Choke problem?

[Motor_head_53]

I took my 1987 four winns mercruiser 3.0L with the Alpha 1 out drive, for my first spin. It was really hard to start, cranked over just fine and started after I unhooked the throttle cable and held it at full throttle untill it started then I put it back and it ran great all day. I think it is a choke issue? But I noticed that there was a part that kept falling out of the carb, the only name I could find for it was a lever pump. I will attach a photo of it. I know that this is not normal how do I fix it? Has anyone else incountered this problem?
Then I noticed that my bilge pump was not working not a big deal it did work when I bought the boat a month ago so when the weather clears up I with check for loose wires. Then I am cruising along when I noticed that I was spitting mud in my wake so I trimmed up and headed deeper but it was too late my prop is toast. So what pitch prop do you guys recomend to pull skiers right now the prop has ta2012 17 stamped in the side and it does not have enough umph out of the hole to pull a skier.
Then when my wife went to trailer it she had to reverse then when she put it back into drive then engine only reved and would not go into gear I was lucky and it happened only a hundred feet from the trailer so she tosed me a line and I pulled it onto the trailer. I think it is a broken lower shift cable and when the rain stops I will pull the out drive off and check for sure, but I reached around the gimbal ring and it feels like it is broken. Yet another exciting day on utah lake.

 

[rndn]

Re: Choke problem?

If it wasn't for bad luck luck you wouldn't have any luck at all. I've had days like that when it seems like everything I touch breaks.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Choke problem?

sorry to hear about you tales of woe.you could go to a 19 pitch prop would give you a bitter hole shot pulling skiers.but than your top end would suffer.pull the oudrive post what you find.do you still have good flow at the oudrive?maybe you got lucky and didn't mess up the gears.hope so good luck.

 

[imported_TheMan]

Re: Choke problem?

I believe that in general a lower pitch prop gives you better hole shot. Higher pitch props get you a higher top speed.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Choke problem?

Correct -- going to a 19P prop will hurt hole shot, not improve it. Actually, a 17P should be fine with that combination. I would not make any prop changes until you get the engine running right. You do not have to disconnect the throttle linkage to open the throttle fully. There is a fast idle feature (actually a shift disconnect) built into the control box. With the lever in neutral, you either push a button in the center of the lever to disconnect the shift linkage so you can throttle up, or you pull the lever outward to do that. you then pump the throttle a couple times to give the engine a couple squirts of fuel from the accelerator pump. Start the engine at a fast idle -- not wide open. when you are ready to go, pull the lever back to neutral, the shift engages again and you can drive away.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Choke problem?

if yer gonna work on yer boat, ya need a service manual. #10 i think. check this out... http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=251571
i ain't the pro and have never seen yer rig. but in lookin at the service manual, it looks like the accelerator pump rod to me too. if it is, there's a lever assy. inside the airhorn that has a set screw ontoit. musta came loose and let ya pull the lever assy off. ya need to put it back as it looks like the fixed point of a lever to operate the accelerator pump. get the service manual for pics and instructions....
as for yer prop. theman and st are ontoit. 19p will yield less hole shot and more speed, 15p would give ya better holeshot, less top end speed. i agree with st. i'd leave the pitch alone till ya get her running good, then make yer decision on prop pitch.
as fer the shifting. hope st is right. however, assuming ya were looking at the shift cable by the gimble ring, and it's broke, certainly a broke cable would cause a no shift. turn the drive hard to port. ya can see the shift cable from that vantage point. well, at least probably see it where it exits the bellhousing and where it disappears into the transom shield (where the rubber boot is). should be able to see about 6''-10'' of it perhaps, good luck.....


new thought, if the accelerator pump is disconnected, i'd think that'd give ya a hard cold start too as when ya pump the throttle helm, ya would not be squriting some extra fuel into the carb to help it start cold.......

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Choke problem?

i need to be bytch slapped.didn't have my coffee before that post.lower pitch better hole shot.higher pitch less of a hole shot but it sure sounds like a 17 is good for what you have.im all red faced now.