Cannot get up on step?

Hi,

New to the forum. I have a Lund Sport Angler 18 ft. with a Mercury 115 4 stroke (2006) and we headed out to day and I could not get up on step. The boat was fine for the load, we were not overloaded. So I have been reading online all day about problems it could be. From the Fuel line, yes it is one of those grey ones to the VST and so on. Just wondering if someone could step me through a trouble shooting list of where to start. I've also read many forums on how much trips to the dealer mechanic has cost, and I cannot get my boat in for another week.

Thanks for your help!

Re: Cannot get up on step?

It seems to me that allot of the problems that boaters have is fuel, fuel pump, or carb related so those are the things I'd start looking into. First, is your fuel system clean? Do you have clean fuel tanks? Is your fuel/water seperator working properly? Are there any loose connections in your fuel sys allowing air to get in? Secondly, are your fuel pumps pumping enough fuel? I recomend to everyone to install a clear glass fuel filter with replaceable elements under the engine cowling (I got mine at wally world) in a horizontol position. This allows you to see how well your fuel pumps are working and see if any crap is getting past your main filter, if needed, rebuild the fuel pumps. Thirdly, your carbs may need a cleaning or a rebuild. Allot of people have problems with dirty fuel getting into their carbs and effecting performance. When someone says their motor is not making enough power, it's usually one of these things. Another item to check are your spark plugs. Are they fouled? Do they need cleaning? Hope this helps you.

Red

Re: Cannot get up on step?

Here is a good fuel system diagnostic from the FAQ's of this site.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=283363