( 1 per carburetor ) that may need adjusting.------There is an idle speed stop screw that may need adjusting..-----And there is the cable adjustment too.-----You need to be careful if you are going with the " I think I will turn this thingy "and see what happens approach. -What are those compression numbers.
 
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