Lost power on Force 120

[Coach]

Hi all,<br />I have an 18' Astro Fish/Ski, 1995 Force 120.<br />Took the boys sking today. After about an hour of fun and very smooth running, I lost most of the power from the motor. I usually turn about 4800 RPM at WOT and get about 45 mph with that. Went to accelerate, pushed the throttle to full forward and the engine would not spin past about 2K rpm. Tilted the motor up to check to see if I can tangled the prop on something, but it was clean. <br />You also need to know that last month I had the stator and #3 coil changed. She has run great the past two times in the water since then. <br />Where and what should I start trouble shooting?<br />After looking at previous posts and using the search function, I am leaning towards checking the fuel system. I'll start with the inline filter. Also read about the fuel pump diaphram being a problem for some. Any advise on direction is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[The Marine Doctor]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

First thing to do is check compression and spark.<br /><br />Reguardless of when it was last done.<br /><br />TMD

 

[Coach]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

OK,<br />Compression is good: 135, 138, 136,140 and good spark on all four. <br />When I was slowly making my way back to the ramp, the engine was running fairly smoothly, just wouldn't get up to high RPM.<br />Thanks again.

 

[The Marine Doctor]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

Sounds like the Stator.<br /><br />Was the old one replaced with a black one or a red one?<br /><br />TMD

 

[Coach]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

The stator is black.<br /><br />Man, if it is the stator, that would be the third one in two months (four times on the water). Could there be something causing the stator to go bad? Could it be the wiring from the mechanic splicing, or whatever, when he installed it? <br /><br />After the first time, I put it in the water, to find a very, very rough idle and no power at all when I advanced the throttle. Took it back to the guy who installed the stator. He replaced the stator again. Still not running too great, so brought it back. He said he changed the #3 coil this time. I put it back in the water and it was running fine. Used it all day pulling my boy on his wake board. This is the second time in the water with this stator. Used it for about an hour before I lost power again.<br /><br />Thanks for your help. This is really starting to frustrate me. New to boating. Had a great time on this boat this summer. But, starting to feel depressed with this continuing problem.<br /><br />Stators are not cheap. This one is still under his warranty, so would hate to lose money by buying another and installing it myself. Learning a lot from all of you, thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge!

 

[lonewolf5347]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

coach those stators in the black housing are a nite mare CDI but out the updated stator called the red stator that the way to fly

 

[The Marine Doctor]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

Make sure you get the red one this time.<br /><br />TMD

 

[samagee]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

My Chrysler 75HP is doing the same thing. It was running great, then all of a sudden it went to low RPMs. I don't have a tach so I don't know. I just know that it eventually stalled. I got it to restart. I did switch back to the original gas tank and get back to shore. I think mine might be the gas, or the tank itself. This is the first time I had used this boat since I bought it.

 

[The Marine Doctor]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

Samagee<br /><br />Please start your own post..we will hopefully be able to help you out.<br /><br />TMD

 

[Coach]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

TMD/Lonewolf,<br />Thanks for the heads up about the black stator. Since I had a "mechanic" do the work, I had the wife bring the boat back to him today. I am currently on a business trip.<br /><br />He indicated to her that there was probably another component causing the stator to go bad. He mentioned a posible two to her, but she doesn't remember what they were. <br /><br />I have lost confidence and trust. Any help as to what can be causing the stator to die would provide me some comfort. Want to see this through with him involved since I already paid him to do a job. Thanks.<br /><br />there is more to this story if you would like to hear it: email me at RajinCajun@charter.net<br /><br />thanks fellas,

 

[The Marine Doctor]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

Black Stators fail...all the time..the windings are very small and subject to vibration...break.<br /><br />TMD

 

[Coach]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

OK, I'll let you all know how it works out.<br /><br />Thanks again<br /><br />Coach

 

[Coach]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

Here's the update...<br /><br />Told the mechanic that if the stator was bad and had to be replaced, to put a "RED" one on. After two weeks of playing, he finally figured out that the timing was off. So, he resets it and tells me to pick it up. <br /><br />Before I put it in the water, I put a bottle of Stabil in the tank (the boat had sat for a month, so I figured why not). The motor runs well at high RPM,(smooth and I am up to about 4900 RPM at WOT) but doesn't want to come back down to regular idle RPM. Stays upwards of 2000K+ RPM. If I move my fast idle lever up and increase the RPM to about 3K, then force it down quickly, the motor sometimes returns to the 2K idle speed. <br /><br />Where do think I should start trouble-shooting.

 

[Fouled Plug]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

I'd let your mechanic fix this one...he may not have done a proper adjustment of the idle after resetting the timing.

 

[JamesGY]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

Fixing the idle is easy (well, so far for me).<br />All you have to do is locate the idle adjustment. Once located, put the boat in the water and adjust it from there. I set mine to about 6-8000 RPM.

 

[revertmastec]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

WOW, I would like to see that motor. Idle's between 6 and 8000 rpm's must be a quick boat.

 

[JamesGY]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

whoops. i meant 600-800 rpm.

 

[Coach]

Re: Lost power on Force 120

Here's what I found:<br /><br />The throttle link rod was adjusted to a point that would not allow the throttle cam to fully rotate back to the idle position. So, tightened a few turns, and she's back down to around 1000 rpm.<br /><br />Still sounds like tis a little rough, so thinking it stills needs a little adjustment of the timing. <br /><br />That's for tomorrow though. <br /><br />Thanks for the hints.