More hesitation AQ 140

"OK so this is a continueum of

"OK so this is a continueum of this thread:

http://www.marineengine.com/discus/messages/12487/81339.shtml

Please have a little patience with me I am slowly working out the bugs in my boat.

OK friday night took it out for another test run. This is after I decided to re-tune the motor. Never assume anything as I bought the boat from a self proclaimed mechanic that said he did a complete tune-up on it. I rechecked the points: They were opening three times wider than spec'd, reset them to 0.016". Checked the timing: It was 15 degrees too far advanced, reset to 6 degrees BTDC. Checked the carbs with my Uni-sync tool. One air screw was 2 1/2 turns out the other was 5. Reset them.

OK so I have a three main problems since then. One is hard starting. It cranks over for a long time and I have to give WOT to get it to start. Once started it seems fine and I can keep it running. No problems idling at this point. Let it warm up and off we go. We jet across Elliot Bay for dinner, it's about two miles across. It ran great, smooth and no hesitations. Second problem, I slowed down to enter the marina, then it had a hard time idling. It seems to be missing and not a smooth idle like before. I have to run it at 1500 rpms through the marina to keep it running much to the dislike of people having dinner on moored their boats. So we pick up some friends for a run around the bay. It starts up OK, but the idle is still an issue. The thrid problem happened when we hit the open water again. She runs good, gets on a plane easy even with four poeple, then after a few minutes it seems like it wants to die. We slow and I have very little throttle response from the motor. It will idle but sure seems like it wants to die. I even get a pop out of the engine which freaked one of my passengers out. So I decide we should head for the dock and we can only get very little speed out of the boat the throttle at wide open just isn't responding the engine won't rev. After a few minutes of this and playing with the throttle back and forth finally it's like something catches and it takes off. We dropped our friends at the dock and took off for home and had no problems all the way back. But still when we got to the launch I still had the idling issue where it won't idle smooth and seems like it's missing at idle until I bump the throttle up a little. I think I'll bump up the idle this may take care of that problem as when it's completely warm and on the water it idles at 700 RPM but in my driveway and on the hose it idles at a perfect 900 RPM.

The tank of gas is only a couple months old. I added some fuel stabilizer, HEET fuel anti-freeze, and STP carb clenaer to it when I filled it. The filter was fairly clean but looking closer there was a little residue that disappeared when I shook it. My feeling is that it's fuel related but not sure. If it was intermitten like that wuld it mean the carbs need rebuilding? The biggest problem is that it's intermitten and doesn't happen all the time. It worries me because I don't want to be too far from home until I get the intermitten problem worked out. My wife is anxious to go for a nice long sunday boat ride but I'm afraid of getting more than a mile or two from the launch."

"PugetSounder, one little deta

"PugetSounder, one little detail to keep in mind is that you should set the idle mixture and balance the carbs with the boat in the water and the engine warm, not in your yard. The reason is that there is no back pressure in the exhaust in the yard, but there is back pressure with the boat in the water.

Some of the other probles you mention could be the carbs dirty/gummed-up, a carb flooding or not filling (how is the float level set?), or one of the butterflies sticking in one of the carbs. If yo haven't overhauled the carbs, I think you should. Also, on my AQ140 I used to have problems with the aft carb butterfly shaft seizing due to contact with water. Make sure it's free and well lubricated.

Overall, it looks good, you just have a few bugs to sort.

Also, for safety, consider having a 6 - 9.9HP outboard (a kicker) installed in your boat, it will become handy should the main engine fail. I never go on the water without one."

"Thanks for the response El. S

"Thanks for the response El. So it sounds like a fuel problem to you? I just picked up a fuel/water seperator I'll install that tonight. It's funny you mentioned the rear carb because the throat on mine is pretty dirty with shelac compared to the front. I've been squirting carb cleaner every chance I get but that only does so much good. I was really hoping to avoid carb work. I don't like them and don't know anything about them. Anything else on the boat I'll tackle myself. I may check around to see how much a rebuilder will charge.

I've been wanting to load up my tools and take the boat over to the lake and just work on it while I'm out on the water. There are a couple of issues that happen only on the water so maybe that's a good time to synch the carbs. Over all it runs way better than before I guess I just need to do more work.

I do have a kicker, as a matter of fact I would recommend a Honda, I've never had such a smooth running quiet dependable motor before. And this one is 20 years old! But the way the weather comes up around here I still don't want to get too far away without working out the bugs first."

"PugetSounder, the rear carb i

"PugetSounder, the rear carb is dirtier because that's where the vent hose from the head diverts all the blow-by gases. I can assure you that if your engine has a lot of blow-by you will never get a smooth idle. In fact, this is the reason why I ended rebuilding my AQ140.

The Solex sidedraft carbs are very easy to overhaul ( I mean it). There isn't much in the overhaul kits, just a few gaskets, the accelerator pump diaphragm and the float valve needle and seat.

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

Just have Seloc nearby, it will guide you step by step.

Regarding kickers, I used to have an old blue & white Honda 4-stroke, pull-start and magneto ignition (yours is probably CDI)). It always worked in my shop, but it always quit on me while in the water. Frustarted and tired of getting blisters in my hand trying to start the darn thing, I bought a new 9.9 Yamaha high thrust, and I reckon it's the best thing I did. The first I intalled it, the timing belt broke in my main engine while in the middle of rough weather, and the Yamaha brought me back without any hesitation. Have had the Yamaha for 8 years and never a problem to date. "

"I'm most certainly not as

"I'm most certainly not as qualified as many of the individuals that post on these sites regularly.

That having been said, it sounds like a very similar situation my cousin faced last year when getting his newly acquired and repowered boat sea tested and in running order. After hours of trouble shooting and on the water testing the cause/effect ended up being a corroded elbow joint on the gas tank pick up that was allowing air to get in the fuel line on occasion depending on varying extraneous conditions... food for thought.

Hope you can locate and remedy your problem in a timely fashion and get back on the water trouble free."

"Thanks for all the advice. Bo

"Thanks for all the advice. Boy El, I'm not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about owning a AQ140 if even you gave up on one!

I installed the water fuel seperator last night now I just need time on the water. Hopefully it will be one of those problems that sort itself out. I hate trying to diagnose intermitten problems."

"Pugetsouonder, don't feel

"Pugetsouonder, don't feel bad about your engine. When I first got my AQ140 I had the usual problems associated with an old boat. I had to replace the exhaust manifold, install new piston rings and bearings and rebuilding the head, rebuild the carbs, install new timing gears (they were pitted, that's why my timing belt broke) and (of course) install a Pertronix kit . Add to this a new fuel tank (the old one was leaking) and new floors. Unfortunately, my boat was 17.5' and eventually it became too small for my needs, as I wanted something with a cuddy for overnights, etc. The guy who bought the boat with the AQ140 from me got a good sound boat with a reliable engine.

Once you sort out the few bugs you have left, I am confident you will end having a good, reliable boat."

OK so I am thinking of trying

OK so I am thinking of trying a carb rebuild. I'll do the rear one for starters just to see how it goes that way it won't cost me twice as much to have things fixed of a screw something up. So what's a good carb cleaner or solvent for getting rid of all shelac and old gas deposits? If I go through the trouble I want the carb as clean as new when it goes back on. Thanks.

"I've only had marginal lu

"I've only had marginal luck dealing with the sidedrafts. They are very easy to rebuild and you should but I myself would be on the lookout for a set of downdrafts sitting on their manifold and switch them out. You'll like it much better, at least I and many customers have."