problem with carbs maybe?

bredd444

Recruit
Joined
Mar 20, 2011
Messages
2
hey folks,
I'm a college student and just got my first boat last year. It's a 1989 procraft fish and ski with a 200 hp mercury. The boat ran great last year with only a few minor problems. Got it out earlier this week to get ready for fishing season again. It still cranks right up great when I choke it. If i lift the choke and turn the key it will fire right up every time. THE PROBLEM is as soon as I let the choke down it dies. I could let it warm up on choke for 20 minutes and it will still die as soon as I let the choke down. I'm new to boats and did leave gas in the tank all winter. I did however have ethanol treatment in it. I called a guy today who says he is just sure its the carbs and it will cost be about $500. DO yall agree and think it is the carbs? Could it be anything else. IM a VERY broke college student if it's $500 i might just be using the trolling motor this year. Any ideas of what it is would help me a ton. thanks!
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2012
Messages
17
Re: problem with carbs maybe?

Carb rebuild kit - $8
Needle and seat - $15
Repair manual - $40
16oz can of seafoam - $10
Total cost and time required $73, 8 hours

Buy yourself a manual for your engine. Read through the tune up, troubleshooting, and carb rebuild sections. Rebuild the carb and follow the step by step instructions per the manual. After the carb is rebuilt, give it a tune up as instructed in the manual. After the tune up, de-carbon the engine by adding the can of seafoam to 2-3 gallons of gas/oil. Run the engine with seafoam for 10 minutes, let it sit for 15 minutes, and repeat 2-3 times. Then switch the engine over to a normal fuel mix and run it for another 10 minutes. Lots of white smoke and black carbon will be coming out of the exhaust during this process, but this is what progress looks like.

Rebuilding and tuning a carb is a lot like baking; follow someone else's instructions, step by step, until you have enough experience to know to do things on your own. Keep your gas clean (I run 89 octane in boats so there is less ethanol), tune up regularly, and winterize properly. You shouldn't need a mechanic or expensive bills unless you have a major mechanical problem (ie, you shear a piston ring off and it takes part of the piston with it). Good luck, and always ask others for help/advice.
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,036
Re: problem with carbs maybe?

You mean to say that when you lift the cold start lever the motor starts and runs. As soon as you push it down, the motor stalls, right? If so, it is likely that the idle passages are partially clogged, or even that the fuel is old. You might try some fresh fuel and see if that cures it. if the carbs are marginal, it just might. The other thing you can do is use the cold start lever to keep it running in neutral. When you want to shift, push the cold start lever down and shift into gear. You will learn to do it quite smoothly.

Obviously the other option is the clean and rebuild the carbs. The trickiest thing is to set the six idle mixture needles properly. It takes some experience, and it must be done with fresh fuel and in the water idleing.
 

SparkieBoat

Captain
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
3,643
Re: problem with carbs maybe?

most charge $350 or so to rebuild/clean out a 6 cyl carbs. $500 is a little high. I would just take them off, remove the bowls, remove the floats/needle valves. spary carb cleaner through the jets and needle valve passage, then soak carbs a few hours to over night, in laquer thinner or Gunk carb and parts cleaner. make sure all gasket/seals are ok, put it back together, being careful to not OVER tighten screws.
 
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