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50hp Outboard loss of power

bassbuggy18

New member
I have a 50hp Mercury on my pontoon boat. While running at WOT (approximately 5000 rpm) the motor suddenly dropped to around 3000 rpm. It happened a few times this weekend, but cleared up and continued to run fine. But this time it would not recover. The motor will start and idle fine. Full power in reverse and revs up fine in neutral. Changed the fuel filter and checked the spark just by removing plug wire and listening for the slight change in engine speed. All that seems fine. Any ideas on what else it could be?
 
2006 50 ELPTO. S/N 1B368445. I forgot to mention that I also replaced the fuel primer bulb. Also, when the engine was acting up, if I pushed the choke, it would go full throttle for 1 second then back to 3000rpm. Kind of strange that I can get full rpm in reverse and in neutral but not in forward gear don't you think?
 
Always check for loud blue snapping spark at each plug. It sounds like there is some crud bouncing around in one or more of the carbs. Full rpm in (don't do it)neutral/reverse means nothing since there is no load in neutral and little in reverse due to prop design. Examine the spark plugs' burn pattern...brown color is good. Change the fuel filters and clean the carbs.
 
Using the primer to increase RPM points directly at fuel propblems.----------------Clean / inspect the carburetors.----Never wind up one of those motors in nuetral as it proves nothing !
 
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