Question before I start tearing apart carburetors.

Cuppy420

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Oct 20, 2024
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So you guys have seen my posts. I bought a Triton with a 2003 T50TLRB engine. I'm about to rebuild the carbs but before I do I wanna cover all my bases first. There is a strong smell of fuel in the rear and I can even smell it really strong in the live well. My question is...would a bad primer bulb (possibly leaking) cause power loss when I go to get on plane? It starts right up and idles smooth and quiet but when I drop the hammer (lol) it boggs down.
 

Cuppy420

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Oct 20, 2024
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Yes,

as well as a leaking hose

if you can smell fuel. STOP using the boat until you fix the fuel leak
Believe it or not...I haven't begun using the boat just yet. How much power loss is expected with a bad bulb? A lot? She feels like she WANTS to go but just can't. She gets on plane but barely
 

Mad Dog 2

Seaman Apprentice
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May 19, 2013
Messages
40
Simplest troubleshooting is to start with the obvious problems.
Fuel smell. Boat fires are a big risk.
Portable tank or built in tank? Fuel smell near tank or fuel vent? Overfilled gas tank, no room for fuel expansion with temperature increase?
Fuel leak while sitting?
Fuel leak while running?
May not be necessary to rebuild carbs, I am a big fan of draining carbs to remove water and old fuel.
 
Last edited:

Cuppy420

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Oct 20, 2024
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Simplest troubleshooting is to start with the obvious problems.
Fuel smell.
Fuel leak while sitting?
Fuel leak while running?
May not be necessary to rebuild carbs.
I don't know if it's leaking siting/moving yet. But definitely a strong smell
 

rolmops

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Feb 24, 2002
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5,421
So you guys have seen my posts. I bought a Triton with a 2003 T50TLRB engine. I'm about to rebuild the carbs but before I do I wanna cover all my bases first. There is a strong smell of fuel in the rear and I can even smell it really strong in the live well. My question is...would a bad primer bulb (possibly leaking) cause power loss when I go to get on plane? It starts right up and idles smooth and quiet but when I drop the hammer (lol) it boggs down.
Don't drop the hammer when on the muffs. There is zero resistance and you can really damage the engine that way. As for fuel leak, find out where it comes from and fix it, before you do anything else. It's not like a car where where the fuel leaks onto the road. It leaks into the boat! As for a leak in the hose or bulb or connection,. The fuel is sucked toward the engine by the pump creating a vacuum toward the tank. If there is a hole somewhere along the line toward the engine it will start sucking air instead of fuel which in turn can cause a lean fuel air mixture and do damage to the engine. It will not cause the engine to bog down. The bogging down can be because of dirt in the carburetor or bad timing.
As we used to say in sniper class. Take your time and kill them one by one..
 

Cuppy420

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Don't drop the hammer when on the muffs. There is zero resistance and you can really damage the engine that way. As for fuel leak, find out where it comes from and fix it, before you do anything else. It's not like a car where where the fuel leaks onto the road. It leaks into the boat! As for a leak in the hose or bulb or connection,. The fuel is sucked toward the engine by the pump creating a vacuum toward the tank. If there is a hole somewhere along the line toward the engine it will start sucking air instead of fuel which in turn can cause a lean fuel air mixture and do damage to the engine. It will not cause the engine to bog down. The bogging down can be because of dirt in the carburetor or bad timing.
As we used to say in sniper class. Take your time and kill them one by one..
Right on thank you
 

99yam40

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my troubleshooting starts with good compression on all cylinders,
good spark to all plugs,
proper timing of spark to plugs and on a 4 stroke proper cam timing

if all is in spec then deal with fuel to air ratios.
too little fuel to air(too lean) or too much (too rich)to each cylinder to burn the fuel properly
 

Cuppy420

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my troubleshooting starts with good compression on all cylinders,
good spark to all plugs,
proper timing of spark to plugs and on a 4 stroke proper cam timing

if all is in spec then deal with fuel to air ratios.
too little fuel to air(too lean) or too much (too rich)to each cylinder to burn the fuel properly
Spark test checks out... I'm having trouble finding a socket to get my spark plugs off to do a compression test. I don't know how to do anything about timing but I'm assuming it's good since it idles really nice and starts right up. That's not really a concern of mine. Definitely going to do the compression test though as soon as I get these stupid spark plugs off.
 

99yam40

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spark timing can be seen with a timing light.
if the timing does not advance when the throttle is advanced the motor will not burn the fuel properly, so there is not the proper power.
your service manual will have the specs, and it will also tell you how to check the cam timing
 

Cuppy420

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spark timing can be seen with a timing light.
if the timing does not advance when the throttle is advanced the motor will not burn the fuel properly, so there is not the proper power.
your service manual will have the specs, and it will also tell you how to check the cam timing
Yeah...I have no idea how to use a timing light. I've been around cars my whole life and I've been fortunate that I've never had to use one. I'll do what I can/know and go from there if need be.
 

Cuppy420

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Besides I don't think the timing is the issue. It's been sitting and has only been ran twice in almost 2 years. It's old, needs some tlc and I can do carbs, fuel lines and most anything else that has to be done. Pretty sure it's one of two things if not both. I'm just simply trying to eliminate the small stuff before I embark on a major project like carbs.
 

cyclops222

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Are the gas tanks those red plastic ones ? If the sunlight shines on them all summer ? like THe Moller tanks I had. Lasted 1 1/2 summers and the split open on every corner the sun shined on. I smelled gas on and off at first. Plastics are dangerous. 5 years earlier a Moller 6 gallon became a basketball in the hot sunny day.
 

99yam40

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Besides I don't think the timing is the issue. It's been sitting and has only been ran twice in almost 2 years. It's old, needs some tlc and I can do carbs, fuel lines and most anything else that has to be done. Pretty sure it's one of two things if not both. I'm just simply trying to eliminate the small stuff before I embark on a major project like carbs.
you can guess at things for as long as you want.
taking reading proves if something is in spec or not.
do you even know what controls the timing on that motor?
or do you have a service manual?

On my 1999 C40TLRX the CDI does it electronically.
It had a problem with timing, and I had to buy a new one.
I am not saying that is your problem, but you can prove it is not the problem easy enough
 

Cuppy420

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you can guess at things for as long as you want.
taking reading proves if something is in spec or not.
do you even know what controls the timing on that motor?
or do you have a service manual?

On my 1999 C40TLRX the CDI does it electronically.
It had a problem with timing, and I had to buy a new one.
I am not saying that is your problem, but you can prove it is not the problem easy enough
No idea lol
 

Cuppy420

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Spark test good, compression test good...spark plugs? Black as hell
 

Cuppy420

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Are the gas tanks those red plastic ones ? If the sunlight shines on them all summer ? like THe Moller tanks I had. Lasted 1 1/2 summers and the split open on every corner the sun shined on. I smelled gas on and off at first. Plastics are dangerous. 5 years earlier a Moller 6 gallon became a basketball in the hot sunny day.
Creamy white plastic
 
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