Apparent vac leakQjet problemsbringing a boat back to life

"this is the way I look at it

"this is the way I look at it

to equate to autos.........at 30 mph times 1000 hours equals 30,000 miles.

If you average the way a boat is used, putting around and half speed and full speed I think 30 mph is about avaerage for most boats.

So with my method your boat has less than 30,000 miles on it and you "should" be good to go........"

Bill;
I think you are well on

Bill;
I think you are well on the way to success with your carb issue.
And now you are our new resident expert on Quadrajet carbs!

Rod

"Resident Expert my butt. I w

"Resident Expert my butt. I was lucky to have good coaches (people here).

It's always better to be lucky vs good. You can be good and still make mistakes. If you're lucky, sometimes it just don't matter.

Thanks again, Guys!

I'll report back with either big smiles or more questions after the upcoming weekend."

"Kghost,

I hate to disagree

"Kghost,

I hate to disagree with you after you've been so much help to me, but I think you are underestimating the severity of duty for a boat motor in a planing hull. Figure average cruising speed/RPM at ~30/3K RPM.

1. Car/Truck engines dont sit there at 3K RPM for any length of time, unless they are pulling a big hill in a lower gear or hauling something with lots of drag. Typical V8's on the street cruise at under 2K RPM, and with much lower average manifold pressure (hihger manvac) vs the boat motor at cruise.

2. Realistically, an engine has some expected amount of horsepower-hours for a life-span. You can run higher output for shorter periods of time, or lower outputs for longer periods of time.

Boat engines typically live those hours of their lives at higher horsepower output on average (unless the bulk of the day is spent trolling at displacement speeds).

Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I'm thinking that at 950 hours, this horse has more days on the back of the cart than in front of it. If it lasts for a few more seasons, I'll count myself lucky.

I always figured that in a boat, every hour over 1000 was either a testament to great maintenance or just luck. Go back and look at the photo of my Nova, I cant really count on the previous owners for stellar maintenance, now can I?

I'd better hope to be lucky again..."

I do not disagree with you BUT

I do not disagree with you BUT the only boats with 1000 hours or so that actually look and act that way in most of my experience are speed type (go fast) boats and inboard ski type boats. Of course under powered larger boats also.

Most of the "pleasure craft" I have seen on fresh water lakes anyway do not tend to spend much time at more than 1/4 to 1/2 speed.

Now age is something totally different. YOU CANT MESS WITH MOTHER NATURE!!

"UPDATE!!!

That was it! Th

"UPDATE!!!

That was it! The thing idles GREAT for an engine that old. 750-Neutral, 650 in Gear.

No more bitchin/spittin/sputterinn'. No more near-stalls from power steering load.

I'll probably have to go back over it one more time with a tach/vac gauge (I forgot them last night, so I couldn't watch while I adjusted, kept having to run back and forth to look at the dash tach (not as good as staring at one while you adjust the mixture).

So I have a little more tweaking to do, but I'd bet that by ear, I've got it within 1/10 to 1/4 turn of the sweet spot.

You guys were very helpful, and I highly recommend the book "How to Rebuild and Modify Rochester Quadrajets" by Cliff Ruggles. If I'd have had that book at my side during the first rebuild, I wouldn't have had to do it two more times to get it right!!!



Thanks again!!!

Bill"