Check your timing and the vacuum advance that opens up the four barrel, assuming you have four barrel carbs.

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The Judge Rules

If timing hasen't changed and vacum lines are ok, it may be a float sticking. We had that problem once and it was debris sticking the float.

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Riverliver

How long since it has had a set of fresh sparkplugs. If you do a lot of idling and slow cruising you can foul one them and not know it. An easy check is to use one of the hand held temp guns. Get it out in the open run it up under load and check the exhaust manifold temp right where it comes off the head. A cold reading could point you to a plug or wire. Nice tool to have and saves a lot of guessing...

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Rick
1994 Sumerset 80'
Lake Lanier, Ga.

Check, change fuel filter.

Bob

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I carry a gun because it's too tiring carrying a cop.

Clean the bottom of the boat. it will make a world of difference!

You may want to do a compression check on both engines. I would advise comparing readings on both engines. If Compression is good, you may want to look at your carbs.

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Sincerely,
Jason

Miss Sandi

FUEL FILTERS FIRST!!!!They're supposed to be serviced yearly anyhow, their cheap, boats have almost allways got a bit of water in the tanks, total no-brainer.

Nearly 1/3 of the cars coming into my shop with poor performance problems (everyone thinks it's the catalytic converter) are fixed with a new fuel filter. Boats are MUCH worse because of long periods on inactivity, and the wet marine enviroment.

Bob

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I carry a gun because it's too tiring carrying a cop.

I'll say this upfront.
This is not that common, BUT.., fuel pump.
.
I've just spent a month chasing my tail. Our truck acted like it needed plugs. Low power, no "snap", poor acceleration.
One of the first things I did was new fuel filter, (after the new plugs). While I was at it, I activated the pump, while it was unhooked to filter. "Looked like a good stream to me", so on went the filter.
I won't go into all the new items I've added, wires, sensors, etc.. Sherlock Holmes is right. After I eliminated all possibilities, it was the most obvious, no matter how improbable it seemed to me.
We spent today, dropping the tank & putting a new fuel pump inside, That was it.
Runs like a stripped ape!
It probably isn't, but it might be a fuel volume problem.

A quick test would be to replace your condenser and coil. If one of those is breaking down, the symptoms could be similar to what you describe. Point gap would be another quick item to check.

Would you just listen to all of us. We will have this poor guy rebuilding the engine next. Just goes to show that everyone has a way to approach a problem, each one with the same goal, just a different steps to get there. I am like old Ted. I will end up doing ten things I do not have to before I get back to the problem. By the way, Ted, I have never seen a stripped ape so they must be pretty damn fast!

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The Judge Rules


Edited: 05/09/2008 at 08:56:44 AM by TheJudge

Knowing full well I'm sounding like a broken record, fuel filters first. 9 out of 10 of you have some water in your tanks,,,just a matter of getting enough for tank pick-up to start getting a few small sips and depositing them in the fuel filter. After filter check/replacement, the next step would be points and condenser. Then go back to fuel system and do pump test by unhooking inlet line from carb, slipping a piece of rubber fuel line over the end of line (the 18" piece you buy at a parts store just for this test) and immersing the end in a clear container while having a helper crank the engine over(be certain coil wire is disconnected at DISTRIBUTOR end and solidly grounded) you are trying to observe if fuel comes out in a vigorous healthy stream,,or kinda like some of us older guys, in dribbles and squirts. If flow seems weak, do a new (MARINE) fuel pump. STILL same problem? Time to try a new coil, though I think I've seen ONE bad in the last 30 years.

HOLD ON!!! Brain fart!! Another really simple and often unnoticed (also cost free test) is to remove gas cap and see if problem persists. Debris,mud daubber nests in fuel tank vent hose will create a vacuum in tank that fuel pump cannot over come.

If you aren't comfortable doing these procedures, hire a professional. If you are, please eliminate all the common, simple, everyday, run of the mill, malfunctions before moving on to the exotic, who'd-a-thunk-it oddities.

While I don't do marine repair for a living, I've been twisting wrenches for the last 30 years. Go for the common stuff first!

Bob

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I carry a gun because it's too tiring carrying a cop.

After re-reading some of the earlier posts, carb rebuild should probably come before coil replacement.

Bob

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I carry a gun because it's too tiring carrying a cop.