1994 305 Sunesta losing power underway

Here is what I have and some history on it.

1994 22' Chapperal Sunesta, 305 Mercruiser 4-50B100HS, Alpha 1 outdrive. Just got it from my father-in-law.

Boat has sat for almost a year, under cover in a lift not run. Has a history of hard starting after being run and shut down, I believe it was flooding, from a sticky float. That is what happened on Sunday to me. Pulled out of cove, ran for a bit then stopped to let kids swim.

Tried to start it to leave and I heard it dripping and saw the gas running into the carb throat when I pulled the flame arrestor. Would not start, had to be pilled back to dock.

Other issue is, it will start up and run fine when cold, warms up well. Easy it out of the slip, slow run out to the no wake bouy's, easy it on up on plane it will run out about 5-600 yards at speed and then it acts as though it is starving for fuel, not popping, spitting or sputtering though or backfires, it just looses power and rpms fall. Almost like you pinched off the fuel line, pull back on throttle to idle or just over and it will catch up. Run for 20-30 seconds and you can take off again. Cycle will repeat itself. When on plane motor is running smooth, at idle it is running smooth. I tried loosening the gas cap some to see if it was having venting issues but that did not seem to help. I only loosened it though did not open it completely while running.

I have the carb off now trying to decide whether to have it built again, or just start with a new one. Original one has been built twice already by father-in-laws mech.

Any other ideas I may be missing?

Thanks for any help

Re: 1994 305 Sunesta losing power underway

Suggest you check your fuel pump pressure and make sure all your filters are clean and in good shape. After that if no help, may want to try another carb because this one has been tried twice. Agree it sounds like a fuel restriction issue.

Re: 1994 305 Sunesta losing power underway

I believe I figured out the stuck float issue. I opened the carb up last night on the work bench and found two small pieces of gasket material in the float bowl. One was about 3/8 of an inch long and 1/8 wide the other was about half that size. I beleive they were floating around in there and blocked the needle from the seat. I have not been back to the slip yet to look at the vent line or run a fuel pressure test.