Bag 'O' Spanners!

[Dave1258]

Bag \'O\' Spanners!

Or so it feels like,..Took the "binliner" out for a run on Sunday, everything seemed ok for the first 30-40 mins or so, then the engine started to misfire, pop back thru the carbs,..wouldn't pull away or rev cleanly in or out of gear,.....any ideas ppl, thanx for the replies in advance. 4.3 ltr V6 mercruiser 1990 model yr. Regards Dave

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[BarryH]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

It could be any number of things. The easiest way to find the fault is work through a logical fault finding process. Looking at the miss fire, check the ignition system. Right from the low tension side to the high tension side of it.
After that it might be worth looking at the fuel side of things. Lean running has been known to cause this.

Its quiet difficult to diagnose a fault unless you get the full picture of what been going on. Anymore info you could give?

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[Dave1258]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

Thanx for the response Barry, I have a gut feeling it may be water in the fuel,..although god knows how it gets in there eh?
The best way I can describe what was going on is to say it felt like someone was turning the ignition switch on/off rapidly,..nothing else has changed on the boat, the last time out it ran great! methinks a trip to aquatics at Windermere is in order, gonna unscrew the fuel filter tomorrow and drain it into a glass container,.hopefully I will find water!

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[Talbot]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

If you get racor filters, they reject the water, and you can get a water detector to go on the bowl under the filter.

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[Dave_Snelson]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

Sounds like contaminated fuel or fuel starvation.

<hr width=100% size=1>Madoc Yacht Club
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[mickshep]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

Try starting up again after leaving overnight. Or remove and replace the fuel filler cap.If she runs fine for "30-40" min' then problem reoccurs check fuel tank breather hasn' become blocked. As engine draws fuel a blocked tank breather can cause a partial vacume in tank leading to symptoms similar to those you describe. Cheers, Mike.

<hr width=100% size=1>"Naaa mate, she's made of tin"

 

[itsonlymoney]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

Not convinced it's a fuel problem cos it sounds just like a fault with my 2050 Arriva a few years ago. Down the bottom of lake near Lakeside, symptoms as you describe, limped back to Aquatic and found cause to be HT lead breaking down. Got to be worth a try as it will be a damned site cheaper than having Aquatic charge you your soul.

Hope this is of help Ian

<hr width=100% size=1>I'd rather have a bad day boatin, than a good day workin ! ! !

 

[tcm]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

yeah, i agree, sounds too jerky to be fuel.

battery leads not very solid might be another - takem off and cleanem and puttem back praps.

Also check of HT leads shagged, or the main HT lead shagged, plug caps breaking down, - have a (very careful) grope about and there shouldn't be any ouch bluddy ow static kicks when it's running.

To make ole motorbikes blow flames out of the exhuast and spit back thru the carbs, we used to loosen the carbs, so if air getting there that would also cause kicking- but not jerky on/off as you describe.

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[itsonlymoney]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

tcm
What were you a "Hells Angel" or suminck. We used to drill extra holes in exhaust baffles, and on occasions fill up with Avgas procured from a contact at local airport, but that's a new one on me. May even give it a go cos it sounds a hoot.

Adios

Ian

<hr width=100% size=1>I'd rather have a bad day boatin, than a good day workin ! ! !

 

[tcm]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

um just average louting really. Slight bit of air coming in draws in fuel on the overun, and makes nice long flames, Tee hee. Oh, i did desopatch riding tywenty years ago to fund uni, and it's probably my fault that they aren't allowed handlebar speakers any longer.

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[david_bagshaw]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

could be condensation in the distributor cap.

<hr width=100% size=1>David
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.euroboating.net>http://www.euroboating.net</A>

 

[robind]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

You might try running her in the dark and having a look to see if any "tracking" is taking place?
Rob

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.rejuvanu.com>RejuVanu</A>

 

[robind]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

You might try running her in the dark and having a look to see if any "tracking" is taking place?
Rob

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.rejuvanu.com>RejuVanu</A>

 

[tcm]

Re: distributor cap.

do they still have these? What about the advance mechansim moving, or a bit buggered then? Or the capacitor? Ooh, this takes me back. Overall though, i reckon battery connexions.

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[Dave1258]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

Interesting comments and advice,... thanks to all for offering it, (start it up in the dark and watch for sparks!!) christ if I did that on me drive; my neighbours would shoot me! trying to fit those flushing ears over the intake on the leg is bad enough in broad daylight never mind when it's pitch black!!.........My fault, shoulda mentioned the boat is at home on a trailer in the Driveway.
Anyhoos H.T. Failure in a lead or leads would be easy to spot ( big bright blue spark going to earth on the engine somewhere with an audible crackling sound)
on this engine, everything is laid out for all to see.
I spent 27 years in the motor trade as a motor vehicle technician, working on all makes and models.........this boat engine thing is all new to me, I unscrewed the fuel filter and poured it's contents into a glass receptacle (pint pot) and left it to settle.........guess what? No water present at all, a few dirt particles, but that's too be expected for a fuel tank that is 13 yrs old.
Screwed a new one on, started it up, ran it for as long as one dare on flush muffs, and it behaved normally!!!.......
SOOOooooo methinks HA! dodgy fuel filter right?
Wrong, puts the old filter back on and it runs sweet as ever,??????
I'm convinced this problem I have is fuel related, the fuel doesn't smell right... that may seem a strange thing to say to a lot of people, but you know when summat is not quite right but ya can't put ya finger on it!!!

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[BarryH]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

Dave, hate to tekk you this but, that there engine is haulin' the butts of yankees all over the states in their cars. Its a car engine!

Crap in the fuel you say. Could be fuel related have a look at the gauze in the fuel pump. If its got thru to that theres a good chance that its got thru to the carb as well. Whats ut running Holley or a Rochester.

Ignition system, hasit got the amplified system with the flywheel trigger or the usual non leccytronic one. If its the leccy system the amp systen tends to go awol and the only cure is replace it for quite a few £££££. umm what else dunno yet I'll have another think 'bout it. Is there anyother symptons that your keeping to yerself.

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[Dave1258]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

Dunno make of carb mate, (everything covered in black paint) I'm more used to the conventional shiny aluminium kind! will look into it, as for the ignition system it is the thunderbolt IV, the only other thing I don't think I mentioned is the smoke I got when this problem occured,..that help?

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[itsonlymoney]

Re: Bag \'O\' Spanners!

Read recent posts,
Call me stubborn but I still say ignition problem. My Arriva was playing up intermitantlly before the cause came to light and I also would have sworn it felt like a fuel problem. Bet you have! but have you tried old trick, pulling leads off one by one to at least pin point which cylinder is playing up. If no answer from this change DISI lead. only cost couple of quid.

Ian



<hr width=100% size=1>I'd rather have a bad day boatin, than a good day workin ! ! !