keep in mind, the total advance on the 3.0 is 29 degrees. it is not 35 degrees. that is an error in the manual.
You were correct. The manual is wrong. I’ve fought this thing since September of last year. Couldn’t be the manual I said. Cheese. At least I am now intimate with most every part of this boat.
Installed the Voyager last week and she runs like a champ.
If it helps anyone, here’s the sad saga.
Brand new points rubbing block worn on day one. Bought new
Coil suspect. Bought new
Resistor wire missing. Bought new
Main breaker failed
Tried a used replacement - had a broken terminal. Bought new
Alternator belt too long - exceeded adjustment. Bought correct new
Outdrive is from a 470, wrong gear ratio for 140. Changed prop.
Carb from 470 was over-jetted for 140 - rebuilt carb with correct jet upgraded to metal float. Needle/seat splash guard in carb wouldn’t allow the new float to cut off fuel. Opened up the slot with tin snips.
Boat had B-1 5/16” fuel line- replaced with 5/16” USCG approved A-1 (B-1 is approved only for vents in I/O motors)
Steering jerky. Geplaced gearset
Steering wheel broke - glued
Distributor advance too far - fixed to within factory spec (26°) as per Mercruiser Factory Service Manual. Manual clearly states in two places that the distributor advance is independent of basic initial timing and must be added to basic initial timing to obtain total timing. I was told that the manual is incorrect. This may have been the sole issue with the engine dying. Spark advance of 32° too much causing heat in head and vapor lock.
September 2019-July 2020 the boat never ran solid more than two outings in a row. Would run for an undetermined amount of time and die. Anywhere from five minutes to two hours. Never had to be towed but many times after restart the motor would only run a couple of minutes or seconds.
Starter died - bolt from motor to solenoid rusted through. Had starter rebuilt, new solenoid.
Chased down ignition failure idea - new coil as backup. New condenser as backup. Both of the ones installed testing within specs. Isolated engine ignition electrical to direct to battery only. All other connections removed. Battery to coil only. No change. Swapped in new parts. No change. Chasing down the ignition was done in one four hour trip to the lake.
Chased down a vapor lock idea -checked fuel pickup filter, anti-siphon valve, and fuel filters. Fuel vacuum was not excessive but Increased fuel line to 3/8” and replaced the anti-siphon valve with 3/8” valve anyway. Rerouted the fuel line along lower rear of bilge. Previously it was higher up the transom kind of near exhaust riser. The fuel pressure was on the low side so I disassembled Carter fuel pump - the diaphragm in the pump was dry cracked and the brass fitting for the leak detector line was plugged with varnish. Bought new Carter pump. Fuel pressure is within spec and vac side is really low. Added phenolic spacer under carb to isolate carb from manifold. It’s probably a snake oil old mechanic myth that it has any effect on heat soak but I think it fixed an old triple deuce setup I once had... Removed insulation from doghouse. Chasing down the vapor lock idea took four trips to the lake. 4-6 hours each trip. Time to engine dying seemed to have been lengthened. Still dying. SSDD
Went back to the ignition and installed a Delco Voyager EST distributor/coil kit. Set base timing at 1° BTDC. Total advance 29° BTDC @ 4000rpm. Idle quality greatly improved. Top speed unchanged, throttle response unchanged, engine coolant temp a bit lower after running hard. Heat soak now raises coolant sending unit to about 150° (previously 175°). Ran four days at varying speeds and down time(testing heat soak). About 150 miles traveled. Top speed 38+mph at 4500 rpm. Ran tanks of 87 octane 10% ethanol, 87 non ethanol and 90 non ethanol. All ran great. Air temp near 90° and the Garmin said the water was 85°.
New carpet has already gotten a funk to it in the cockpit. Kind of urine smelling. Ski locker and cooler always has bits and pieces of debris in it.
Tracked both down. The blower to running from the ski locker to the blower foil tube was full of trash, decaying leaves and what not and the tube running from the ski locker to the bilge was also full of decaying matter. Vacuum, soap and water, and a strong hose spray might have fixed it. The urine smell was coming from the center windshield pocket. The pocket had been the home of mice. The debris had plugged the drain tube and the foul water was leaking onto the cabin carpet. There was an acrylic circle siliconed to the bottom of the pocket just aft of the drain hose. When removed, the pieces of blue tarp, pine needles, black cottony something, mouse poop and mouse skeletons would have filled a half gallon jar.
