94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

I got a great deal on the boat from a friend by several thousands less than what's it selling for comparably everywhere else so I expected to do some maintenance and fixes. After digging into it, my friends "boat guy" apparently didn't know what he was doing to this boat and has taken my friend for some money previously. It had Autolite 103 plugs which were about 1/2" shorter in the cylinder than the AC MR43LTS that I replaced them with.

So I gassed it up with 90 octane and took the boat out for the first time. It was leaking water pretty bad from the driveshaft bellow and making a lot of drivetrain noise. I also could not get it up on plane, once it would hit about 2k rpm, it would hesitate and die unless I backed off the throttle. I found a bad spark plug wire that was popping off... crimped it on tight and that fixed a miss but still hesitating under throttle around 2k rpm and dies if I try to push it higher.

I get it home and there is about a 4" hole in the driveshaft bellow and no grease in the gimbal bearing... I could rattle it around with my hand.... ordered a new bellows/gimbal bearing/u-joints kit that should be here today and going in tomorrow. I also put a new cap, rotor, and plug wires on. It is still a little bit hard to start from cold in the driveway but it will idle around 650-700 rpm once started and warmed up. Does this sound like carb problems? It doesn't appear to ever have been rebuilt as the screws were still painted to the carb body. If that's the case, I'd assume 18 years old is time for a rebuild? Also, the new plugs are sooty and not nice and white. I went ahead and ordered the sierra rebuild kit overnighted because I'm wanting to get it back on the water sunday. I realized that I didn't order a new fuel filter for the pump, it is ok to pull the current filter and just put an inline plastic filter in the rubber hose from the tank? I also did a compression check and am showing from front to back 115, 120, 120, 130 which I think is ok from what I've read. Anything else I may be missing here as a culprit for the hesitation under load... engine is very responsive and revs normally on the hose (no outdrive attached at the moment).

Thanks!

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

I honestly wouldn't take it out even once more until the outdrive was off, everything inspected/lubed, bellows changed, complete ignition system tuneup done, fuel filters cleaned. Do all that.. take out out.. and then report back.

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

Since you already have the drive off, might as well change the impeller. No doubt it's had the same maintenance as the rest. You also will need to change the gear lube in the drive. It has water in it. I would also suggest you replace the front seal in the drive, and maybe replace the yoke the seal rides on. When that seal surface gets rusty, it destroys the seal, then you loose gear lube.

Here is how to change the impeller.

View attachment A1G2 Impeller Replace.pdf

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

curt2199 said:

I realized that I didn't order a new fuel filter for the pump, it is ok to pull the current filter and just put an inline plastic filter in the rubber hose from the tank? !

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That would not be wise, and probably illegal. The good news is that it probably has a "porous stone" filter in the fuel pump that may be removed and cleaned, be careful that you do not damage the gasket. Also with the mercarb, there is a screen under the large nut on the fuel line going into the carb.

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

Whatever filters are in the pump and carb, replace them. THEN, install a water separating fuel filter between the tank and the fuel pump. Then change and check that filter yearly to see if there is water and excessive garbage in the fuel.
Especially with todays fuels.

One of these http://www.iboats.com/Water-Separat...50797880--session_id.524640777--view_id.45101

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

After digging into it, my friends "boat guy" apparently didn't know what he was doing to this boat and has taken my friend for some money previously. It had Autolite 103 plugs which were about 1/2" shorter in the cylinder than the AC MR43LTS that I replaced them with.

Click to expand...

Ayuh,... I'm surprised the pistons ain't slappin' the plugs shut....

I'm pretty certain you should be usin' the AC Delco, MR43T plugs in that head....
The MR43LTS is longer for the Vortec heads that came out in 96, even latter for the I-4s..

It was leaking water pretty bad from the driveshaft bellow and making a lot of drivetrain noise. I also could not get it up on plane,

Click to expand...

Is there any Oil in the Drive,..??

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

I'll answer these on at a time so I don't miss any questions...

"I honestly wouldn't take it out even once more until the outdrive was off, everything inspected/lubed, bellows changed, complete ignition system tuneup done, fuel filters cleaned. Do all that.. take out out.. and then report back."

Outdrive is currently off after taking it out the first time. Prior to that I'd only changed the oil in it. I'm doing the bellows/gimbal/u-joints tomorrow and then back on the water sunday for a test. This week I've done rotor, cap, plugs, wires. I'll pull the fuel filter in the pump and check/clean tonight.

"Since you already have the drive off, might as well change the impeller. No doubt it's had the same maintenance as the rest. You also will need to change the gear lube in the drive. It has water in it. I would also suggest you replace the front seal in the drive, and maybe replace the yoke the seal rides on. When that seal surface gets rusty, it destroys the seal, then you loose gear lube."

Did the impeller and gear lube (penzoil marine) before I took it out the first time. I'll check the yoke seal, I haven't yet cause I don't have a spanner wrench to take the yoke off.

"That would not be wise, and probably illegal. The good news is that it probably has a "porous stone" filter in the fuel pump that may be removed and cleaned, be careful that you do not damage the gasket. Also with the mercarb, there is a screen under the large nut on the fuel line going into the carb."

Didn't think about the legality of it so that's definitely out. I'll replace the screen on the carb when I get the rebuild kit tomorrow. Also what can I clean the fuel filter up that's in the fuel pump with? More gas? I'll order a new one (when I found out what I need to order) but it may be a week before I get it with shipping.

"Whatever filters are in the pump and carb, replace them. THEN, install a water separating fuel filter between the tank and the fuel pump. Then change and check that filter yearly to see if there is water and excessive garbage in the fuel.
Especially with todays fuels."

Would just about any water/fuel sep kit work? I'm not wanting to cheap out by any means, I'd just like to get it on the water Sunday, if possible to rule out any other issues.

"Ayuh,... I'm surprised the pistons ain't slappin' the plugs shut.... I'm pretty certain you should be usin' the AC Delco, MR43T plugs in that head.... The MR43LTS is longer for the Vortec heads that came out in 96, even latter for the I-4s.."

I need to look again but I could have sworn the valve cover lists AC MR43LTS as the plug so that's why I picked them up, also saw that on here somewhere... found it (http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=472658). I ran it with the new plugs when I took it out the first time and have pulled them since and they are fine (no signs of any metal to metal contact)

"Is there any Oil in the Drive,..??"
I put fresh lower unit oil in before taking it out. The noise, I'm assuming, was a dry gimbal bearing. Once I got in there and checked it out, the water from the bellows leak had washed all the grease out of it and it was loose. I pumped grease in it and packed it again and it will turn pretty smoothly but I'm still going to change it out because I'm sure the damage has been done.

Also, sorry it seems like I'm rushing everything... I bought the boat a couple weeks ago at as a spur of the moment decision because I didn't want to pass on a great deal. My son will be born in the next few weeks and once he's here, my time to work on the boat will soon disappear so I'd rather have the time that we do have spent on the water instead of working on the boat.

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

Also, I found the post that I referenced in the plug size too.... I've been around these forums long enough to know Don knows what he's talking about so I didn't hesitate to pick up these plugs... lol. In fact he helped me work out problems on my first boat back 3 years ago via suggestions on here. 78 Wellcraft Air Slot 190...

~Don S

"Type of distributor has nothing to do with which spark plug you use. It all depends on what the head was designed for. The 3.0LX uses the longer reach plugs, so you would use the AC MR43LTS plugs. you can also use the NGK BPR6EFS."

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=472658

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

Did the impeller and gear lube (penzoil marine) before I took it out the first time. I'll check the yoke seal, I haven't yet cause I don't have a spanner wrench to take the yoke off.

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Check the oil for water then, if your bellows is bad, and you put the boat in water and ran it, you have a very good chance of having water in there again. The bellows is what keeps water out of the drive, not the seal, it just keeps the oil in.

Would just about any water/fuel sep kit work? I'm not wanting to cheap out by any means, I'd just like to get it on the water Sunday, if possible to rule out any other issues.

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Yes, just make sure you have a 10 micron filter. Then you don't have to worry about your carb and pump filter getting messed up again unless you fill up the filter with water and it's allowed to get to the carb.

My son will be born in the next few weeks and once he's here, my time to work on the boat will soon disappear so I'd rather have the time that we do have spent on the water instead of working on the boat.

Click to expand...

You might want to get it fixed right before you go out again, that way your time on the water will be boating, and not being towed in.

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

Don S said:

Check the oil for water then, if your bellows is bad, and you put the boat in water and ran it, you have a very good chance of having water in there again. The bellows is what keeps water out of the drive, not the seal, it just keeps the oil in.

Yes, just make sure you have a 10 micron filter. Then you don't have to worry about your carb and pump filter getting messed up again unless you fill up the filter with water and it's allowed to get to the carb.

You might want to get it fixed right before you go out again, that way your time on the water will be boating, and not being towed in.

Click to expand...

Yeah, replacing the outdrive oil again before hitting the water in was on the list. When I pulled the drive, there was a very small amount of milky drive oil that came out with it. I'm hoping this was just the result of water getting past the yoke seal and mixing with oil, letting the thinned oil back past the yoke seal. There wasn't much there at all. Worst case is I'll need to get a spanner wrench and yoke seal in the next couple weeks as well. And I'll pick up a 10 mic filter kit.

So does the AC MR43LTS sound like the right plug for the LX? I'm going to double check the valve cover but I could have sworn I bought the match to what it said on the cover.

Thanks!

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

So does the AC MR43LTS sound like the right plug for the LX? I'm going to double check the valve cover but I could have sworn I bought the match to what it said on the cover.

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If it's an LX, yes, that is the correct plugs. Just look at the threads in the head. They should be as long as the plugs threads.

What's the Merc serial number of your engine?

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

I'll get the serial when I get off work at 5, so in a couple hours, and will post back.

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

Glad to see your doing it right and by the book and don't forget to presssure and vaccum test the drive before you put that drive back on to be safe.

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

Just an update, I couldn't get the fuel filter out of the pump. Seems like there is a flathead screw holding it on at the bottom and I was afraid that I was going to end up stripping it out trying to get it loose, either that pull something in the akward position I had to get to get to the screw.

Me and my buddy did get the new gimbal bearing and bellows all installed. Also rebuilt the carb and WOW does this thing run great now! It's like a whole new boat. And the gimbal area is completely silent now... nothing there but engine noise (which BTW I think I have some timing gear noise). Oil pressure stayed around 40psi and the temp never got above 140 with a new temp sender. I topped out around 38-40mph with 4 people in the boat and an 18 pitch prop. I need a new prop because it has a small chunk missing so I think I may move to a stainless with a 19 pitch.

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

Just found an aluminum 19 pitch x 14.5 3 blade prop on Craigslist for $50 in Like New condition from the pics that I'm thinking about picking up. Do you guys think it's worth doing that? My current prop is missing a chunk about 1-2 inches long by 1/4"-1/2" deep off one of the blades.... it was my fault to because in a hurry and distracted by my little girl, I put the trim tab on backwards and the prop hit it when I went to crank it over the first time... bent some of the aluminum which then broke off at the lake :facepalm:

I was getting a lot of wiggle at low rpms, in idle zones... made it very difficult to dock in the slip and made me nervous going under bridges with tight piers.

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

Edited for focusing...

Re: 94' Rinker with Merc 3.0LX... first time out problems.

Let's not get involved in a prop discussion here guys, we have a perfectly good prop forum for that.
This thread is about the running problems.
Until you get the engine problems fixed, props are the least of your worries.