2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

[dmoss8928]

How is everyone doing... I got a questions about my 2008 Q4.. Last week we took it to a local lake and wasn't able to get to start and when we fianlly did it would die when you put it in forward or rev. We got it home and found water in the oil filter and the sencondary filter was just about clogged up. Also found a little trash in the carburetor once this was fixed it ran fine out of water. We took it back to the lake today and all worked fine till you stop and put it in Neutral. It would sit in neutral but when you go to give it gas it starts to stutter. It you give it a lot of gas it would cautch up and keep running but if you easy off the gas it would die. Once we started running the boat for serverl laps it seem to get better. Does any one know when this would happen

This is the first and sencond time we have had it out this year and the gas as been in the tank year round with stabil in it. So do you it just needs to be ran since its been sitting up?

Hope this makes sense to someone... and thanks for the help this is my wife and I first boat...

 

[magicman1223]

Re: 2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

You may find more help in the Mercury motor forums on IBoats but since your hear lets see what we can do to help. How did you winterize the motor? Before putting it up in storage did you fill the tank? Did you turn any of the needles for the carb? This would cause the condition you are having if it is out of adjustment. Also what motor is it? Answering these questions may help us better understand your issue. Take out a spark plug and take a look to see if the boat is running rich or lean.

 

[dmoss8928]

Re: 2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

Magicman1223... Thanks for the reply... This is our first boat so I am very new to this we got the boat in Januray I live in Mississippi so its been sitting up for about 2 and half months. When we got it home I but stabal in the gas and that was the only thing I did to winterize but the coldest it has been here is low in the upper 30s maybe.... Im not sure what you mean by needles for the carb (sorry ... Its has the 4.3 mercruiser in it... what you mean by rich or lean... I'm so sorry for my dumbness but im slowly learning.....

David

 

[cjrookey]

Re: 2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

I have a 2007 Q4 with the same motor. I had a similar issue last year while out pulling my kids in a tube. I changed the Water Seperator and it fixed the issue. I would also put some fuel treatment in the tank to remove any water in it. I just picked up some cheap STP treatment that said it removed water from the fuel. Not sure if I have a leak in filler cap but something that is letting water get in the system or the fuel is seperating.

 

[dmoss8928]

Re: 2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

cjrookey... Thanks for the reply... I'm guessing the water seperator you mean fuel filter right? I picked up some sea foam to put in the fuel on the next fill up. I have read some really good reviews about Sea Foam. Let me ask you another question how often do you change yuor spark plugs and what type of oil do you use and do you change your oil and the end or beginning on the season?

 

[magicman1223]

Re: 2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

This should give you an idea of what it looks like.

http://www.iboats.com/Mercruiser-Fu...0003132--session_id.415996570--view_id.507841 .


I am wondering if you have bad gas I would fill the boat and look at the plugs. The spark plugs will give us much more information on how the motor is running. If you can take out a plug and snap a picture it would be very helpful

 

[dmoss8928]

Re: 2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

Magicman1223- After looking at your picture I didn't get that brand but I have replaced the fuel filter. I will try to get a pic of the spark plug and get it on here for you to look at. Im gonig to try to find a diagram on where and how to get one out...
Thanks for the help...

 

[cjrookey]

Re: 2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

Yes, water seperator / fuel filter are the same. Just remember you also have a fuel filter in the inlet of the carb also. It is a small screen filter, which I call the fuel filter, that is why I like to term the canister as a water seperator. I get mine from Wal Mart:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mercury-Quicksilver-Water-Separating-Fuel-Filter/17165284

I live in Floriday so I do not need to winterize my engine, but I usually do all maintenance over the winter (nice and cool) so I change the engine oil / filter and the drive lube every year then I have changed my spark plugs at about every 3 years. They are easy to change. I use quicksilver oil 25w40, also from walmart.

Does anyone know how ofter we should change our Spark Plug Wires, Cap and Rotor? And my Flame Arrestor is looking pretty bad too...

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: 2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

Dmoss,

Your best bet for concise answers is to PM one of the Moderators, and ask them to move your question to the Mercuiser repair section, since Tahoe doesn't make engines.

BTW, you say the oil filter had water in it... Is the oil its self milky? Have you been monitoring the level of oil to be sure the engine isn't making oil (In other words, the engine has water entering the oil and raising the level)?

 

[dmoss8928]

Re: 2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

RogersJet Boat454

I have been checking the oil every so aften and it and the level seems to be good. I'm starting to think it was just from sitting up so long and had a little bit of bad gas in it. Once we ran it for a little while it didn't seem to do it as bad and by the end of the day it wasn't giving me any problems... Thanks for all the replys.!!!

 

[magicman1223]

Re: 2008 Q4 Dying in Neutral Please Help

I would still change my Oil... Just may be my paranoia but that's what I would do.