I know this seems to be a pretty common problem, but I feel like I've also gone through most of the common solutions, so I wanted to post and see if I could get some feedback.
Long version: I'm working on restoring my parents 1988 Seaswirl Spyder, 150xp Outboard. It's got a number of other issues, but a lot of sentimental value since it's the boat I grew up on. Tricky part is I'm a ways out from a lake, and I don't like "testing" a questionably reliable engine on the river, so the in and out, open water vs hose flush is getting painful.
E150STLCCA. It's always ran a bit rich. Been out of the water for the most part for nearly a decade, was worked on and "partially" working about 4 years ago, so this is the final push to get her going again. VRO has been replaced, plugs redone, tank drained and cleaned out (only run premium in it), compression check good across all 6 (so I'm told, I didn't verify), and I tore down and cleaned the carbs just a couple weeks ago. (top one was fine, middle a bit gunky, and the bottom definitely needed cleaning.. but that seems to be common since the gunk settles to the bottom). Still trying to confirm what else exactly was done to it a few years back, but it had similar issues then too, which is part of why it sat a few more years.
Starts and idles, a little bit of a sneeze at idle when it's in the water, but it's not running lean, if anything it's a bit rich (some blue smokey exhaust), but I didn't notice it on the hose. revs in neutral like a champ, on the hose and in the water. Under way is a bit different, it'll "putt" along just fine, but I don't need a 150 horse trolling motor. It struggles, a lot, to get on plane, but once there it'll open back up a bit and run decently. Sometimes it will just lug away, sometimes it'll bog to almost stalling unless I back off the throttle. My gut says it feels like it's starving for gas. Sometimes as if I back off slowly while it's bogging I'll get just a little blip of a surge,
We've switched fuel lines around, used a portable tank to make sure it wasn't the built in etc. etc.
Thoughts on priority to what to check next? I'm 99% sure I got the carbs back together correctly, but there's always a chance I fubar'd something there, I'm hoping not to have to yank the flywheel and really tear into things. I took care not to mess with linkage and timing, but that's not to say that wasn't screwed up prior to and I just put it back together the same way. I'll also admit to not spark testing everything. It's currently in the water, so things to check while it's still in would be good, other wise it's pull it, and drive a couple hours to be somewhere I can actually work on it.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
TLDR: E150STLCCA - 150XP Idles fine, bogs on acceleration. Rebuilt carbs, and new VRO, other misc general maintenance, looking for next steps to check.
Long version: I'm working on restoring my parents 1988 Seaswirl Spyder, 150xp Outboard. It's got a number of other issues, but a lot of sentimental value since it's the boat I grew up on. Tricky part is I'm a ways out from a lake, and I don't like "testing" a questionably reliable engine on the river, so the in and out, open water vs hose flush is getting painful.
E150STLCCA. It's always ran a bit rich. Been out of the water for the most part for nearly a decade, was worked on and "partially" working about 4 years ago, so this is the final push to get her going again. VRO has been replaced, plugs redone, tank drained and cleaned out (only run premium in it), compression check good across all 6 (so I'm told, I didn't verify), and I tore down and cleaned the carbs just a couple weeks ago. (top one was fine, middle a bit gunky, and the bottom definitely needed cleaning.. but that seems to be common since the gunk settles to the bottom). Still trying to confirm what else exactly was done to it a few years back, but it had similar issues then too, which is part of why it sat a few more years.
Starts and idles, a little bit of a sneeze at idle when it's in the water, but it's not running lean, if anything it's a bit rich (some blue smokey exhaust), but I didn't notice it on the hose. revs in neutral like a champ, on the hose and in the water. Under way is a bit different, it'll "putt" along just fine, but I don't need a 150 horse trolling motor. It struggles, a lot, to get on plane, but once there it'll open back up a bit and run decently. Sometimes it will just lug away, sometimes it'll bog to almost stalling unless I back off the throttle. My gut says it feels like it's starving for gas. Sometimes as if I back off slowly while it's bogging I'll get just a little blip of a surge,
We've switched fuel lines around, used a portable tank to make sure it wasn't the built in etc. etc.
Thoughts on priority to what to check next? I'm 99% sure I got the carbs back together correctly, but there's always a chance I fubar'd something there, I'm hoping not to have to yank the flywheel and really tear into things. I took care not to mess with linkage and timing, but that's not to say that wasn't screwed up prior to and I just put it back together the same way. I'll also admit to not spark testing everything. It's currently in the water, so things to check while it's still in would be good, other wise it's pull it, and drive a couple hours to be somewhere I can actually work on it.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
TLDR: E150STLCCA - 150XP Idles fine, bogs on acceleration. Rebuilt carbs, and new VRO, other misc general maintenance, looking for next steps to check.