got the bill from mechanic. is this reasonable?

[Maclin]

Pouring fuel into a carb throat is not something you would ever have to do every time when cold starting. That is only a way to see if the engine will even fire at all. If the carb has fuel in the bowls then pumping the throttle will always work if the engine is in good state of tune. If the carb is not squirting two solid streams of fuel into the bore on each movement of the throttle then the carb and fuel delivery components need looked at. The carb may be empty (fuel delivery, as in fuel pump) or the accelerator pump inside the carb needs work. The choke will take over and help it idle once the engine catches.

Just sayin' do not get used to doing that (having fuel around to pour into the carb), work the problem.

 

[bruceb58]

what would need to be fixed?

You need to rebuild the accelerator pump. The pump is also needed every time you accelerate or you will have a bog due to a lean condition.

Dumping fuel into your carb is a recipe for disaster. Gas fumes are heavier that air and there are fumes dropping into your bilge.

Not sure why you have so much reluctance to properly repair your engine.

Good luck...I am done.

 

[gmajorabm]

Pouring fuel into a carb throat is not something you would ever have to do every time when cold starting. That is only a way to see if the engine will even fire at all. If the carb has fuel in the bowls then pumping the throttle will always work if the engine is in good state of tune. If the carb is not squirting two solid streams of fuel into the bore on each movement of the throttle then the carb and fuel delivery components need looked at. The carb may be empty (fuel delivery, as in fuel pump) or the accelerator pump inside the carb needs work. The choke will take over and help it idle once the engine catches.

Just sayin' do not get used to doing that (having fuel around to pour into the carb), work the problem.

the carb does squirt out two pretty good streams of gas. just seems like the amount for the few pumps that i do is not enough to fire up the engine. it turns and starts for a few seconds then die down. but if i pour a lil gas into the carb, it will start and stay running. once started up i can shut the engine off and on all day without a problem. but if it sits for a couple days then gas in the carb is needed. also a not id like to add is that when im pouring gas down the carb, im not dumping a whole lot. just like a lil splash down the carb. id say probably equivelent to about 8-10 pumps of the throttle. i have never pumped the throttle that many times in fear of possibly flooding sumthing, since im not sure if it will or not.

 

[trailking82]

Just fix it, check your choke plates to ensure they are completely closed. They are the very first set of plates you should see in the throat of the carb. This was already mentioned but i dont think it was ever really checked. If the engine fires but fails to continue to run, this maybe the issue.

 

[gmajorabm]

Just fix it, check your choke plates to ensure they are completely closed. They are the very first set of plates you should see in the throat of the carb. This was already mentioned but i dont think it was ever really checked. If the engine fires but fails to continue to run, this maybe the issue.

yes i know it has been mentioned. i have checked the choke plates. as i said before when i looked at the choke plates they are not completely closed. its partially open open. but i didnt get a chance to look at the choke plate when the engine was completly cold. i only looked after i had pumped the throttle and tried starting it. (not sure if that had anything to do wiyh the choke plates being partially open). also the boat dows run and stay on. but only after pouring a little gas in the carb. it stays running all day. even during shut off and back on. never left me stranded. im trying to avoid having to pay my mecanic to fix something thet could be possibly the norm.

 

[Maclin]

Pouring fuel into the carb throat is not the norm.

 

[trailking82]

yes i know it has been mentioned. i have checked the choke plates. as i said before when i looked at the choke plates they are not completely closed. its partially open open. but i didnt get a chance to look at the choke plate when the engine was completly cold. i only looked after i had pumped the throttle and tried starting it. (not sure if that had anything to do wiyh the choke plates being partially open). also the boat dows run and stay on. but only after pouring a little gas in the carb. it stays running all day. even during shut off and back on. never left me stranded. im trying to avoid having to pay my mecanic to fix something thet could be possibly the norm.

Its not normal, its broke.

If the plates are not fully closed it needs adjusting, pumping the throttle should not change the position of the choke plates. If it starts but fails to run before pouring gas down the carb its broke, i wasn't refering to its overall running condition, a warm motor is differant than a cold motor.

If you dont want to take a broke boat to a mechanic then get the FACTORY service manual and learn to do the simple work. You can find them here on Iboats, from the publisher Ken Cook or even ebay. Its based off of engine model and year.

Eventually your practice of pouring fuel is going to blow up, with you, the boat and anything or anyone near it.

 

[gmajorabm]

wassup my fellow boaters! all has been well since my last post. since i am posting now of course there is now a problem! gosh this boating thing is no joke. since the last time i have posted about the shifting in my omc. that is no longer a problem. took the boat out about 6-7 times. tried to take the boat out today with a long time friend i havent seen before in years to have fun. welll that quickly got ruined. the engine started to overheat as i was idling out of the 5 miles zone(thank god u noticed). so i nursed it back to the dock to check if there was anything caught in the inlet for the water cooling. everything was free of debris. i have a new impellor since the last time my boat was in the shop. i even took apart the housing and saw the impellor was perfect and brand new. the engine just wont cool down. i hooked it up to muff and seen water out the peehole but still even on muffs the engine did not cool down right away as it normally does. help me out guys! learning the true meaning of bust out another thousand

 

[roffey]

I bet if you start a new thread you will get a better response and post it in the motor repair section for that motor. As far as an answer, if the impeller is good you got me. Is this a OB or inboard/outboard? I ask as the I/O's or at least mine as a water pump on block as well as one in the outdrive.

 

[gmajorabm]

its a inboard/outboard. yup i posted it in the engine for this boat as well. since i had good responses on my last thread. i figured i post in the same thread as i did

 

[roffey]

got ya, I looked at the start of this thread and read your motor is a 4.3. my motor is a 4.3 as well but a Merc. As I said I have a water pump on the block and think it is accessible, maybe have a look and see?

... and that is it for my mechanical know how,lol.

 

[al1026]

WOW lots of responses , I am late too the party .
​I am not sounding like a wise guy, been there and still doing it , After owing all types around 50 years , all I can say is Roll up your sleeves , take your time and learn as you go. CANT TRUST MOST MARINE GUYS, especially mobile guys . SORRY too the good ones.
This forum is loaded with horror stories of they took your money for parts and never returning too install or having issues never returning calls etc etc
​Get a shop manual , ask questions on this forum, lots of knowledgeable people .
​U TUBE also is a good source .
​ The good ones are always busy. The ones that run add after FREE adds on Craigslist FORGETABOUTTHEM . MOST GOT FIRED FROM LEGIT SHOPS
​A guy that charges as much as a legit shop are bums. They work out of a truck . Little overhead compared too a shop
​USE YOUR GUT .
​Make sure they have insurance ( if they get hurt working on your boat your paying ) or on your property .

​Cheaper boats late eighties early nighties walk around fishing , nice looking most have IO . A boat not worth more then 5 thousand how does one justify paying
thousands bringing into a shop
Right now I have 2 a 31 footer at a marina with twin IO ( hate that boat ) just bit bullet two new longblocks and might be forced too keep a while.
With all my experience I got jerked around , burned on labor and parts and dragging their feet that I needed aide of a sheriff too get my property back .
Dealers want crate too save them time & labor , as a customer I did not want too spend the extra 10 thousand .
​Took me months and found a guy too do the work I wanted, . I am 70 not hauling engines , but got so frustrated I was all set .
​My other boat is a 1984 walk around cuddy cabin early Laguna with IO 21 ft COOL BOAT that gets lots of comments .
​GOOD LUCK with your new boat . Some of the projects are fun gets you away from day too day stuff and clears your head , other projects stink .

 

[trailking82]

The engine overheating could be the water pump mounted on the front of the engine. Depending on access its fairly simple replacement.

 

[bruceb58]

The engine overheating could be the water pump mounted on the front of the engine. Depending on access its fairly simple replacement.

Doubt it. Unless an auto pump was installed and the vanes fell off from corrosion, that wouldn't be a cause.

 

[oldjeep]

Doubt it. Unless an auto pump was installed and the vanes fell off from corrosion, that wouldn't be a cause.

GM recalled a crapload of marine circulation pumps in 2012 due to the impellers cracking in half.

 

[trailking82]

Hard to explain why an engine wont cool anymore with the water pump recently replaced and was cooling not too long ago.

We can throw what ifs at this all day, but bottom line i have a strong feeling its the water pump mounted to the engine. An engine from the 90's, probably hasnt been replaced from new.. they dont last forever.

 

[Lou C]

A few issues here:
​1) the carb issue must be fixed properly, you may need a rebuilt carb which is common every 7-10 years or so
​2) 800 rpm is way too high for an OMC Cobra system, the factory spec is 500-600 in gear in the water. I usually set mine at 650 on the water hose on land and in the water its right at 600 or so in gear.
​3) yes a dog clutch shift will clunk but it should not be excessive. The ESA if working properly should drop the idle to about 450 rpm and that's what allows the dog clutch to release so you can get into neutral.
​4) if your engine is now overheating, even with a new impeller, possible causes are the metal cage inside the housing shifted, or the o ring gasket around the housing is not seated right. The Cobra impeller is very easy to install but that cage should be glued into the housing with OMC gasket sealer and the o ring can be tricky to get in right, I have found that OMC triple guard grease holds it in place better than gasket sealer and it will not leak.

 

[bruceb58]

Hard to explain why an engine wont cool anymore with the water pump recently replaced and was cooling not too long ago.

We can throw what ifs at this all day, but bottom line i have a strong feeling its the water pump mounted to the engine. An engine from the 90's, probably hasnt been replaced from new.. they dont last forever.

Their failure mechanism is the bearing and or the seal failing. Never ever heard of circulating pump vains/impeller failing unless an auto pump was installed.

Get a IR temp gun and measure temps at the thermostat housing and manifolds, if those are hot, then it's the water flow from the drive.

 

[Maclin]

"i hooked it up to muff and seen water out the peehole "

What exactly are you watching when running like this, the idle relief ports? Never heard about a peehole on an I/O, maybe Cobras have one, willing to learn.

The shaft the impeller turns on can sheer off, did you take it all the way out when you inspected the impeller.

 

[bruceb58]

"i hooked it up to muff and seen water out the peehole "

What exactly are you watching when running like this, the idle relief ports? Never heard about a peehole on an I/O, maybe Cobras have one, willing to learn.

The shaft the impeller turns on can sheer off, did you take it all the way out when you inspected the impeller.

I am guessing the hole on the impeller housing that is supposed to have a nipple with a small hose connected to it.