OMC 302 running horribly! *$$$ BINGO $$$*

[flashback]

Re: OMC 302 running horribly! *$$$ BINGO $$$*

have you checked the timing? both ignition and valve. I had an old ford that jumped valve timing and it ran rough as a cob.......

 

[wheels4]

Re: OMC 302 running horribly! *$$$ BINGO $$$*

Have you done a compression test? If not do you have a compression tester?

 

[rodbolt]

Re: OMC 302 running horribly! *$$$ BINGO $$$*

hello<br /> if while you had a no spark condition you may have gas fouled the plugs. if so they will never spark again. try another set. sounds like your getting frustrated. its time to slow down take the rifle approach not the shot gun approach. replace those ancheint wires. replace the condenser that should have been done at the tune up. make sure the cap and rotor are ok. the points will work with 6-8 volts at the contacts. remember they are just an on of switch. which cvarb do you have? some carbs use a diaphram operated power valve that can leak and cause fits. I would not mess with timing and such. if it runs smooth sometimes but not others that rules out most mechanical parts.remember the 4 basics. suck,squeeze, bang and blow.the hottest spark in the world wont help a lean or rich fuel mix. lean mix usually shows up as a backfire through the flame arrestor.if you have trash or water in the fuel bowl sloshing about it will do the very same thing. can you post a year and carb model on here ?<br /> good luck and keep posting

 

[Boomyal]

Re: OMC 302 running horribly! *$$$ BINGO $$$*

Ok, the sun is shining this morning and I am going to get this ole' hunk a iron running just so I can put it to bed for the winter.<br /><br />Flashback: other than rolling the crank around and making sure the rotor points to #1 on the cap, no I haven't-was going to use the lite once I got it running. The timing chain is just acouple of years old. very little time on it.<br /><br />Wheels 4: I'll check the compression as last resort, don't think I have an issue here.<br /><br />The fuel tank is 2/3rd full of fresh fuel that I have added Stabil to.<br /><br />Rodbolt: Maybe you are on to something. I have been fiddle/f**tin around with this motor, between a day trip out crabbing running poorly, and my many attempts over the last two weeks to get it started. Could it be the plugs. Can they be gas fouled to the point of no return? They have certainly been flooded a number of times. They are Bosch Platimums with about 3 seasons of low hour use on them with a good running motor until now.<br /><br />When I pull a plug, insert it back into the connector, ground the plug, crank the motor and watch the spark, pretty small little spark, white but little. If just hold the wire connector 3/8" from ground I get a hellacious yellow/blue arc across to ground.<br /><br />My carb is an oem 2bbl Motocraft/Holley, circa 1975. I've good acceleration pump injection and no dripping from a blown power valve. Along with ether, that should be adequate to start.<br /><br />The cap is new ($29.00 please), I have a new pertronix coil, ignitor II w/ it's new rotor. I never moved the distrib while installing it so timing should be in the ballpark.<br /> <br />A possible point of note: I have a high output Jacobson ignition on my '94 Burb. Jacobson made it a point to state that I should only use standard copper core plugs, like Autolite. Although my Pertronix II hasn't the output of the JI, maybe along with repeated flooding, Pertronix would like them too.<br /><br />Yes, I still have the old wires, would have bought new but they only had 'cut to fit' sets and I didn't want to buy a $30 tool to effectively attach the connectors. Thought I would search around for a better set after I got it running.

 

[Lou C]

Re: OMC 302 running horribly! *$$$ BINGO $$$*

Definitley get the OE style wires, you do not want to screw around with possible arcing with an inboard. I find that when I fog the engine, the plugs are usually fouled enough that I always change them after the first start up of the year when you burn off the fogging oil. So I would start with that. Also check to see if the recommendation for the plugs has changed (check a Champion or AC catalog). Some older tech motors do not like plat plugs (like Jeep 4.0s). I put the updated Champions in my 4.3 and it ran way better than it did with the OE spec AC's. You might want to take off the water seperating fuel filter and see if there is any junk or water floating aroung in there. You said this is a 302, is it the Ford 5.0 or the GM?? <br />BTW, make sure you are running the blower with all the sparks you are making in there!!

 

[Boomyal]

Re: OMC 302 running horribly! *$$$ BINGO $$$*

My 4 week oddessy is finally over. Good thing too. My knees are worn out from crawling around the floor checking this, adjusting that, replacing whatever.<br /><br />I finally cried Uncle and called in the mobile mechanic. He climbed aboard, pulled a plug and inspected it, screwed it back in and told me to hit the key. Guess what? It fired right up. The only problem he could find was that the choke was not closing all the way, keeping it from drawing sufficient fuel to start.<br /><br />Now wait a minute! I'm not that lame. Throughout the course of this oddessy I replaced the points, condensor and coil with new Pertronix stuff. Replaced the distributor cap and sparkplugs. So even though I could never get a good firm diagnoses I know that some of the above were responsible for the problem originally. (rough running and then no run)<br /><br />Mr Mobile Goodwrench checked and adjusted the timing, made a few minor adjustment on the idle and idle screws and left me with my motor purring like CRT's and only $79.00 poorer. Some times you just have to open your wallet.<br /><br />Thanks all for your participation. You guys have been great!

 

[BigDiesel]

Re: OMC 302 running horribly! *$$$ BINGO $$$*

Boomyal,<br /><br />What an ordeal! Glad that you finally resolved it. Where are you that you have access to a mobile mechanic???

 

[Boomyal]

Re: OMC 302 running horribly! *$$$ BINGO $$$*

Hydroswift, I'm down here in Vancouver WA. I just got lucky. I asked the local motor rebuilder/machine shop if they knew a good mechanic. I did not want to take my boat down to the local boat dealer. They don't have such a good reputation. <br /><br />The machine shop knew this mobile mechanic who isn't even listed in the directory. He was a real good ole boy. It was quick and easy. From uncover, in my side yard to recover and retie, it was only 50 or 60 minutes. I hated to have to have a shop hook up the hose, lower the bow all the way down so you could put the outdrive all the way down, untie 16 cover ties, remove my super custom 14 ft aluminum ridge pole, yada, yada, yada.<br /><br />Glad it's over too. Thanks