BB140A She runs but problems

"I got the engine running toda

"I got the engine running today for the first time. There are a few "issues".
Does this puppy have an automatic choke. It is very hard to keep running when cold, I have to keep pumping the throttle until she's warmed up.
She runs kinda warm, the guage reads about 1/8" below the red zone. The t-stat is opening and I can feel the heat exchange to the exhaust water and the exh manifold stays cool. I'm using a short hose tee'd into the intake and sucking out of a bucket that I fill continuously with city water from a garden hose. Maybe not enuf flow thru the 5/8" suction hose?
Finally, the idle (900rpm) is a little rough. I set the carbs to the spec in the book but that didn't seem to help much. One carb is sucking noticably louder than the other. Can I set them by ear and do I adjust idle speed or idle mix to get them together? Ignition is all new and dwell and timing are right on (I hadn't changed a set of points in about 20 years!!!)
Any input would be appreciated, you guys are great. This would be a very difficult project without this site as a resource...Thanks all.

Jon"

"This puppy has no choke, auto

"This puppy has no choke, automatic or otherwise. If you want to keep her running when cold, just declutch and bring the throttle to fast idle until she warms up.

To ajust the carbs, use a uni-sync vacuum gauge (you can google the term). It is cheap, and it works.

And regarding the points, consider upgrading to a Pertronix electronic ignition kit, it will be money well invested. Just search threads with the "Pertronix" word in the Volvo Penta forum to see what I am talking about ."

Thanks El P. Do they normally

Thanks El P. Do they normally run that hot?

"No, they do not; but you don&

"No, they do not; but you don't really have to worry until the gauge indication is reaching the red area. And since the exhaust manifold runs cool, it appears at first glance that raw water flow is not the problem. I would first check that the alternator belt is correctly tensioned; if loose, it will slip on the water circulation pump pulley. But if the belt is correctly tensioned, then it is time to check the raw water side of the cooling system. Start verifying that the hose connector in the outdrive is not corroded (if it is, it will be a source of air ingress); then check the condition of the hose between the outdrive and the transom shield; then that all the hose clamps are tight; then the condition of the hose and clamps between the transom shield and the suction copper pipe; then the condition of the pump impeller and the seals in the suction and discharge pipes; then the cleanliness of the strainer; then the cleanliness of the oil cooler, and then that the exhaust manifold is plugged-up. Of course, you con't have to check the above items in the order I listed them.

And it would not hurt to check with an infrared thermometer the real coolant temperature, just to make sure that the gauge indication is accurate."

"Running it on a hose that&#39

"Running it on a hose that's trying to let the impeller suck it from a bucket isn't exactly going to make it run nice and cool. Use a muff on tap water or immerse the drive in enough water to let it run cool. If you plan to run it out of the water often, Rubbermaid makes watering troughs that are plastic, so they won't damage the boat. They're about $60 and you can also use it to winterize."

"Hey EL, I don't think he

"Hey EL, I don't think he has an outdrive as he says it's a BB not an AQ. BB's were inboards.
You really won't know how warm it is with a green, yellow and red gauge. Get a real gauge or use the temp gun as EL says. Also running on the trailer is almost pointless to confirm heat because you are not loading the engine and making it work. It will show it's hot if there is a major cooling problem but not a minor cooling problem once it gets aload on it."

"Did I get mixed-up again? Som

"Did I get mixed-up again? Somehow I though he was using an ex-inboard engine on an outdrive. Boy, I am responding to so many posts that I think I am starting to loose track."

"EL, They need to tell us if t

"EL, They need to tell us if they are indeed I/O's. Unless I'm looking at it I don't trust anyone on what they THINK they have. You know the old saying ASSUME. Nice reading your posts. Are you a mech for real or a very informed DIY'er."

"Ex-mech, but I now work on a

"Ex-mech, but I now work on a different sector of the marine industry."

"Yes this is an inboard. The

"Yes this is an inboard. The raw water suction is on the outside of the hull, under the engine.
It hasn't been run in many years and the original owner has died. The guy I bought it from never had it in the water (the engine has 42 running hours) so I don't know if this has a chronic cooling problem or if the gauge is off or what. I'll get a another thermometer and try to get a better read on engine temp. I also may pull the thermostat out and test it.
Does anyone sell rebuild kits or gasket kits for the Solex carb's? I'm thinking I may have to take em apart and clean. The idle is rough and at 900 rpm it hunts a little. Also, I'll get a uni-sync gauge to set them up.
Finally, somebody tell me that when things are right this will warm up easily on fast idle without a choke. This may be another symptom because yesterday fast idle alone wouldn't do it. It took considerable throttle pumping. What do you do when it's cold out!!!
Thanks for all the help.
Jon"

"The side drafters are known l

"The side drafters are known lousy carbs, that's why V/P quit useing them. Thery are very tempermental carbs. The down draft carbs are great. As said before, no chokes and a cold engine needs to be rich so you must keep pumping them a little when startng so the acc. pump richens the fuel mixture. Rebuild kits are available, just make sure you get the kit for the side drafts."

"Jon, the overhaul kits for yo

"Jon, the overhaul kits for your carbs are Sierra part number 18-7001, and they are available from this site:

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/part_details.php?pnum=SIE18-7001&returntopage= 80240774.htm

If the engine has not been run for so many years, the carbs are probably gummed-up, and opening them for cleaning is an excellent idea.

The topic of cold weather starting for OHC Volvo engines has been discussed here before. Check this thread:

http://www.marineengine.com/discus/messages/12487/53926.shtml"

"I have a AQ145a and it behave

"I have a AQ145a and it behaves the same as you are talking about.balanced carbys,adjusted timing,checked fuel presure,everything seems to be to spec.its a thing you have to live with,takes a little warmup and runs like a charm later.
PS.i did clean the points the other day and now seems to start first go but you have to work on that throttle a few times to get it up and running nice"

"Removed carbs this afternoon,

"Removed carbs this afternoon, one unit is gummed up pretty badly, not doing much. Will rebuild both. This should be one smooth running engine if it even ran with this mess!!! Always feels good to find a smoking gun.

Jon"