Pretty much sum up my questions. When the '92 4.3L Merc 2bbl is shut down hot for a half hour or so, there is a fuel smell. Not strong mind you but just a faint fuel odor that I noticed. Then it needs to be throttled wide open to start when hot, as if flooded. It may start if this is not done, but not immediately on the first couple cranks, so I immediately throttled it and fires right up.
When this is done, it starts and runs perfectly as far as I can tell.
Also, every time I have run the boat (I have owned it just two weeks and been out three times) the dipstick backs out 3/4". Odd, maybe just from waves but don't recall this in our old I/O.
History: 4.3 and outdrive all rebuilt in 2007. Clean, inside and out from looking at motor and drive, checking fluids etc. Has run very well on our three trips, pulls hard, sounds good, though fully loaded only musters about 39 mph/4800rpm with a fairly good condition 17P 3-blade aluminum prop (some say this fine for this boat, others think it should be overrunning).
So am I paranoid or do I maybe have a fuel delivery problem? I noticed the fuel line running to the motor is a very wimpy looking maybe 1/4" OD clear plastic line with very little play in it (cut kind of short to my eye), and no clamp at the carb. Just pushed on. Is this the normal fuel line and arrangement? It seems to me my old '88 3.0L had a steel line to the carb, but I may be wrong on that.
When this is done, it starts and runs perfectly as far as I can tell.
Also, every time I have run the boat (I have owned it just two weeks and been out three times) the dipstick backs out 3/4". Odd, maybe just from waves but don't recall this in our old I/O.
History: 4.3 and outdrive all rebuilt in 2007. Clean, inside and out from looking at motor and drive, checking fluids etc. Has run very well on our three trips, pulls hard, sounds good, though fully loaded only musters about 39 mph/4800rpm with a fairly good condition 17P 3-blade aluminum prop (some say this fine for this boat, others think it should be overrunning).
So am I paranoid or do I maybe have a fuel delivery problem? I noticed the fuel line running to the motor is a very wimpy looking maybe 1/4" OD clear plastic line with very little play in it (cut kind of short to my eye), and no clamp at the carb. Just pushed on. Is this the normal fuel line and arrangement? It seems to me my old '88 3.0L had a steel line to the carb, but I may be wrong on that.