engine help

[XRAY1]

Hey guys I have a 02 Bayliner with a 3.0 I/O. Started it up yesterday and idled a little rough. I raised the idle set screw and it seemed to do ok. Ran it for about 10 mins then shut it Down. Then today I tried to take her out and when I had it in the water I could not get it to idle. I would have get it up to 3k rpm then quick drop it down and engage the prop. Once I got it up to 2k-3k rpms it ran fine without issue. I was suppose to take the kids tubing but I was afaid that I would have eneded up getting stranded out there so I took her back the ramp which was a chore in itself as it's hard to pull a boat up to the ramp w/o being able to go from fwd to rev w/o stalling out between each. My guess is it is either the carb needs cleaning or rebuild, the spark arrestor needs cleaning or plugs...anyone have any ideas. Thanks Jerry

[edgewater1]

ethanol???

[Carolina Polar Bear]

Sounds like the idle circuit (within the fuel system) has become clogged. The E-10 (10% ethanol fuel ) is gasoline with 10% alcohol added. The alcohol will act as an emulsifier and take water and trash particles that would normally not mix with the fuel stream and emulsify them (mix them) with your gas so that they will get pushed through your fuel system. If it is injetion or carbureated, it will still get the trash run though it that may never have made it into the system if it weren't for the alcohol making it possible. The rub comes when this occurs, and the engine gets shut off and it sits for an extend period with this trash in the fuel system. The fuel evaporates and the trash is left behind (usually in a crystallized state) which can clog the system.
If you isolate the problem 100% to the fuel system and the ignition system is tested and is good, the fuel system needs to be worked on....cleaning of the carb ('s), injectors, fuel lines....replacement of filters, installation of a water / trash separator system. You will also want to start a program using fuel additives /stabilizers or performance enhancers such as SeaFoam or Sta-Bil. (I prefer SeaFoam from what I have experienced. I have also discovered how to replicate a SeaFoam like product for about 1/10th the retail cost, if you are interested)
I am not an expert and I may have some information included that is not 100% technically accurate, but from the sympthoms you have described, it sounds to me like this is what you may be facing....I have just been through it and it sucks. Hope this helps you and best of luck.
CPB

[XRAY1]

Thanks guys, I'm heading down to Chincoteague VA for the 4th, guess I won't be able to pull the boat down and do any fishing, but I still have my jetskis. I guess I'll try the fuel system scrub when I return. I'll post again once I get it figured out. Jerry

[hippie]

The easiest thing is not to burn the ethanol at all.

[john from md]

If you have never done a decarb with seafoam, you should do so. The process was developed for two stroke engines but works well on four stroke also. Basically what you do is hook a three gallon gas tank to your engine and put one gallon of gas and a full tank of seafoam in it.

Run t he engine on the main tank to get it warmed up then switch to the small tank. Run for fifteen minutes then let it sit for 30, run for fifteen minutes, let sit for 30. If not inconvenient, let it sit with mix in it overnight. Next day, run the rest of mix through engine until gone. Then take boat out and run hard for a hour.

You will see lots of smoke but, in that smoke is also alot of carbon and varnish being blown out of your engine.

If you do this at the beginning of every season, your engine will run and last alot longer.

[master wrench]

Just a question...........was the engine hard to crank over meaning when you hit the key did it crank right away or did it take a few seconds and then it cranked? If not fuel related you may want to check the riser out on your engine also. althought the idle circuit maybe dirty check it first.

Good luck!! Let us know what you find out.

[XRAY1]

Sorry it took so long to reply. I ended up being so busy last summer that I wasn't even able to take the boat back out. I took it out this past weekend and had no problem with the motor. I replaced the plugs, cleaned the carb with about a 1/2 can of carb cleaner and used the other 1/2 can to clean the spark arrestor. I did have to raise the idle slightly when I had it in the water (possibly due to the adjustments I made last year). I did however have problems with getting the prop to engage (it would not engage forward or reverse). It took me probably 20+ attempts with the shift/thottle lever (and some gentle love taps on the lever assembly) to get the prop to engage. Once it "broke loose" I didn't have another problem with it. Anyone know any good time on how to get some lube in the shift/throttle lever assembly. Thanks!