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sramseyer

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"Hi everyone. Thanks in advan

"Hi everyone. Thanks in advance for your help on this. Here is my situation.

I purchased an older model pontoon with a 35hp Merc (1986). The motor ran great for about 3 weeks, then all of a sudden one day I started it, it started right up and idled great. When I pulled away it started to bogg down. It would run at 3/4 to full throttle, but not well.

interesting thing I disconnected the gas line and after about 20 seconds it started running great again. I hooked back up the hose and tried to take off and it bogged down again.

I pulled the carb partially apart, and the floot seems to be functioning fine. Put it back together, it runs great at idle but once you try to give it some gas it floods out. Disconnect gas line again and clear flood by giving it some throttle for about 10 seconds and you can run it perfectly on idle until it runs out of gas (hose still disconnected)

I am pretty sure you guys are going to say rebuild the carb and replace all needle valves, but since it is about 1 month till the end of my boating season, I am hoping for a short term fix until I can rebuild the carb this winter.

One more thing, the guy I bought it from did say he hadn't run it in two years, but as I said, it ran great for 3 weeks and I put through 2 full tanks of premium gas.

I doubt compression, plugs, and fuel pump because I would think disconnecting the gas line should have no effect on those 3.

Help!

Thanks again."
 
"I was just thinking one more

"I was just thinking one more thing. My Float when I looked at it was mostly submerged, but floating none the less. Is this style supposed to float on top like a bobber, or is it supposed to float partially submerged like a log?"
 
"Scott, believe your model has

"Scott, believe your model has a very old style, side bowl/back-drag carb.

I do not believe the float should stay submerged. It should rise to completely engage the inlet needle.

I would suspect that either a) your gummed up in there, not letting the needle valve seat closed properly or b) (while I can not remember off the top of my head if this is a "hollow float") but if so, may be punctured and filling with gas..

Either way, you are going to have to pull it and take it apart - but seriously, that's only an hour job - could be back together before you take the boat out tomorrow morning..."
 
"remove carb, remove float cov

"remove carb, remove float cover, invert cover, secondary lever(the one the float touches) should be level with top of hinge pin, if not bend the primary lever.
Float drop= hold cover upright, distance between 2 levers should be 1/4inch, bend bottom tab to adjust
Float spring adjustment=3/32inch from top of float not from top of insert

If the engine still has oil injection I strongly recomend bypassing it and mixing the oil/gas

Good engine but the bottom bearing fails and must be torn down to be replaced"
 
"Thanks guys. I do have the s

"Thanks guys. I do have the side bowl. I had it partially apart last night, so I can do it again Saturday morning. I believe I can pull the top completely off the bowl and do everything the two of you have suggested, without completely removing the carb. The reason I didn't do it last night is that there is one tube in the back that I could not see. I did not want to remove it, as it will be difficult to re-seat without removing several other engine parts.

I will pull the foat completely out and see if it is partially filled with gas. If it is, I will replace it. If it is not, I will proceed to cleaning the pin and orifice and bending the levers as discribed by JB.

Just to confirm, you guys believe this is the most likely cause of my issue. I know I led you into my opinion through my discription, and just wanted some confirmation that I am going down the right path.

Thanks so much."
 
"Scott, just had my motor floo

"Scott, just had my motor flood out on me a couple weeks back - in my case it was crud blocking the float needle.

Symptoms were identical - impressed the wife though, brought the boat back in with a little 2.5 horse Evinrude
"
 
"Your symptoms point to the fl

"Your symptoms point to the float needle and seat, but it could be crud from the fuel tank/lines clogging the needle and seat and soon to make its way to the main jet. It only takes a minute to remove the starter and remove the carb (2 bolts) and work over the whole carb. The main fuel line needs to be removed from the top of the float housing anyways, make it easy on yourself. The choke will just slide out of the housing, careful its got a plastic rod. The starter often vibrates loose, it should have an additional bracket on the bottom, thats the hard part. Check the starter often, when it gets loose it will break the bracket on the front of the engine case. The main jet is located at the bottom of the carb behind the 7/16 brass plug, blow it out with air while you are in there. Clean the filter, change the fuel pump diaphram and happy boating."
 
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