jkimball
Petty Officer 1st Class
- Joined
- May 14, 2013
- Messages
- 220
I need help! Sorry in advance for the long post, but I wanted to give as much info as possible.
I have a '97 Regal with a 4.3LX, 2bbl.
The boat was running fairly well, and starting as normal but I was having some slight hesitation when accelerating after prolonged idle and the number one suggestion was to check plugs, wires etc. (which that combined with a faulty elec. choke - which I replaced hopefully addressed the issue will find out tomorrow)
So I figured that since I've owned the boat since late August and I'm getting it ready for the summer anyhow I may as well do a tune up on it since parts are cheap and it's relatively easy to do.
All went well, some of the plugs are a pain to get to reaching over and under manifolds, but not that bad.
And I'm glad I did change them, because though they were in good shape (Gaps close to spec.) the plugs were carbon fouled (likely due to stuck choke) and the terminals on the inside of the cap were rusted and the rotor was worn & rusted as well.
So I changed plugs and wires first - yes one by one so as to not cross plug wires. Then I changed the cap and rotor - removing/replacing the wires again one by one and putting them on the corresponding new terminal on the new cap.
I didn't change the orientation of the distributor at all.
So I go to start the boat, and after about 2-3 revolutions I get a "clank" (for a lack of better terms) and it seems as if the motor tried to start, but stopped all the sudden. As if the timing was off I would think.
after it doing this maybe twice, it fires right up - runs beautifully with no hesitation or missing etc. and it starts 100% normal after that, normally if I just bump the key.
After reading other posts with similar issues - but not exact (they didn't replace ign. components and were usually underway when it happened) the number one gremlin seemed to be Hydrolock... which I didn't think was my case since the plugs I replaced were perfectly dry/free of rust and the boat hadn't been in the water or run recently.
So, I ran it on muffs for a few mins last night - making sure new choke worked. and let her sit overnight, today to hopefully rule out hydrolock (thinking if manifolds etc. were leaking they would do so overnight) - I decided I'd pull the "Kill Switch" to kill power to the ignition, and turn it over a few times (on muffs to not burn up impeller) to see if I still had the problem with no spark
I don't. It turned over beautifully with no hiccups.
So I replaced the switch to turn it over with full spark and start it up and it does it again - this time only once before she fires off, running beautifully and starting with a bump of the key thereafter....
so - what's going on? Is there something I missed in replacing the ign. components? Do I need to set the TB Ign. system in some learning mode? I'm kind of lost.
I don't think I crossed a wire somehow, because if I had wouldn't it run like crud?
Long story short -
1. Started fine with old ign. stuff but "needed" tune up due to rusty cap/rotor, carbon fouled plugs & hesitation
2. New Ign. Stuff, New Choke - Didn't touch timing
3. Go to start - turn, turn, turn, CLANK!!! (maybe twice) - turn, turn, Vroom!!!!
4. Runs beautifully here on out
5. Starts fine each time after initial issue above...
Help!!!
I have a '97 Regal with a 4.3LX, 2bbl.
The boat was running fairly well, and starting as normal but I was having some slight hesitation when accelerating after prolonged idle and the number one suggestion was to check plugs, wires etc. (which that combined with a faulty elec. choke - which I replaced hopefully addressed the issue will find out tomorrow)
So I figured that since I've owned the boat since late August and I'm getting it ready for the summer anyhow I may as well do a tune up on it since parts are cheap and it's relatively easy to do.
All went well, some of the plugs are a pain to get to reaching over and under manifolds, but not that bad.
And I'm glad I did change them, because though they were in good shape (Gaps close to spec.) the plugs were carbon fouled (likely due to stuck choke) and the terminals on the inside of the cap were rusted and the rotor was worn & rusted as well.
So I changed plugs and wires first - yes one by one so as to not cross plug wires. Then I changed the cap and rotor - removing/replacing the wires again one by one and putting them on the corresponding new terminal on the new cap.
I didn't change the orientation of the distributor at all.
So I go to start the boat, and after about 2-3 revolutions I get a "clank" (for a lack of better terms) and it seems as if the motor tried to start, but stopped all the sudden. As if the timing was off I would think.
after it doing this maybe twice, it fires right up - runs beautifully with no hesitation or missing etc. and it starts 100% normal after that, normally if I just bump the key.
After reading other posts with similar issues - but not exact (they didn't replace ign. components and were usually underway when it happened) the number one gremlin seemed to be Hydrolock... which I didn't think was my case since the plugs I replaced were perfectly dry/free of rust and the boat hadn't been in the water or run recently.
So, I ran it on muffs for a few mins last night - making sure new choke worked. and let her sit overnight, today to hopefully rule out hydrolock (thinking if manifolds etc. were leaking they would do so overnight) - I decided I'd pull the "Kill Switch" to kill power to the ignition, and turn it over a few times (on muffs to not burn up impeller) to see if I still had the problem with no spark
I don't. It turned over beautifully with no hiccups.
So I replaced the switch to turn it over with full spark and start it up and it does it again - this time only once before she fires off, running beautifully and starting with a bump of the key thereafter....
so - what's going on? Is there something I missed in replacing the ign. components? Do I need to set the TB Ign. system in some learning mode? I'm kind of lost.
I don't think I crossed a wire somehow, because if I had wouldn't it run like crud?
Long story short -
1. Started fine with old ign. stuff but "needed" tune up due to rusty cap/rotor, carbon fouled plugs & hesitation
2. New Ign. Stuff, New Choke - Didn't touch timing
3. Go to start - turn, turn, turn, CLANK!!! (maybe twice) - turn, turn, Vroom!!!!
4. Runs beautifully here on out
5. Starts fine each time after initial issue above...
Help!!!