Nina215
Cadet
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2018
- Messages
- 19
I'm going to try to summarize. Bought a project boat 4 yrs ago. 1999 Sea Ray 215 Express Cruiser with Merc 5.0, 2 bbl Mercarb, Thunderbolt V ignition. 130 hours. Sat forever.
First year (2015), I replaced or rebuilt everything in the fuel system. Removed, dumped, and cleaned fuel tank, reinstalled. New anti-siphon valve, new fuel pump, new water separator, rebuilt carb, cleaned spark arrestor. Oil change. New plugs, wires. Outdrive was gone over, new gimbal bearing, new bellows, new trim sensors, new shift cable, new prop. Pressure tested.
Went for test drive at end of that season and it ran fine.
Next season (2016), had it in dry dock all season. New cap, rotor, and timed (to the best of our ability without an external tach). Ran fantastically. Started right up, idled smooth. The only odd thing that ever happened was that after cruising at maybe 3500 rpm for like 15 min straight, I'd get one random backfire. Then after another 15 min or so, again. But at slower speeds, it never occurred.
Winterized at the end of the season. The boat had marine (non-ethanol fuel) and it was almost empty when I stored it for winter. Added Stabil, fogged the carb, put antifreeze in.
Was too busy in 2017 for it so it remained winterized.
This year, I have it in a dry dock again at a marina. Had no problems bringing it out of storage and started right up. Sounds great, idles smooth. I had to put a new prop on because I hit 2 logs in 2016 and bent the old one. I put on what the sea ray prop chart recommends for my boat/engine which is 14.25 x 21. Filled it with marine fuel as soon as I put it in the water.
Went out for maiden voyage of the year and it would only go up to 2200 rpm or so. Wouldn't get up on plane. Throttle would continue to advance with no response or change in boat's cruising. No backfiring, no sputtering, no stalling, just nothing. Just bogged down at 2200 and stays there.
For the last few weeks, I've been trying to figure it out but nothing I do makes a difference. Here is a list of what I've done:
1. Checked choke which seems to stick open (not closed). I've played with it to try to free it but as soon as it's back on the boat, it is hard to move again. But seems to stick open, not closed. I've looked at it while on a test drive and it is indeed open.
2. Removed carb, took apart, sprayed with carb cleaner, blew through jets to make sure they weren't clogged. Checked filter in the carb.
3. Removed and dumped fuel from water separator, it was fine. Replaced with new water separator anyway.
4. Checked for clogged fuel tank vent, it was fine.
5. Pulled plugs and found them to be dry fouled with a lot of carbon build up despite them only having about 10-15 hours on them. Replaced with new NGK plugs, properly gapped.
6. Replaced ignition coil.
7. Replaced the only fuel hose, even though it looked fine.
8. Checked cap and rotor, still look brand new inside.
9. Motor oil is not overfilled.
I'm waiting my turn with the boat mechanic but trying to do whatever I can in the meantime. I want them to definitely look over the carb and readjust it, as well as the shift cable which doesn't always go into neutral when the shifter clicks into neutral.
Any ideas?
After changing the ignition coil a couple days ago, the tach suddenly tells me higher RPMs than I know we're going. Now it says we're getting up to 3200 or so RPM but I know we're not. It still feels and sounds the same as before. It also says I'm idling faster than I was before. It is showing idle at around 1100 or so when I know we're only going around 700.
First year (2015), I replaced or rebuilt everything in the fuel system. Removed, dumped, and cleaned fuel tank, reinstalled. New anti-siphon valve, new fuel pump, new water separator, rebuilt carb, cleaned spark arrestor. Oil change. New plugs, wires. Outdrive was gone over, new gimbal bearing, new bellows, new trim sensors, new shift cable, new prop. Pressure tested.
Went for test drive at end of that season and it ran fine.
Next season (2016), had it in dry dock all season. New cap, rotor, and timed (to the best of our ability without an external tach). Ran fantastically. Started right up, idled smooth. The only odd thing that ever happened was that after cruising at maybe 3500 rpm for like 15 min straight, I'd get one random backfire. Then after another 15 min or so, again. But at slower speeds, it never occurred.
Winterized at the end of the season. The boat had marine (non-ethanol fuel) and it was almost empty when I stored it for winter. Added Stabil, fogged the carb, put antifreeze in.
Was too busy in 2017 for it so it remained winterized.
This year, I have it in a dry dock again at a marina. Had no problems bringing it out of storage and started right up. Sounds great, idles smooth. I had to put a new prop on because I hit 2 logs in 2016 and bent the old one. I put on what the sea ray prop chart recommends for my boat/engine which is 14.25 x 21. Filled it with marine fuel as soon as I put it in the water.
Went out for maiden voyage of the year and it would only go up to 2200 rpm or so. Wouldn't get up on plane. Throttle would continue to advance with no response or change in boat's cruising. No backfiring, no sputtering, no stalling, just nothing. Just bogged down at 2200 and stays there.
For the last few weeks, I've been trying to figure it out but nothing I do makes a difference. Here is a list of what I've done:
1. Checked choke which seems to stick open (not closed). I've played with it to try to free it but as soon as it's back on the boat, it is hard to move again. But seems to stick open, not closed. I've looked at it while on a test drive and it is indeed open.
2. Removed carb, took apart, sprayed with carb cleaner, blew through jets to make sure they weren't clogged. Checked filter in the carb.
3. Removed and dumped fuel from water separator, it was fine. Replaced with new water separator anyway.
4. Checked for clogged fuel tank vent, it was fine.
5. Pulled plugs and found them to be dry fouled with a lot of carbon build up despite them only having about 10-15 hours on them. Replaced with new NGK plugs, properly gapped.
6. Replaced ignition coil.
7. Replaced the only fuel hose, even though it looked fine.
8. Checked cap and rotor, still look brand new inside.
9. Motor oil is not overfilled.
I'm waiting my turn with the boat mechanic but trying to do whatever I can in the meantime. I want them to definitely look over the carb and readjust it, as well as the shift cable which doesn't always go into neutral when the shifter clicks into neutral.
Any ideas?
After changing the ignition coil a couple days ago, the tach suddenly tells me higher RPMs than I know we're going. Now it says we're getting up to 3200 or so RPM but I know we're not. It still feels and sounds the same as before. It also says I'm idling faster than I was before. It is showing idle at around 1100 or so when I know we're only going around 700.
