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302 Pops and trys to die at top end ( was "newly overhauled 302 won't start".)

the quick rebuild instructions, from holley, call it the choke qualifying adjustment on a 2300....that said, I am not positive the instructions are 'accurate' for the marine versions...
 
Yes, it looks like that is for a vacuum system, not marine. I did download the Holley instructions. The ones I had are from the re-build kit. There is one called a choke qualifying that may apply. I will print those out and see if I can verify all the settings.
 
I put on the newly refurbished prop and tried starting it up and it fired right up after several days. I turned it off and re-started it several times, and as long as I gave it a good amount of gas it started right up, except one time, where I didn’t give it enough gas, it didn’t start on that first hit and just ground for a while. I had to pump the throttle quite a bit to get it going. If I miss on that initial first hit, it grinds, but give it enough gas on that first hit and it comes to life. So there is still a minor issue there with not enough gas – it shouldn’t just grind. I didn’t do very well on the carburetor adjustments – some I couldn’t get to without taking off the carb, some were confusing and didn’t really match up with my carb, and others I remembered doing when I rebuilt the carb. Do I just need to open up the idle mixture adjustment more? Any ideas?
Not sure if I will get out on Sunday with the fires around the LA area, We are okay.
 
A warm engine shut off for a brief time (5 or 10 minutes) should restart easily without any throttle.
Next time you're out and happily idling, tied to dock in neutral is fine, spray some carb cleaner (with "straw" installed in can nozzle) along the manifold to heads junction & carb mounting but not near top of carb.
You are looking for engine speed to increase anywhere there is a vacuum leak.
Steady speed is good, increase is bad.

Glad to hear fires have stayed away. News depicts it as if the entire state is in ashes.
 
Hi Droid, I used starter fluid instead of carb cleaner, which I believe produces the same results, and the idle didn't change a bit. It didn't start right away, I had just cranked it twice instead of the 3-4 times and it just hit, but didn't start and cranked for a while. I kept pumping the throttle some, but wasn't until I stopped and really pumped it hard 3 times until it started. I let it warm up and did restart it a couple of times with the throttle at idle, and it started right up. I rechecked the vacuum manifold and it was good, aboutr 20 hg/in with some throttle. I also adjusted the idle screws out a bit using the vacuum gauge until the vacuum just started to go down (it was about 17 hg/in at idle) on both sides. It was probably a full turn more open. I restarted it three more times at idle and it started right up. Unless someone has any ideas, I think I should just take it to the ocean and see what happens with that and the possible prop/lower gearcase problem - checking for kelp on the prop if it seems to go out of gear again.
Here is my starting routine:
A new very cold start is best done with 3 or 4 pumps of the throttle to full and back to a throttle setting of about 2000 rpm, or about 40 degrees forward; crank it and it usually stars right up, and bring it down to about 900 rpm and let it warm up to 140 degrees. If it has been several weeks, you may need to crank it first to get gas into the carburator that may have evaporated out and just give it some pumps while it is turning over. A warm start is usually one pump and a fast idle throttle setting of 1000 rpm, about 35 degrees and crank. If it gets to a point of the engine just cranking and not hitting, stop and pump the throttle 3 times, set the throttle back to 40 degrees, or 2000 rpm, and it should start to hit, and keep cranking, maybe another pump as it is hitting, and it should start. Keep it at a fast idle, about 900 rpm for a few minutes until it warms up to about 140 degrees and then you can let it idle with the throttle straight up, which is about 600 rpm. Then you can shift into gear by pushing in the knob at the base of the throttle, push the throttle forward and go. If it dies when you shift into gear, it had not warmed up enough, or the idle may need to be set higher. Outside temperature causes fluctuations.
Sure seems gas starved.
 
how "open" is the choke plate when it is cold - feeler gauge between the down edge and the vertical wall of the airhorn???

any idea how long the choke takes to fully open, from a cold start?
 
Hi Mark, It depends on the temperature out, but the last time I saw it it was close to shut, but not quite. It is usually colder at the ocean, so if it doesn't start right away, it seems to have been more open, so I usually crank it closed more. I am not sure how long it takes to open, but after 4-5 minutes it is warmed up and is usually easier to start. I just started it to impress my grandson, so it is still a bit warm.
I may take it out tomorrow, since where I am working, there is still a mandatory evacuation.
 
There is about an eighth of an inch till totally closed on the butterfly when cold, about 70 degrees ambient. I turned on the ignition and it started opening within a minute and slowly opened up to full in about two minutes - pretty quick! Maybe that's why I had to crank it so far closed at the marina.
Should I cut it back till the buterfly just barely closes? It would just be a click or two from the recommended third click.
I didn't go out today - not even too sure about Sunday.
 
I adjusted it back past the markers to get full closure, and it still opened up to full after 2 1/2 minutes, so I will leave it there.
Will try to make it out tomorrow, or perhaps on Monday if I still can't work.
 
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