67 Merc 500 with Mercruiser controls

[tubularstudios]

So my wife and I bought a 66 Starcraft Arrow. It has a 67 Merc500 50hp. When we took it out for the first time we were having issues with it taking off (getting it up into the higher rpm) to get it up on plane. After about 35 min of stop and go. Using the Idle arm(think that's what its called), and easing into it. She started to get up on plane pretty quickly. Am I doing something wrong? or is this a case of cold engine that's just starting to warm up?

 

[GA_Boater]

Using the warm up lever (that's what it's called) actually doesn't allow full throttle. Mine has a problem with a bad detent and the lever works it's up as I use the throttle. After it reaches a certain point, the throttle lever can't be moved to full WOT. Once I push it down, normal throttle movement returns.

It shouldn't take but a few minutes for the motor to warm up. Keep the warm up lever down and see if it works better from idle.

 

[tubularstudios]

Yeah that is what I was doing with the warm up lever. As I was throttling up with the warm up lever up, I eased the warm up lever down and throttled up the rest of the way, but as I was doing this it would usually cut out and die. Until after 35 min approx. that it warmed up. So I'm thinking that my timing might be slightly off.

On a side note, I live in Duluth,MN at the tip of Lake Superior. the water temps around 75 degrees(when the water depth is greater than 15ft) at the peak of summer.(Don't know how that would effect the running or warm up time of the motor.

 

[Chinewalker]

Your motor is fully warmed up as it's going to get in about 3-5 minutes. If it's stalling and dying out, it sounds like you may have a synch issue with the mag and carbs. Check your idle adjustment, too, on the carbs. Might help if you richen them up a 1/4 turn.

 

[tubularstudios]

I'll look into that Chinewalker. I was out in the bay of Lake Superior mid to late September last year water temps were around 40-45 degrees. And while I could only go as fast as the warm up level would allow(about a mile from the dock, to the lift bridge), it wasn't until we turned around to head back that I was able to throttle up fully and get on plane.

But before I tear into it further. I did have it gone through by the only guy with in 150 miles of Duluth(25miles). They went over it and made some adjustments to it, and ran it in their tank. They said it ran fantastic. And I put a pair of muffs on it and ran it in my driveway and throttled it up all the way and she took off like a shot.
But the deck is up and is being repaired. Need it to be done by the 4th of July, so I'll see how it runs then

Thanks for all the input. (It's the first boat I've ever owned)