Engine stall @ trolling speed

The other day while taking the islander out for salmon fishing the 2.3 ford had stalled 3 times at trolling speed.Once we got the boat back I had replaced the fuel filter and added some iso heet.Thought maybe there was water in the fuel.The engine runs fine at high rpms and seems to run fine at idle.Then last night while fishing for about 2 hours the engine stalled twice.I am thinking now to clean and rebuild the carb.Any other suggestions would greatly be appreciated.

You may also want to check your tank for crap in it. Could be built up on the fuel pick up which usually has a screen over it. Remove the pick up and check it for crud. How much fuel was in the tank and were there waves causing the fuel to slosh around in the tank?

The tank had aprox.45 gallons in it and last night the seas were flat out on lake mich.Thanks for mentioning the fuel pick - up.

Does it start right back up? Wondering if maybe your coil is getting hot and shutting you down?

a friend of mine did mention that about the coil and it did fire right away,But this past time it did not start imediately just fired.I havent tinkered w the thing yet but I am sure it could be contaminates in the tank and a good carb cleaning.That carb hasnt been cleaned this year.When I did change the fuel/water filter there was no sign of water but there was small particles in it.Funny thing though because many boaters have been experiencing the same thing.Like bad gas from our local gas station ?

My little V6 does that as well. I'll take Bobs advice...the Coil is about the ONLY thing I haven't replaced...LMAO !!!!!!!

S.

Yah,I tore apart the carb and cleaned it and overhauled the thing w a new kit - Changed the filters and put another inline filter in the fuel line before it enters the fuel/water filter and dumped 8 botles of dry gas.Last sat evening it ran good w/o a stall.(keep in mind the tank had about 45 gallons in her and thats too much to pump out).Then sunday morning she stalled out 3 different times.So yah i may end up replacing the coil also.

leave the coil alone and replace the fuel line. Go to any marine store and buy marine fuel line. Costs more. Those little pieces are the fuel line being eatin by the new gas.

Thanks Chieffalen I will try that first as I have thought about the inside deterioration of the fuel line also.I also have a spare coil in the boat I can try if it happens again.
And to all the members thanks for the help,I really apreciate the input.

chiefalen said:

leave the coil alone and replace the fuel line. Go to any marine store and buy marine fuel line. Costs more. Those little pieces are the fuel line being eatin by the new gas.

Click to expand...

But my Fuel line is ALL copper.......... In my case, I think it cant be that. I did price a new coil at my Napa shop. $45.00 plus taxes. Getting one shortly. That will be the last thing I will have replaced.

S.

I had to smile when I read this thread as I have been dealing with precisly the same issues on an OMC 3.8L 1984 engine with a holey 2 barrel carb. I have done all that you did and have changed out the rubber line from tank to fuel/water separator as remainder of line to carb is metal. Can you share what type of inline fuel filter you added. I was considering the same and wondered if I should put it down stream of fuel pump to ensure anything can be caught prior to entering carb/fuel filter. Please share what type you added and how it is working. Thanks...I did change out my coil too. Is running well now but want to prevent future issues with additional fuel filter which is easlier to change. Thanks

Hey there Masonp2 I was was walking by some filters and I had purchased a Clear inline fuel filter and you can see the gas in the filter.Now as I am writing this thought i should place a gage in line to the carb to see what psi I have in the fuel system.But it starts great,Runs great,got good take off and good top end.Its just been trolling for several hours and then she just stalls.I will be headn out in the morning lake too rough tonight w thunderstorms.Oh there should already be a filter a small one before the fuel enters the carb.The clear inline I had purchased was placed after the fuel tank pick up then it runs through the fuel / water seperator then through the fuel pump then through the filter inside the carb.Now today ran it in barrel of water w/ water flowing and it ran for an hour at idle until I shut her down.We shall see.... Just to mention about the clear in line filter though because i placed it after the pickup to see the condition of the fuel and it shows no water.

It might be a fuel problem, but indirectly.
Check the temp of your manifold.
At low rpm, with scaling and deposits, the temp rises.
Finally it gets to a 'boiling' point of the fuel, and the engine stops.
Looks like 'no fuel', but might in fact be cooling related.

The trolling you do all day ? Then you think your loading up with carbon on the top of the piston, so every hour or so are you burning it off ?

There should be no filter inline after the pump except in the fitting that enters the carb.

You could install a fuel water sep. before the pump. If you don't have one already.

Fuel pump is giving you what psi ? 4-6 no less 7 ok no more. The clear hose to the carb have fuel in it ?

You dumped alot of stuff in the tank but your not giving it a chance to run all the stuff out of the tank, you want instant results.

Keep cleaning the filter in the fitting that enters the carb and keep pulling the fuel pickup tube, and checking the anti-syphin valve for good operation, and keep the vent clear, and give it a chance to work the stuff you keep dumping in the tank.

I never add anything to the gas.

This new gas is giving everyone a problem , it scrubs your tank clean, the fuel line gets eatin if older, and all kinds of stuff, you just got to keep all the filters clean.

And this is assuming that it's fuel related, and you checked the grounds and the cables and the motor is tuned right, and your getting good spark, the dist is working right.

<< There should be no filter inline after the pump except in the fitting that enters the carb.>>

My ancient Carter 1 barrel does not have this....... I DO have a filter just before the Carb. When the Boat shuts off, I checked the line. It was NOT hot.

Ah It was probably none of the above.Yesterday morning the boat fired right up and then quit and then nothing,no fire at the plug.Checked w a test light to make sure it had juice to distributor and it did.Changed out points while sitting at the dock even replaced the new coil again and went back to an old one that was rolling around the boat so I now know it wasnt the coil in which the seldomly dont go bad.Set the points so there was a gap when it came around the high spot on distributor.Turned the key to on and had spark at the points.Touched it w a screw driver.Reinstalled dist.cap and it fired right up.Ran a litle rough at first then tinkered w the air screws so it sounded good.The boat runs great and it hasnt stalled at all.Oh well at least the carb is cleaned out.