Running without flame arrestor????

[Therapydoc]

Is it okay to run the boat without the flame arrestor for a few minutes to see if that's my issue? Been having trouble with no low end power and low rpms under load. The flame arrestor looks pretty dirty and nasty. I tried washing it out with soap and water but still looks pretty dirty.

It's on a 2001 350 mag mpi with captains choice

 

[spoilsofwar]

With engine hatch or doghouse open, it won't hurt anything.

 

[salty3rd]

Probably 10 years ago I had mine off for a couple days while I was doing maintance. After a day or two of using the boat I began having issues. Make a long story short, at some point a nut had been accidentally dopped down the carb throat and eventually worked its way into one of the cylinders. From then on I try and keep mine on as much as possible, and am extremely careful when i take it off to diagnose problems. Not to scare you just something to keep in mind.

 

[hogbare35]

If you think the flame arrestor is clogged up soak it in acetone overnight and blow out with air . That should remove most of the crud .When I have had problems with flame arrestor it was from belt shavings get in them .

 

[Therapydoc]

Excuse my ignorance but under the flame arrestor is the breather. Looks like old carbs. This is a mpi boat. The flapper doesn't move by hand but I'm assuming with throttle it opens and closes, correct? Should it be able to be moved by hand?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Clean the flame arrester insteada runnin' without it,....
Acetone was mentioned, but gasoline, kerosene or fuel oil will also work,...

Under the flame arrester is the throttle body, the butterflys move with the throttle cable, not by touch,....

 

[Scott Danforth]

a can or two of brake cleaner will clean the spark arrestor.

 

[JoLin]

a can or two of brake cleaner will clean the spark arrestor.

It's what I use, too. Melts the gunk out.