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1961 Gray Marine 188

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wndowhunt

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Just put electrical tune up an

Just put electrical tune up and still only getting 2800 RPM. Has side draft carbs. Any suggestions?
 
"We need a little more informa

"We need a little more information. By electrical tune up do you mean new spark plugs, dist points, plug wires, timing, dwell? Is there any backfiring when giving it the gas?
Low RPMs are sometime caused by fuel starvation. Make sure the fuel lines are in good condition, the fuel filter if any is not loaded, the fuel pump is working properly. Also I think those side drafts are fixed main jets but you might want to give the idle needles a half turn counter clockwise for good measure.
I had that problem with an older Mercruiser and the only problem was that the fuel vent to the tank was plugged up by mud dauber wasps and after the air was out of the fuel tank the engine was starving. Simple thing but hard to find.
Keep us posted"
 
yes all the above sitting in n

yes all the above sitting in neutal}} raps up to 5000 rpm sounds good runs good under power falls on its face 2800 rpm got me baffeld
 
"Here is another cause that mi

"Here is another cause that might sound too simple but check it anyway.
Make sure all the plug wires from the distributer to the plugs are in the proper order. If this just started happening after the electrical tune it might be. By that I mean make sure the firing order is right and there is not one wire misplaced (two plugs running out of order)That's all I can think of,again it happened to me after checking the order over and over and over and thought I had it right only to have two wires on the wrong plugs. It ran perfect with no load but would not get up to RPMs under load. Check, check and check again.
Cal"
 
thanks for all info whats the

thanks for all info whats the proper firing orderfor a 188 and looking from the
back forard which side is # 1 cyl and how do you time the motor? Looking at the
front of motor the harmonic balancer has three lines on the side and no mark
anywhere on the block. And what is the proper setting for the points?
 
"I am no expert on the Firebal

"I am no expert on the Fireballs, all this information is right out of the GrayMarine tech manual for the fireball V8’s.
The firing order for the 188 and all V8 fireballs except those with 1.91:1 reduction gear rations is;

Standard rotation: 1-3-4-5-6-2-7-8
Opposite rotation: 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

Engines with the flywheel forward, except those with 1.91:1 drive ratio

Standard rotation: 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2
Opposite rotation: 1-3-4-5-6-2-7-8

If your flywheel is facing forward then the number one cylinder will be on your right side (starboard) back.


If you flywheel is towards the back of the boat your number one cylinder will be left side (port) farthest one forward.

According to the book if your flywheel is facing back the timing marks are located in what is called a timing port which is a round opening on the top of the bell housing. The timing indicator is at the top of the timing port. I do not have this engine so I’m just telling what it says. In any case the timing should be set at “0” for the 188. Connect your timing light to the number one cylinder and the light should fire when the number one cylinder is at top dead center and the indicators are pointing at “0” If they do not line up you change the timing by adjusting the rotation of the distributor ever so slightly until the indicators are lined up and then tighten the distributor down again. If you do this while the engine is running it should be at idle 500RPM.

The point gap depends on what manufacturer’s distributor cap you have. If it is:
Delco-Remy without a vacuum control the gap is .013 and the dwell is 28-34 deg.
Delco with a vacuum control the gap is .016, dwell 26-33 deg.
Auto-Lite high cap no vacuum gap is .017, dwell 31 deg.
Auto-Lite high cap with vacuum gap is .017, dwell 29 deg.
Mallory no vacuum gap is .020, dwell 26 deg.
Auto-Lite flat cap no vacuum gap is .017, dwell 31 def
Auto-Lite flat cap with vacuum gap is .017, dwell 29 deg.

Hope this is of some help.
crazy.gif

Cal"
 
thanks again for the info my e

thanks again for the info my engine is opposite rotation looking at the front of motor it spins to theleft flywheel is at back of motorlooks normal the velvet drive says 1.1 and the only firing order that works is18726543 tried the ones you gave me none work still baffled
 
Can you take a picture of the

Can you take a picture of the engine from the top and post it showing the distributor and wires?
 
"<[img]"http://www.marineengin

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170287.jpg

Jim, Now I'm getting baffled also. In the pics I am attaching you can see the wiring from the distributor. Keep in mind that on all fireballs regardless of standard or opposite rotation the distributors always turn counter clockwise, no exception. Line up your "0" degree timing marks and with the distributor cap off the rotor should be pointing in the direction for the contact point of the number one cylinder, the next number to the left of that would be 8 (distributor turns counterclockwise), the next cylinder would be 4 and so on. The cylinder banks are numbered 1,3,5,7 on one side and 2,4,6,8 on the other side. Sooner or later we will work this out."
 
Did you do a compression check

Did you do a compression check? Maybe the problem is not electrical or fuel related. Is the boat over propped?
 
did a compression test 170 lbs

did a compression test 170 lbs on each cyl. over proped dont know cant find info on boat it is a 1961 albri 26 foot cabin crusier going to take pics todaythanks
 
"<[img]"http://www.marineengin

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170447.jpg

Just a simple diagram to help out, no matter where the flywheel and transmission is the distributor will still turn counterclockwise looking from the top. Other than actually seeing the situation I am baffled also."
 
thanks again should i have a f

thanks again should i have a flat toped dis. cap like yours or a normal one also just got into the carbs not pretty glaze and grit so know cleaning them up maybe thats half yhe prob
 
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