Electrical tape might have been sucked into the carb

First off I want to say I'm an idiot.

The needle on the carb kept rattling looser so as a stupid quick fix I took a peice of electrical tape, about 5 inches long and taped it tightly around the base to secure it.


Yesterday the motor started running funny, surging and jumping at high throttle.

I immediatly realized that maybe that tape idea had been a bad one, took the cowl off, saw that the tape had in fact disappeared and now I'm fearing the worst.

So where am I? How far will that tape work its way into the motor, and how much damage can it do? I took the carb off looking for it, havent found it. How deep am I gonna have to disassemble? There isnt a possibility that I can just run through this till it burns the tape away, is there?

Re: Electrical tape might have been sucked into the carb

I don't know what kind of motor you have, but most likely the tape got trapped in your intake manifold in front of the reed valves if it is an OMC and should be an easy fix. Just take the intake manifold off and take it out. It may have gotten sucked into a reed partially blocking it open but usually they won't run at all with a reed stuck open. Be careful taking that manifold off and make sure you take out every screw. If it doesn't come off pretty easy, you'd better keep checking for screws. If you warp it you've really screwed up. If it's not a design that has reeds behind the carb. you've probably got yourself a big problem. If you can't find it in the intake manifold you might try taking off the bypass covers off so you can look at the pistons and rings. I don't think you can just "burn it out". I would think if you sucked tape in it would stop running.
Good luck and I hope you find your tape!
JbJ:redface:

Re: Electrical tape might have been sucked into the carb

Its an OMC with reed valves in the intake, a 1986 28 horse.

I have taken it off to the reed box so far and I havent found it. So it could make it all he way back into the pistons? This is sounding pretty bad for something so simple.

Re: Electrical tape might have been sucked into the carb

I wouldn't think it would make it past the reeds, myself. It's not like they open all that wide when they do open. I suspect you may have a spark problem like a coil going out on one cylinder and are just paranoid because you can't find the tape----just like I would be. do you have a compression tester? Check the compression and see what it says--if the compression is good then the problem lies elsewhere. How does it run? Is the problem limited to wide open throttle? Have you pulled off any bypass covers to look at the pistons/rings?
Just some ideas, JBJ

Re: Electrical tape might have been sucked into the carb

I wanted to believe I was just paranoid myself, as I have a tendency to be that way, but....

I ran it again today. The problem only manifests itself at WOT, and if I back off it will rev back up and run at WOT for a few seconds before starting to surge. It acts like its not getting enough fuel or air suddenly at WOT. I can run it at 1/2 throttle smoothly, its just slow.


I didnt believe it could get past the reeds either, but I just cant find the tape and it was right there - its just gotta be it I'm afraid. Nothing else is logical to me. I mean yes I could have just suddenly developed a problem in conjunction with the tape disappearing apparently into the carb, but it seems liek a monumental coincidence.

So where would the last place we know the tape could get be? I mean the end of the road, where would it end up? We are assuming its past the reeds somehow.

When the fuel mixture enters the cylender is there a constriction in the passage that it could get hung up on? I have never been this deep in an outboard before.

Re: Electrical tape might have been sucked into the carb

I'm confused on where you put the tape...the base of what? It would have to be really small to get down in the carb and do any damage. If it went through the reeds and into the crankcase, it should still be there and maybe even visible if you pull the carb and look in the crankcase opening where the carb bolts up. Surging sounds like an air leak in the carb.

Re: Electrical tape might have been sucked into the carb

I don't know where your tape is either. But if it made it past the reeds, I wouldn't worry about it. It is soft enough that it won't cause any damage if it goes through the cylinders. There are no constrictions smaller than your pointer finger so it will just blow on through. One possibility is it could have melted on contact with a spark plug and fouled the plug. Melted anywhere else in the cylinder?? Nah, it will burn from the combustion fire. There are no hot spots in the crankcase in case you are worried that it will melt in there and foul an oil passage.

Re: Electrical tape might have been sucked into the carb

I wrapped the tape around the base of the slow speed needle that goes into the top of the carb.

I have disassembled to a point where I cant find the thing. I guess its time to reassemble and start trying to figure out what else could have happened to cause the surging.

Re: Electrical tape might have been sucked into the carb

I didnt even think about it cause of the tape issue redirecting my attention.

I did hit a log hard on the same day it started acting up. It didnt stop the engine, but i heard it rev up when it happened and the foot jumped out of the water. My neighbor asked me about the timing cause hes had lawnmowers knocked out the same way. It acts like it could be timing in my way of thinking too, it revs up but then bogs down and surges at WOT.

If I hit something and knocked it out of timing, where would I adjust?

Also, maybe I should have posted this on the johnnyrude board, if it could be moved maybe it would be a good thing. Thanks everyone.

EDIT: Today I went back to the lake after adjusting the set screw on the linkage that connects to the butterfly in the carb. I set it to open the butterfly wider at WOT cause I found it wasnt opening all the way.

At first on the lake I had the same difficulties. Then I eased it up to about 2/3 throttle, and it ran fine. Went about 2 miles at that speed, then sped up to WOT and didnt see the problem again. So, in other words today I ran through it. Dont know that I did anything to solve the issue, but for what its worth I thought I should update this. I'll post again if it comes back and I have to further troubleshoot. Thanks again for putting up with my ignorance of small outboards.