Recently bought a 2002 Honda 40, 4 Stroke, with low hours, guy said maybe 20 hours total (in 3 years). Ran great for the first couple weeks, then, when tank started running low (under 1/4 tank) it started bogging a bit. Added 6 gallons (up to almost 1/2 tank) of fresh fuel = good for a few days, then bogging again, with still 1/3 tank of fuel in it.
Checked plugs, were toasty brown good, but found a bit of water in the fuel seperator-sediment filter, figured that was it. Drained fuel lines in engine, all 3 carb bowls, put in bottle of Merc Dri-Gas, pumped a half gallon gas out, was looking good in a clear bucket. Ran it a little more, better, but still boggy-shaky at lower rpms, and stalling at idle. Inspected and pumped out about 2 gallons of fuel into crystal clear container, no more signs of water at all, not a drop, I believe all the water is out. Drove around maybe 2 hours keeping around 1800 rpms or above. Seemed to run pretty decent at 1800 or above, but shaky at lower, and would stall at idle if left for more than a second. Now, the tank is low, about 1/8, (but still a few of gallons in there) and will only stay running at high idle, it will stall if under approx 1400 rpms (idle is somewhere under 1000, so it will not idle).
I found a small slice in my gas line between the tank and prime bulb, figured air was getting in... cut the line back to good area, reinstalled. Again no noticeable difference.
Marina sold me new plugs what their book called for (slightly different plug number than what was in it), but bought them anyway... but this time, when I took the plugs out... the plugs that were in it were pretty darn BLACK... However.. once again... the new plugs did not do much of a difference.
I keep finding these simple, little things, and think.. 'This... THIS has GOT to be it!' but so far apparently haven't found it.
I'm pretty stuck, at this point I can only think of a few more things:
- Find the same plug number that came out of it, if they are still available. (NGK DR7EA came out, DCPR7E went in tonight)
- Possible clogged fuel screen in tank
- Gas additive with a carb cleaner (?)
- Completely draining fuel tank, and starting with all new fuel
(it's a built in tank, looks like 20 gal or more to me)
Any ideas?
Checked plugs, were toasty brown good, but found a bit of water in the fuel seperator-sediment filter, figured that was it. Drained fuel lines in engine, all 3 carb bowls, put in bottle of Merc Dri-Gas, pumped a half gallon gas out, was looking good in a clear bucket. Ran it a little more, better, but still boggy-shaky at lower rpms, and stalling at idle. Inspected and pumped out about 2 gallons of fuel into crystal clear container, no more signs of water at all, not a drop, I believe all the water is out. Drove around maybe 2 hours keeping around 1800 rpms or above. Seemed to run pretty decent at 1800 or above, but shaky at lower, and would stall at idle if left for more than a second. Now, the tank is low, about 1/8, (but still a few of gallons in there) and will only stay running at high idle, it will stall if under approx 1400 rpms (idle is somewhere under 1000, so it will not idle).
I found a small slice in my gas line between the tank and prime bulb, figured air was getting in... cut the line back to good area, reinstalled. Again no noticeable difference.
Marina sold me new plugs what their book called for (slightly different plug number than what was in it), but bought them anyway... but this time, when I took the plugs out... the plugs that were in it were pretty darn BLACK... However.. once again... the new plugs did not do much of a difference.
I keep finding these simple, little things, and think.. 'This... THIS has GOT to be it!' but so far apparently haven't found it.
I'm pretty stuck, at this point I can only think of a few more things:
- Find the same plug number that came out of it, if they are still available. (NGK DR7EA came out, DCPR7E went in tonight)
- Possible clogged fuel screen in tank
- Gas additive with a carb cleaner (?)
- Completely draining fuel tank, and starting with all new fuel
(it's a built in tank, looks like 20 gal or more to me)
Any ideas?