mercruiser v6 carb maybe?

I just got a 1987 baja sunsport 174, with a mercruiser 205/v6 and an alpha 1 outdrive. I got it through a trade and was hoping that I came out on top, but I took it out yesterday and was wide open on the water. After about 5 min it seemed like it was losing a little bit of power, I backed off of it and tried to go back wide open, it seemed like it was bogging down then all of a sudden it back fired and died. It would not crank back up after that. I let it sit for about 45 min and tried to crank it and it fired right up no problem. I drove it right back to the dock and put it on the trailer. I am very new to the boating world and this is my first I/O. I have a few other little nick nacks I have to take care of on this boat but i would like to be able to run this boat when I need to. My first thought woud be the carb flooding itself out and making it go dead, but I am not too sure any info would help.

Re: mercruiser v6 carb maybe?

sounds like you might be on something it sounds like as the engine is heating up the full is too lean and eventually not enough to run the motor. the doc don will be here shortly to tell if im correct in min or to

Re: mercruiser v6 carb maybe?

My first thought woud be the carb flooding itself out and making it go dead, but I am not too sure

Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... A Backfire usually means it's goin' Lean....

Check the fuel filter...
The tank could also be plugged up...
Or, it could be just rotten ole gasoline...

Re: mercruiser v6 carb maybe?

Agree with Bondo. I would be taking a fuel sample before doing anything else. Taken on a trade tells me that whoever had the boat was not an avid boater, and it may have sat for years. Check fuel first. Is there a water seperator?

Re: mercruiser v6 carb maybe?

To be honest with you im not sure if it does have a water seperator I am going to look it up and look on the boat here in just little bit. As for the bad gas a couple of days after I got it I put the muffs on it and was adjusting the lower shift cable (one of those other nick nacks I was saying) and actually ran the tank dry. After that I went and put 100% gas 93 octane in it. So I dont think it would be the bad gas.

Re: mercruiser v6 carb maybe?

It does have a water seperator on it by the way.

Re: mercruiser v6 carb maybe?

Did you pull the filter and get a sample? Just cause you ran the tank dry does not mean there is not water present in the tank. The pickup unit does not sit directly on the bottom of the tank. Also, dont waste your money on 93 octane fuel. It will do nothing for your boat. Lastly, with the previous small amount of ethanol still in the tank, the addition of non ethanol fuel lowers the ability of the existing ethanol fuel to hold moisture in suspension. All the more reason to check and replace the seperator. In a nutshell, dont chase your tail on this. Clear each sub system before moving on to the next.

Re: mercruiser v6 carb maybe?

I will for sure do all of this. i hope this does work because i would like to be able to run on the water for more than 15 at a time. i appreciate all the help and will let everyone know what the situation is at the end of the week. as for the gas i just thought it would be better to use than ethanol and the gas station that is by the water we go too had a gas station with 0% ethanol figured i would try it out.

Re: mercruiser v6 carb maybe?

It's fine to use the non. Just stay with it now that your running it. I run pure non myself now unless in a pinch.