Ibm at a loss

"I have a 5.0L V8 Mercruiser w

"I have a 5.0L V8 Mercruiser with the Alpha drive. The boat's a '94 Rinker 240, but the engine was replaced (not overhauled) in Jan 2007, so it only has about 20 hours on it. I'm VERY new to trying to fix engines on my own, but I'm trying to learn. I bought the Seloc and have done some adjustments that have gone pretty well. I'd previously adjusted the idle speed and idle mixture because she used to idle real, real high and then wouldn't ever come down even after she warmed up. Sometimes I'd literally have to slam into gear to get it down, and I'd often have a hard time getting it to start when it was cold, but thought it was maybe water in the gas, so I pretty much used dry gas every other weekend -- just lots of whacky stuff.

Recently ran the boat bone dry, (I'm starting to feel really self-conscious that I'm a boating idiot at this point), and it took quite a bit of work to get her back started. Tried gas direct in the carb at first, replaced the fuel filter, sprayed carb cleaner on it, then did jump starter spray, and put like 20 gallons in it with the spray, I did finally get it going and she was running great, until I went to the fuel dock about 20 minutes of running normal. Went to go into neutral at the dock, and she died. She would start up again, but not in neutral, at forward throtle out of gear, and heading towards neutral would die again.

So now she's idling great from a cold start, but after she's been run a while, she'll die when I move towards neutral -- from forward or reverse. I looked at my mixture and speed screws again, and I adjusted my lower shift cable to the lowest end of the bracket, sprayed it with some white lithium and made sure the roller on the ignition kill switch was centered in the notch, so now I don't know what to look at next. I keep thinking all of this has to do with the choke, and I would adjust the damn thing if I could FIND it!! There is NOTHING on my engine that looks like the choke housing as pictured and/or described in the Seloc manual. Is it possible I don't have a choke housing unit, just the choke lever? I'm pretty sure I see where some of that all is.

Am I doing something completely wrong?!?"

"From the above, I'm assum

"From the above, I'm assuming it's carburated. But, what carb? That'll help determine what the choke should look like.

When you did the original adjustments on the idle speed and mixture, was the engine up to normal temp? And did you adjust the idle speed with the boat in the water, and in forward gear?

Right now, it sounds like the idle speed is set too low.
Is it possible, when you had the problems before, it was stuck on fast idle when warmed up, and by adjusting you compensated to get it to seem normal... somewhere in the fray it got unstuck from fast idle and now you're over adjusted low.

Other possibility is when you ran the tank dry you sucked up the many years of gunk that tends to accumulate and have some blockage in the low speed circuit. The seperator/filter gets the worst of it, but a few particles just the right size and shape to clog the low speed jet can still get through. Also, there is usually a small screen type strainer in the carb body where the fuel line connects. Make sure that one's clean."

"It's a 2bbl carb and I be

"It's a 2bbl carb and I believe it says it was new Jan 2007. I did adjust at normal temp in the water, but not sure about forward gear. Definitely forward throttle, but not in gear. I'm sorry, I'm just really bad at this, so I know it's frustrating to even read. What should I be listening/looking for when adjusting the idle speed?

I guess I'll have to look at the fuel line screen as well."

This is my take.......

The

This is my take.......

The reason your idle would not drop after adjustment is because the throttle cable was not adjusted correctly!!!!

YOU MUST disconnect the throttle cable from the carburator!! Start the engine (make sure you have water running to outdrive if on a trailer)

If the engine will not run on its own adjust the large idle screw to a point at wich the engine runs on its own.

If you have adjusted the idle mixture screws you will need to redo this.

Once the engine has warmed up enough so The choke is open all the way adjust the large idle srew so rpms are at ~ 600 to 700 rpms. Lower is better for now.
Adjust idle mixture screws at this time.

If you do not need to adjust idle mixture screws then set rpms to 700 rpms.
NOW adjust throttle cable (turn/adjust) the "trunion" so it fits back onto carb linkage. Once you have done this and it fits freely pull it back off and adjust the trunion two more full turns away from plastic cable end and reinstall it to the carb linkage. This should put some addition force on the carb linkage and the cable will return it to its same position each time.

Hope this makes sense but that is what I feel is your real issue.

Let us know.............

I forgot to mention that this

I forgot to mention that this adjustment is done with the controll (shift handle) in the neutral position.

"I'm going back down to th

"I'm going back down to the boat on Thursday, so I'll be sure to let you know.

THANKS!!!"

"I don't know what " j

"I don't know what " jump starter spray" is, but if it's anything like ether, I wouldn't let anyone within 50 feet of my boat engine with it...that stuff is notorious for blowing head gaskets between cylinders. I would compression test the engine."

Do you have the newer Mercruis

Do you have the newer Mercruiser "Turnkey Start" engines?

""Turn Key Start"

""Turn Key Start"

MerCruiser developed the new TKS System, which utilizes a redesigned carburettor with an automatic fuel enrichment system instead of a traditional choke. TKS produces instant, effortless starts at the turn of a key – even in cold weather. Info. per Merc."

Susan

Did you adjust the sh

Susan

Did you adjust the short shift cable???

If so why?

I have written a few replies to adjusting it and if you have done this you will need to redo it and redo it correctly before you use your boat.

If you would like to discuss some of your issue contact me through my email attached to my account. click on my name to find it.

It sounds like you have been doing alot of things you may not need to have