I'll just start out by saying I'm new to boating. By me telling this may save another new boater from a afternoon of head scratching and cussing while others look on.
Today was the first splash of the pontoon I've been repairing, it all started great. Unloaded and it actually floated, I was thrilled. Started motor and it ran great. While my uncle parked my truck, I waited and kept the boat in position by going foward and backwards. Things were going great till I gave it a more throttle in reverse and the motor tilted up and out of the water. No biggie, just a simple newbie mistake not locking the motor down. Mistake 1 fixed.
Mistake number 2 still has me burning. During the time I was going foward and backwards waiting for my uncle, it just died. It restarted but started surging and would die as soon as I put it into gear. In the automotive world, surging means it's running lean. Thinking it sucked something up in the main jet, i pulled the float bowl. I found a few small pieces of dirt or whatever, but nothing that would concern me. Put it back together, it ran great for a minute or two. After 3 hrs of messing while it was in the water, I finally pulled it back onto the trailer. Trailered it back to our cottage 1/4 mile away and started dissconnecting the battery and fuel tank. That's when I saw it. The small vent I had to open on the tank cap. I never knew there was a vent on the cap, now I do.
I learned a few things today, just hope this helps a few people.
Justin
Today was the first splash of the pontoon I've been repairing, it all started great. Unloaded and it actually floated, I was thrilled. Started motor and it ran great. While my uncle parked my truck, I waited and kept the boat in position by going foward and backwards. Things were going great till I gave it a more throttle in reverse and the motor tilted up and out of the water. No biggie, just a simple newbie mistake not locking the motor down. Mistake 1 fixed.
Mistake number 2 still has me burning. During the time I was going foward and backwards waiting for my uncle, it just died. It restarted but started surging and would die as soon as I put it into gear. In the automotive world, surging means it's running lean. Thinking it sucked something up in the main jet, i pulled the float bowl. I found a few small pieces of dirt or whatever, but nothing that would concern me. Put it back together, it ran great for a minute or two. After 3 hrs of messing while it was in the water, I finally pulled it back onto the trailer. Trailered it back to our cottage 1/4 mile away and started dissconnecting the battery and fuel tank. That's when I saw it. The small vent I had to open on the tank cap. I never knew there was a vent on the cap, now I do.
I learned a few things today, just hope this helps a few people.
Justin
