Ticking noise from engine, low rpms at wot, very slow to plane

[powell0819]

Got our boat running good (mercruiser 76' 120 hp i/o) and went out on our snagging trip and it ran like crap!! We noticed a tink tink tink noise and we think it might be coming from the distributor. The boat will make it to 4500 rpm wot but only did it once that entire day, otherwise it was running at about 3300. It was very, very slow to plane.. Didnt have that issue a week ago. now it would start to slow down during wot after a while, but also sometimes pick up speed. Very erratic on the speed. RPMS were jumping a bit as well. We heard the slight ticking noise a while ago but it has gotten louder, and with it getting louder, this problem has developed. We thought we had a little too much weight in the boat but when we went to go in for the day we went to wot and it went to its normal operating speed, but did start to slow down after a minute or two. The throttle was pushed all the way forward.

Do you think it could be the distributor? Im hoping it might just be an issue with the distributor cap. We fought with it last year only to find out the mechanic that put it on didnt install it right. But now we believe the ticking is coming from there. New distributors are very pricey so we would like some advice before we go down that road.

Thanks.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Ticking noise from engine, low rpms at wot, very slow to plane

Got our boat running good (mercruiser 76' 120 hp i/o) and went out on our snagging trip and it ran like crap!! We noticed a tink tink tink noise and we think it might be coming from the distributor. The boat will make it to 4500 rpm wot but only did it once that entire day, otherwise it was running at about 3300. It was very, very slow to plane.. Didnt have that issue a week ago. now it would start to slow down during wot after a while, but also sometimes pick up speed. Very erratic on the speed. RPMS were jumping a bit as well. We heard the slight ticking noise a while ago but it has gotten louder, and with it getting louder, this problem has developed. We thought we had a little too much weight in the boat but when we went to go in for the day we went to wot and it went to its normal operating speed, but did start to slow down after a minute or two. The throttle was pushed all the way forward.

Do you think it could be the distributor? Im hoping it might just be an issue with the distributor cap. We fought with it last year only to find out the mechanic that put it on didnt install it right. But now we believe the ticking is coming from there. New distributors are very pricey so we would like some advice before we go down that road.

Thanks.

Ayuh,... On a Points fired motor, it needs a Tune Up, Every year...

I'm guessin' yer problem is Bad gas...
Check, 'n change the Fuel Filters, lookin' for water or crud....

The tickin' could well be Detonation, caused by a lean condition, consumin' the motor from within....

 

[Don S]

Re: Ticking noise from engine, low rpms at wot, very slow to plane

Have you actually pulled the distributor cap off and looked? Its almost impossible for us to sit here at a computer and tell you if someone put something together wrong, or if something is cracked, or full of moisture. You have to take things apart, look and tell us what you find.
Pictures work if they are big enough to see and not blurry or so overexposed it's impossible to see anything.

 

[powell0819]

Re: Ticking noise from engine, low rpms at wot, very slow to plane

We replaced the distributor cap and now it doesnt tick. Seems to run okay on muffs so we are going to take it out in a couple of days and see how it does at wot. The cap had deep pits around the points of contact. Hoping this has solved our problem. Will let you guys know.