SOLVED:
Although quite humiliating I feel the need to post this in the hopes that someone else does not make the same or a similar mistake. In doing my troubleshooting I made a fatal error.... i made an ASSumption. Mine was about the firing order. I would have sworn that there was no way I'd mixed up the plug wires, but I must have during my 1997 winterization.
CHECK EVERYTHING... no matter haw certain you are that you've got it right.
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OK... I've got a couple of threads that are rolling off the top of the list, and I'm not quite sure I have full information to go blow $170 on a new fuel pump. This will be a long post, but it's the only way to give the full picture.
Thanks in advance for any assistance!
Patient:
1994 Bayliner Capri 2050ls
Merc 4.3LX
OE weber 4bbl changed to Edelbrock 1409 with 1485 calibration kit
Alpha 1 Gen 2
Long story a tiny bit shorter: Boat sat idle through the 2008, 2009, and 2010 seasons. in 2007, she ran great, no issues, all was good. Recommissioned her 2011. Squirted MMO in the cylinders a week before startup. Got her going, spashed her, and then started my WOT battle. Was interrupted by Irene, and never got her back in the water. Recommissioned in 2012, all was ok in the dirveway. Went to splash her and could not get her started. Also noticed choke was not closing properly, decided to bite the bullet and spend the $380 and get a new carb rather than farting around with an old one. {edit/}Got her going, but it did not solve the WOT problem{/edit}, ran a bunch more tests and here we are.
Below is Don's WOT list from here, with my pertinent info.
Engine Won't Reach Operating RPM. Check
1. Fuel condition. Type and Octane possibly old fuel.
Might be a little old at this point, but put Stabil in at the end of last year. While battling with it last year, and no matter how many tanks I put through her then, problem persisted. Did siphon from bottom of tank last year and found no residual water. Changed fuel/water separator multiple times both last year and this year.
2. Propeller pitch or diameter, damaged blades
Same as 2007. Slight pitting, nothing serious.
3. Restricted fuel pickup tube or anti siphon valve Fuel System Test
Replaced Anti-siphon last year checked screen this year.
4. Crankcase oil volume, high oil level can cause aerated oil and lifter collapse
Oil is about 1/8 to 3/16" higher than "high".
5. Marine growth on hull and outdrive
Minimal, but problem arose first thing last year when she was clean as a whistle.
6. Wrong gear ratio in outdrive
Nope. Same drive
7. Restricted carburetor air intake (clogged flame arrestor)
Nope. Cleaned it.
8. Restricted exhaust system (broken exhaust shutters/flappers) in engine transom shield or drive
Still possible.
9. Poor cylinder compression Compression Test
Nope, just did this and got 170, 175, 170, 165, 175, 179. Plugs were dark sooty on the port side, light and sooty on SB side. Adjusted both idle mix screws to 1-1/2 turns.. Didn't notice much variation in the idle while making the adjustments.
10. Carburetor defective, or wrong type.
Newly installed Edelbrock 1409 with 1485 calibration kit.
11. Fuel pump pressure and vacuum
Performed the test identified in #3 above. Was unable to pull an air bubble out of the test rig, no vacuum indicated on the gauge so either the compressible air compensated for the vacuum (my suspicion) or could not pull high enough vacuum to read.
12. Boat overloaded, improperly loaded, or improperly trimmed.
Nope just me during testing.
13. Engine Overheating
Nope.
14. Engine timing and ignition system operation
Nope checked initial, (adjusted from 4- to 8-deg), and checked advance.
15. Remote control cables and linkage for proper travel to open throttle plates fully.
Nope. Free moving.
Other symptoms that are probably related.
So that's where I'm at. My questions are:
Thanks for your patience with this length post.
Don
Although quite humiliating I feel the need to post this in the hopes that someone else does not make the same or a similar mistake. In doing my troubleshooting I made a fatal error.... i made an ASSumption. Mine was about the firing order. I would have sworn that there was no way I'd mixed up the plug wires, but I must have during my 1997 winterization.
CHECK EVERYTHING... no matter haw certain you are that you've got it right.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK... I've got a couple of threads that are rolling off the top of the list, and I'm not quite sure I have full information to go blow $170 on a new fuel pump. This will be a long post, but it's the only way to give the full picture.
Thanks in advance for any assistance!
Patient:
1994 Bayliner Capri 2050ls
Merc 4.3LX
OE weber 4bbl changed to Edelbrock 1409 with 1485 calibration kit
Alpha 1 Gen 2
Long story a tiny bit shorter: Boat sat idle through the 2008, 2009, and 2010 seasons. in 2007, she ran great, no issues, all was good. Recommissioned her 2011. Squirted MMO in the cylinders a week before startup. Got her going, spashed her, and then started my WOT battle. Was interrupted by Irene, and never got her back in the water. Recommissioned in 2012, all was ok in the dirveway. Went to splash her and could not get her started. Also noticed choke was not closing properly, decided to bite the bullet and spend the $380 and get a new carb rather than farting around with an old one. {edit/}Got her going, but it did not solve the WOT problem{/edit}, ran a bunch more tests and here we are.
Below is Don's WOT list from here, with my pertinent info.
Engine Won't Reach Operating RPM. Check
1. Fuel condition. Type and Octane possibly old fuel.
Might be a little old at this point, but put Stabil in at the end of last year. While battling with it last year, and no matter how many tanks I put through her then, problem persisted. Did siphon from bottom of tank last year and found no residual water. Changed fuel/water separator multiple times both last year and this year.
2. Propeller pitch or diameter, damaged blades
Same as 2007. Slight pitting, nothing serious.
3. Restricted fuel pickup tube or anti siphon valve Fuel System Test
Replaced Anti-siphon last year checked screen this year.
4. Crankcase oil volume, high oil level can cause aerated oil and lifter collapse
Oil is about 1/8 to 3/16" higher than "high".
5. Marine growth on hull and outdrive
Minimal, but problem arose first thing last year when she was clean as a whistle.
6. Wrong gear ratio in outdrive
Nope. Same drive
7. Restricted carburetor air intake (clogged flame arrestor)
Nope. Cleaned it.
8. Restricted exhaust system (broken exhaust shutters/flappers) in engine transom shield or drive
Still possible.
9. Poor cylinder compression Compression Test
Nope, just did this and got 170, 175, 170, 165, 175, 179. Plugs were dark sooty on the port side, light and sooty on SB side. Adjusted both idle mix screws to 1-1/2 turns.. Didn't notice much variation in the idle while making the adjustments.
10. Carburetor defective, or wrong type.
Newly installed Edelbrock 1409 with 1485 calibration kit.
11. Fuel pump pressure and vacuum
Performed the test identified in #3 above. Was unable to pull an air bubble out of the test rig, no vacuum indicated on the gauge so either the compressible air compensated for the vacuum (my suspicion) or could not pull high enough vacuum to read.
12. Boat overloaded, improperly loaded, or improperly trimmed.
Nope just me during testing.
13. Engine Overheating
Nope.
14. Engine timing and ignition system operation
Nope checked initial, (adjusted from 4- to 8-deg), and checked advance.
15. Remote control cables and linkage for proper travel to open throttle plates fully.
Nope. Free moving.
Other symptoms that are probably related.
- Backfiring (carb) when starting cold.
- About 40% of the time when idling warm and put into gear I get a single backfire (carb) and stall. Both forward and reverse.
- tough to keep running until warm unless the control lever is advanced so that idle is around 1,000 rp\
So that's where I'm at. My questions are:
- if the 1/8" to 3/16" extra oil enough to cause problems?
- during my fuel test I couldn't pull the air out... is this indicative of a bad pump?
- with all of the information above do you, that know much more than me about engines and boats, think the next step is fuel pump replacement?
- What's the likelyhood of a restricted exhaust actually being the problem? Should I pull and check the flappers before I go with pump replacement? (Note: wife is pregnant, and time is at a premium now).
- I'm sure this is not the root of the problem, but has anyone that's done the Edelbrock replacement and found that the 1485 kit was just right? ...or not quite right?
Thanks for your patience with this length post.
Don
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