To rebuild carbs or not?

jenoble01

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 6, 2006
Messages
88
94 johnson 225. Summer before last engine ran great no problems. This past summer first outing an issue started where it would run fine when you left launch. Go out fish for awhile or whatever and on the way back in engine would stall while in idle zone, very difficult to get up to speed when clear of the no wake zone. After a few times of the engine stalling when trying to acclerate it would finally take off(this number varied). I changed the plugs, fuel filter, primer bulb and checked the fuel tank at the recomendation of the folks on this board. However this problem has still persisted. I'm thinking that maybe the carbs are due for a rebuild, that the treated gas did not reach somewhere when I winterized before last winter. I would like to get this thing up and running before next season as I want to venture out on some larger lakes where long periods of operation would be required. I got so frustrated last season I stuck to fishing a small Electric motor only lake and didn't use the big motor. Anyways, am I thinking right with the carb rebuild or is there anything else I should check before plunking down the money for 6 carb kits? Would it be feasible to pull a carb or two to see if there is any gunk in them before going for an all 6 rebuild?
 

schmir

Cadet
Joined
Jan 2, 2007
Messages
7
Re: To rebuild carbs or not?

Try running $5 can of sea foam through your engine first. I did this on my boat. I got this tip from another forum www.pontoon.net. I can't find it now or I would have attached it. Mine wasn't stalling out like yours but was running pretty rough. Get a portable gas tank and put 1 gallon of gas in it. Add on can of sea foam. Connect to your engine and idle or cruise low rpm for 5-10 minutes. Turn off and let sit for 15 minutes. Start up and run for another 5-10 minutes. Don't worry, it will probably smoke pretty good when you start up. It's burning off all the carbon build up. No need for high rpm's. 2-3 cycles should clean it up pretty good. Might not fix your problem but worth a try for $5. Good luck!
 

JUSTINTIME

Captain
Joined
Sep 2, 2006
Messages
3,284
Re: To rebuild carbs or not?

u need to rebuild the carbs
do a tune up after the de-carb seafoam treatmeant
also replace fuel filters
 

ccnstlr

Seaman
Joined
Dec 25, 2006
Messages
69
Re: To rebuild carbs or not?

For the 2-strokers, don't forget to use "Pre-mixed" gas in the can.
 

jenoble01

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 6, 2006
Messages
88
Re: To rebuild carbs or not?

JUSTINTIME said:
u need to rebuild the carbs
do a tune up after the de-carb seafoam treatmeant
also replace fuel filters

I planned on doing a De-carb this spring anyways, for peace of mind if nothing else. I also change filters and plugs in spring as part of my "unpacking from winter" of the boat. Thanks for the help.
 

Dhadley

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Feb 4, 2001
Messages
16,978
Re: To rebuild carbs or not?

If you suspect the carbs need rebuilding -- or even think they might -- do it. Period. If one or more is slightly plugged and not feeding fuel -- it's not feeding oil either. Pistons don't like that.
 

jenoble01

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 6, 2006
Messages
88
Re: To rebuild carbs or not?

I forgot to add this problem really gets worse when you trim motor all the way down(before hole shot). If you leave the motor trimmed up somewhat it still happens but not near as bad. Didn't know if this made a difference in carb rebuild time or not?
 

clemsonfor

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 19, 2005
Messages
1,011
Re: To rebuild carbs or not?

Sounds like the floats are out of adjustment if motor tilt effects performance. Float is either too high (allowing the flooding of a cyl) or two low (starving a cyl at take of or wide open). I know they may have been fine but they can get out of adjustment as they age. The boat i bought last summer ran fine wheni tested it but was sluggish and missing on 1 cyl then would run fine most of the time and only stall or be hard to start every now and then the next sevaral times i used it. Untill i put it up for about a month then it started missing and only running on 1 cyl. After checking everything including the carbs i could not find it then i realized that on a cold start it did not need choking and would run rich and on both cyls until a few seconds then i would loose 1. I did not think the float because it ran fine for about 5-6 hours of operation over two diff. weekends then i took it out and put it up then my problem really became a problem. Put a new float and needle in the trobbled card and ran like new.

-Nate
 
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