About to sell this boat!

[G-Rev]

Hello,
My last resort. I have a 89 Searay 160 with a 3.0 Mercruiser.SS prop 19 pitch. It has been my nightmare. I am a fairly good mechanic and this boat has stumped me. The boat will run great in the drive but as soon as it hits the water not good. Here what it is doing and what I have done to it.
It will rev up to almost 5000 in the driveway. No hesitation, bogging, flat spots. In the water she wont go above 2400 and wont even plane. Popping and bogging and hesitation. Doesn't overheat, will idle, will start easily.

I Checked compression in all 4- 120psi
Replaced to fuel pump- pumping 6psi
Put on a water/fuel sep
Replaced all the fuel lines and filters
Rebuilt the carb- New accelerator pump, power valve, check balls, gaskets, cleaned
New cap, wires, plugs, points and condenser
Timed to engine in the water and in the drive
Replaced the water impeller
fresh gas- no ethanol
By passed gas tank to no difference
Boat hull is clean and to best of my knowledge not water saturated
Found some metal shavings in dist underneath the plate that holds the points and condensor. Has some side to side movement on the shaft. Got a good used one coming to replace it.
Also I heard about drilling out the jets with a 1/16 drill bit. Whats the thought on that?
Let me know you all think

 

[nola mike]

Re: About to sell this boat!

Did you check your timing and advance?

 

[truckermatt]

Re: About to sell this boat!

revving to 5000 rpms in the driveway is generally not good for the motor because of the lack of water that can be had from the muffs.

You may have some kind of vapor lock issue when the hatch is closed out on the water. I dont know though.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: About to sell this boat!

If you know, without a doubt, the engine is tuned to Mercruiser specs. I would check for restricted exhaust and make sure the drive ratio is correct.

 

[MACH1SCJ]

Re: About to sell this boat!

Can you get access to a dwell meter to check point dwell? A wobbling dist shaft or worn lobes on the points cam will cause the gap to set but the dwell (coil charge time) to be off.

Popping out the carb on acceleration is generaly a lean condition but can be caused by timing off or bouncing around.

You could try a propane enrichment or half chokeing the carb right at the start of the bog. Improvment would point me to the carb.

 

[G-Rev]

Re: About to sell this boat!

Thanks all for the response. I'm gonna give the new dist a try when it gets here. I let you know what I find.