Ok, have had this motor for about a year. When I first bought this motor it wouldn't run hardely at all. Took it to a repair place and they cleaned up the carbs with carb cleaner, replaced the head gasket (water in bottom cylinder), decarbonized the head, checked compression that they reported to me as 130+ on all three cylinders. They couldn't make this motor idle and said it wasn't worth the trouble of figuring it out as it was an old motor.
I ran it last year (lousy year around here for the most part) and then this year I pulled it out and started running it. Replaced the plugs right off the bat with NGK B7HS this year and started running the motor. Same issue which is super annoying coming into or leaving the dock. The motor will run in the warmimg lever and I can bump it down and then I have to push the warming lever down with one hand and throw the motor into gear with the other hand. Catch the motor before it stalls and away we go. I can run at any speed above 4 miles per hour. The boat will run great at wide open.
After reading all of the posts on here I figured I had a fuel problem. I rebuilt the carbs, put in new carb kits as it seemed I might have a carb leaking (lot's of smoke when I started the motor). I then thought I might be dropping a cylinder as the motor shakes at idle and seems to be missing. Top coil had cracks in it and the other two look brand new. Replaced the top coil. Same problem. Damn thing just won't idle in gear. We had a chance to run it in a barrell and try to figure things out(barrel at my fathers house 100 miles away). I didn't have my book with me and so we were just guessing at things. Some things we noticed: 1. The boat seems to be running awfully rich. It smokes like hell and upon stalling and an imediate plug removal all of the plugs are fouled. There was a HEAVY amount of oil in the drum. Also I probably single handedly reduced the mosquito population by half (lots of smoke). I can pump the fuel bulb up hard when the engine is running and no change in sound or motor behavior (new fuel line last week). Fuel pump screen was cleaned with carb cleaner and put back in. I also replaced all of the fuel lines going from the fuel pump to the middle carb and all fuel lines between carbs. Also sprayed WD40 on all of the carb shafts and gaskets looking for an air leak. No difference in running was heard. Motor just kind of winds down like a clock. Again get the motor at 1/4 throttle and it picks right up. I picked up a new set of Champion plugs tonight to put in. I would like to run a hotter plug but my local car parts guy (who had the correct marine plugs) couldn't cross reference to a hotter plug. Is there a hotter plug? and how great are the risks with a step hotter? I also am very careful to run at 50:1 and probably err on the side of caution and am probably at 45:1 as I add probably 17oz of oil to 6 gallons of gas + an ounce of carbon guard. I've heard that I might want to reduce the mix a little. What's safe?
I also have sincronizing questions. I'm not sure how to sinc this motor. I have read the directions in the book and first my cam follower didn't even touch the throttle shaft at idle. I even tried to move the follower but it doesn't reach the cam. The idle screw doesn't touch the stop as well. I turned the white plastic peice that was on the throttle cam end of the link between the timing adjustment and the throttle three turns and adjusted the throttle so the roller is in position according to the book. I haven't checked timing yet to see what it is doing (I don't have a barrel at my house). I also have no idea what the adjuster on the throttle cable link does. I can turn the little thumb wheel down near where the throttle cable enters the motor housing and can change the tuning, but I have no idea what I'm looking for with this adjustment.
Thoughts? Thanks for any help.
I ran it last year (lousy year around here for the most part) and then this year I pulled it out and started running it. Replaced the plugs right off the bat with NGK B7HS this year and started running the motor. Same issue which is super annoying coming into or leaving the dock. The motor will run in the warmimg lever and I can bump it down and then I have to push the warming lever down with one hand and throw the motor into gear with the other hand. Catch the motor before it stalls and away we go. I can run at any speed above 4 miles per hour. The boat will run great at wide open.
After reading all of the posts on here I figured I had a fuel problem. I rebuilt the carbs, put in new carb kits as it seemed I might have a carb leaking (lot's of smoke when I started the motor). I then thought I might be dropping a cylinder as the motor shakes at idle and seems to be missing. Top coil had cracks in it and the other two look brand new. Replaced the top coil. Same problem. Damn thing just won't idle in gear. We had a chance to run it in a barrell and try to figure things out(barrel at my fathers house 100 miles away). I didn't have my book with me and so we were just guessing at things. Some things we noticed: 1. The boat seems to be running awfully rich. It smokes like hell and upon stalling and an imediate plug removal all of the plugs are fouled. There was a HEAVY amount of oil in the drum. Also I probably single handedly reduced the mosquito population by half (lots of smoke). I can pump the fuel bulb up hard when the engine is running and no change in sound or motor behavior (new fuel line last week). Fuel pump screen was cleaned with carb cleaner and put back in. I also replaced all of the fuel lines going from the fuel pump to the middle carb and all fuel lines between carbs. Also sprayed WD40 on all of the carb shafts and gaskets looking for an air leak. No difference in running was heard. Motor just kind of winds down like a clock. Again get the motor at 1/4 throttle and it picks right up. I picked up a new set of Champion plugs tonight to put in. I would like to run a hotter plug but my local car parts guy (who had the correct marine plugs) couldn't cross reference to a hotter plug. Is there a hotter plug? and how great are the risks with a step hotter? I also am very careful to run at 50:1 and probably err on the side of caution and am probably at 45:1 as I add probably 17oz of oil to 6 gallons of gas + an ounce of carbon guard. I've heard that I might want to reduce the mix a little. What's safe?
I also have sincronizing questions. I'm not sure how to sinc this motor. I have read the directions in the book and first my cam follower didn't even touch the throttle shaft at idle. I even tried to move the follower but it doesn't reach the cam. The idle screw doesn't touch the stop as well. I turned the white plastic peice that was on the throttle cam end of the link between the timing adjustment and the throttle three turns and adjusted the throttle so the roller is in position according to the book. I haven't checked timing yet to see what it is doing (I don't have a barrel at my house). I also have no idea what the adjuster on the throttle cable link does. I can turn the little thumb wheel down near where the throttle cable enters the motor housing and can change the tuning, but I have no idea what I'm looking for with this adjustment.
Thoughts? Thanks for any help.