1995 evinrude 130 running rough/surging

I have read the forums for a little while and didn't seem to find the same symptoms I am having. A little history, I just purchased a center console boat with a 1995 Evinrude 130 with non VRO (mix my gas). i purchased this boat from a old man that had a stroke a while back and I believe it has sat a while even though he says it was taken out about a month and a half ago. When I purchased the boat, the motor idled fine with muffs in his yard and the compression readings came out great around the 120 range. I looked the motor over well and checked what I could. I have came home and fixed minor things on the boat and it has sat another two weeks. I started the boat up and it seemed to idle great and started really well. I decided to change the fuel water separator and take it to the river to run it. At first the primer bulb didn't seem to pump gas and for the first time the engine sounded like it was running on two cylinders. This seemed to me that there was air in the lines from changing the filter. After I let it idle for a while it sounded like it was running on all four and sounded normal again, also the primer bulb was tight and I could tell there was gas in it this time. I took it up and down the river and it ran great for about 10 mins. I took the boat home and let it sit for a couple more days and took it out yesterday. I started the motor and it fired right up and idled fine. Now when I went to give it gas, the motor seems very sluggish and then took off and ran for about a mile with no problems. I came back to the ramp and turned it off thinking everything was ok. I then started it again, and now everytime I go to give it gas it starts to jump and take off then bog down, then it acts like it wants to surge forward then bog again. Also now it seems to have no WOT. There are times when it will run flat out like nothing is wrong, then out of no where it will bog and surge and sputter and then try to shoot forward again. I have no idea how old the gas was in the boat from the previous owner, even thought he said he took it out not long ago and was told it could be bad gas, but then why would it run great at other times on the same gas. It has about a quarter tank of gas in it, and I put a nother fresh quarter tank in it before I went two the river yesterday. If the jets were truly clogged, it wouldn't have those spurts where it runs great for a while right? Starting to wonder if it's my fuel pump or could really be bad gas. I have no problem digging into anything on the motor, I just would like a good place to start so I don't waste my whole day tomorrow. I am going to check the basics from fuel flow out of the pump to digging into the carbs for a good cleaning, just want to know of any other places to look. Thanks for any advice and I appreciate any input.

Re: 1995 evinrude 130 running rough/surging

Just a question is this a vro that some one converted or is it a mix/gas motor.

I think you need to remove clean and rebuild the carbs.Something is clogging them up.

Re: 1995 evinrude 130 running rough/surging

I have no idea if it had a vro or not. I have been wondering the same thing. To be honest the fuel pump doesn't look factory to me because it is not mounted in a factory way to the side of the engine. I know in my boat if it had oil injection that the tank was in a certain compartment beside the engine, and there is no evidence of one ever being there. I have to assume this has always been a mix gas motor, but the fuel pump does seem to be old and maybe not original.

Re: 1995 evinrude 130 running rough/surging

Ok I took all the carbs apart today and cleaned everything. They look recently rebuilt being that all the gaskets look new. I then checked the fuel pump and seen nothing in the wire filter or any tears in the rubber gasket. I then started the motor on the muffs and it fired up first crank (it's never started that easy) and idled beautiful. I thought maybe something was in the carbs and got cleaned out, so I took it to the river for a spin. When I first took off in the river it ran great, no problems at all. I ran it about a mile or two and came back and pulled the truck up. I then went back to the boat and fired it up and took off. About a half mile to a mile down the river it started the surging and hesitating again like the other day. Then the motor will slowly lose power and not want to go over 3-4k rpms while surging the whole time. It ran great the other two times it has been taken out until it warms up. This is something new I discovered today and maybe it can point me in a new direction. So anyone have any ideas why it runs great until it warms up? I also noticed today that the temp and water light came on once and a steady beep happened for about 10 seconds, but the stream of water coming out of the motor is flowing great. Is there some kind of temperature safety device on this motor that could be creating these problems if it is malfunctioning? I also had a friend pump the primer bulb while driving and it made no difference so I am really not thinking it's the fuel pump. I really need some help so please chime in.

Re: 1995 evinrude 130 running rough/surging

It sounds as if you have somthing floating around in the carbs. I had a 55hp johnson that I needed to take the carbs apart at least once a year (got good at it). I would take the carbs apart and chase all the ports with a syringe full of alcohol. the syringe will actually put more pressure through the circuits in the carb helping to clean them. Just sparaying the circuits will help but not always clean them all the way. I would also consider putting on new ethytnol resistant fuel lines and a fuel filter either a canister water seperating or in line. It wouldnt be the first time a guy had to rip apart carbs multiple times to make sure they are clean. the circuits (passages) are extreamly small in these thiings. Good luck