AQ125 cuts out when up-shifts to second

[-JR-]

My 84 Baylinner has a AQ125 with a 270 leg .
On the hand throttle ,as you move it forward about 1/8 -1/4 forward the boat will move forward smoothly up to 3 mph ,we call this 1st gear . When you push the lever forward more you can feel a little click or bump in the hand throttle . I call this second gear.
When the engine is cool . She wants to stall when i go into second, So I will pull back to first so she will run and then I pump the throttle back and forth in and out of 1and 2 till she will run in second.

This boat has been doing this for many years .Not sure if it is fix able .
Not sure if it is under or over fuelling when cold as it has no choke.
Should the cable on the carb be adjusted so it has lower or higher speed when it shifts or is there a cable adjustment for the leg so it shifts higher up.

Is there realy a second gear in the leg or is it just in the throttle box .

 

[GA_Boater]

1st gear? 2nd gear? You made that up because there is only FWD - N - REV. No other ratios.

I think the shift cable needs adjusted, possibly the remote. The "2nd gear" click or bump is the settling into FWD.

Any other shifting problems? Like REV is hard to engage?

 

[-JR-]

Reverse works just fine.
I do like it the way it is set up, because having that little detent feeling at 1/8 throttle , i know that i am going at 3 mph which i use when trolling with my down riggers .

It just should not be that the engine stalls when i go past that detent when cold and it works fine when hot.
Do you have any reasoning for this ? or is it normal for these units.

Would like to hear from others that have the same unit.

 

[GA_Boater]

If you like it. warm up the motor. It is not normal.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... There's No 1st, nor 2nd gear,......

It sounds like the carb is in serious need of a rebuild,.....

 

[harringtondav]

Stumbling or killing at throttle up is often a bad or misadjusted carb accelerator pump. A carb cleaning and kit are relatively inexpensive, and fairly easy. The kits include step by step cookbook instructions. Use an egg carton to lay out the parts in disassembly order. And watch for the little steel check ball under the accel. nozzle.

 

[-JR-]

If it was a carb problem it should do it always not just when it is cold if it was a carb problem .

It only happens when i leave the boat launch. I can shut the unit off all over the lake and fish and restart and she is good .
I really would like to speak with some one who has the same unit.

 

[GA_Boater]

Has the carb been replaced or rebuilt in the 20 years it's been acting like this?

 

[Alan Lloys]

I had the AQ125 engine for a couple of years.
Note that these engines do not have any kind of choke on them which is why the manual specifically says to pump the throttle several times to get it started. It also says to let the engine warm up at high idle before leaving the dock.
I know this is tough to do when you are at a busy dock - I usually just idled it along until it got a bit of temperature in it.

In regards to the "gears" what you can probably feel is the drive engaging but the engine staying in idle. There is a bit of slack in the throttle and your "2nd gear" is when the throttle starts opening.

The Solex carbs can be a bit touchy and it does sound like it may be a bit out of adjustment. Fortunately they are pretty easy to rebuild. I would check the the accelerator diaphragm as well as the adjustment of it.
Also check that there are no air leaks around the carb. I had a bad seal to the engine once and it gave issues with the engine stumbling at above mid throttle.

I will say though that your post did get my attention
I had to see what was going on with the 2nd gear talk here - it makes no sense at all on a boat.

Hope this helps.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Fix your carb
adjust your shift linkage

 

[harringtondav]

If it was a carb problem it should do it always not just when it is cold if it was a carb problem .

Uh, no. You stated the problem is a cold engine issue. Carb engines require a richer mixture when cold. If your carb is dirty, out of adjustment or has worn parts it will fuss until the engine warms up.

Once a boat engine comes up to temp it will stay very warm for hours and restarts easily and runs OK.

You asked for advice and you've got it. Live with it or rebuild and adjust your carb.

 

[-JR-]

I had the AQ125 engine for a couple of years.
Note that these engines do not have any kind of choke on them which is why the manual specifically says to pump the throttle several times to get it started. It also says to let the engine warm up at high idle before leaving the dock.
I know this is tough to do when you are at a busy dock - I usually just idled it along until it got a bit of temperature in it.

In regards to the "gears" what you can probably feel is the drive engaging but the engine staying in idle. There is a bit of slack in the throttle and your "2nd gear" is when the throttle starts opening.

The Solex carbs can be a bit touchy and it does sound like it may be a bit out of adjustment. Fortunately they are pretty easy to rebuild. I would check the the accelerator diaphragm as well as the adjustment of it.
Also check that there are no air leaks around the carb. I had a bad seal to the engine once and it gave issues with the engine stumbling at above mid throttle.

I will say though that your post did get my attention
I had to see what was going on with the 2nd gear talk here - it makes no sense at all on a boat.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Alan ,this is the reply I was waiting for .

All is good . Just wanted to confirm nothing is really wrong ,just needs to be warmed up .
What I really like about these older boats you can idle them down and troll with the main motor all day .
These older units even use the same oil in the leg that is in the engine. both get changed out every fall.
My hand kicker 9.9 never gets started up ,its only on there in case the main motor fails.
Been a HD Mechanic for 40 years ,just got to love simple engines . No need to hook up a lap top for trouble shooting .
Good to talk to other owners on vintage boats.

 

[QBhoy]

There is defo something wrong of you feel what feels like a gear change. There is no such effect on this set up...with the slight exception being that some idiot has fitted a variable pitch propeller to it ?? Other than that..do as advised above. Especially the idea of checking the gear cable. Check the drive oil too.

 

[-JR-]

There is defo something wrong of you feel what feels like a gear change. There is no such effect on this set up...with the slight exception being that some idiot has fitted a variable pitch propeller to it ?? Other than that..do as advised above. Especially the idea of checking the gear cable. Check the drive oil too.

For those that do not know the system let me fill you in .
As the lever is moved forward that has the two cables running to it . The one cable pulls on the linkage on the leg ,shifting it into forward. This happens right off the bat .( boat starts moving forward in idle.) Moving about 3 mph
The leg is not in first but we just call it first .
The carb cable on the carb has a spring on it, the cable moves but does not pull on the carb linkage until the spring is compressed. This is when you feel a detent feeling in the lever .As you move the lever more the carb starts opening and you go faster . We in the boat call this second . Why .....because when trolling with down riggers and the boat feels like it is going to fast i will ask who is driving ,is it in first or second. It is really just the carb that is going off idle into a higher speed.

So what is happening with these older boats that do not have a choke and the engine is cold they like to stall when you give it throttle. Just need to sit back and let it warm up . You know the saying ...If its not broke .....don't **** with it !

 

[QBhoy]

For those that do not know the system let me fill you in .
As the lever is moved forward that has the two cables running to it . The one cable pulls on the linkage on the leg ,shifting it into forward. This happens right off the bat .( boat starts moving forward in idle.) Moving about 3 mph
The leg is not in first but we just call it first .
The carb cable on the carb has a spring on it, the cable moves but does not pull on the carb linkage until the spring is compressed. This is when you feel a detent feeling in the lever .As you move the lever more the carb starts opening and you go faster . We in the boat call this second . Why .....because when trolling with down riggers and the boat feels like it is going to fast i will ask who is driving ,is it in first or second. It is really just the carb that is going off idle into a higher speed.

So what is happening with these older boats that do not have a choke and the engine is cold they like to stall when you give it throttle. Just need to sit back and let it warm up . You know the saying ...If its not broke .....don't **** with it !

Ok...but that’s pretty much just exactly how most of them work, but I’ve never heard it described like going into different gears.
You did ask the question after all. Most on here will be well aware of the mechanical process of shifting into gear operates, myself included. Haha. All the best.