Need help ASAP

[89Mach1]

Hey everyone, I need to ask for some help. I put the boat in the water yesterday, started it, ran it at 1200rpm to warm up, parked the truck and as I was coming back the the boat I heard it losing rpm and stall out. I started it back up, it ran for a few seconds and stalled again, did this a couple more times and now nothing. It just cranks and cranks, doesn't sound like it even wants to catch. The motor came from a 1998 boat, so maybe a 1997 motor? It's a 454/330. It's getting gas, you can see it squirting in the carb, the coil is arching when I take the cap off of it, rotor is new, cap is new, I cleaned the ignition sensor, and pulled one plug wire to see if there was spark, and yes, there is spark. I checked the breakers on the motor, push them and they don't move, and also checked the fuse panel, all good. I'm at a loss!! I have an event coming up next weekend so I need this thing fixed by then. I hate to bring it to a shop, in fear that they won't get to it in time. Anyone have any ideas or live in the Syracuse, NY area??? Thanks!

Jay

 

[Tinkerer]

Do a compression test on all of the cylinders.

 

[BUIZILLA]

I had the same thing happen and it was the 50 amp breaker

 

[89Mach1]

I had the same thing happen and it was the 50 amp breaker

Did it pop or did you have to replace it? Is there a way to test it somehow instead of just replacing to see if it works? Thanks

 

[89Mach1]

Do a compression test on all of the cylinders.

What should compression be at?

 

[Bgchuby01]

check the red button back by the distributor, make sure it is pushed in

 

[Sean Stinson]

Hey everyone, I need to ask for some help. I put the boat in the water yesterday, started it, ran it at 1200rpm to warm up, parked the truck and as I was coming back the the boat I heard it losing rpm and stall out. I started it back up, it ran for a few seconds and stalled again, did this a couple more times and now nothing. It just cranks and cranks, doesn't sound like it even wants to catch. The motor came from a 1998 boat, so maybe a 1997 motor? It's a 454/330. It's getting gas, you can see it squirting in the carb, the coil is arching when I take the cap off of it, rotor is new, cap is new, I cleaned the ignition sensor, and pulled one plug wire to see if there was spark, and yes, there is spark. I checked the breakers on the motor, push them and they don't move, and also checked the fuse panel, all good. I'm at a loss!! I have an event coming up next weekend so I need this thing fixed by then. I hate to bring it to a shop, in fear that they won't get to it in time. Anyone have any ideas or live in the Syracuse, NY area??? Thanks!

Jay

3 things make a motor run air fuel and spark obviously you have air or you would be dead....you have spark as it ran check the fuel filter and stuff like that simple stuff.....put gas in it if it was low...break the fuel line loose to seee if fuel comes out check to make sure you have spark before you change the breaker!!!!

 

[Sean Stinson]

If you have spark then it is a fuel issue!!!!!

 

[Sean Stinson]

Dont get into all the BS about compression and breakers if you have spark you have a fuel delivery problem as it already was running and ran out of fuel!!!!

 

[phragle]

first time in this year?? how old is the gas?? will it fire with ether or gas squirted in the carb??

 

[Expensive Date]

first time in this year?? how old is the gas?? will it fire with ether or gas squirted in the carb??

I was thinking the same thing,what kind of fuel filter do you have also you said you have carbs fuel pump?.I really think your problem is fuel cover the basics before you get to deep.

 

[Slandrew]

Put gas in it:rofl:All kidding aside clogged fuel filters or bad gas gumout and compressor if real gummed up fuel issue for shure!

 

[Ted]

See if it will run with carb cleaner sprayed in the carb. If so, you have bad fuel in there.

 

[cuda]

I think the case for fresh gas is blown way out of proportion. I started up my fishboat a couple weeks ago with what had to be at least two year old gas. Fired up with a lilttle bit of choke, then ran like new. I sold my Formula with three year old gas in it, and it was running 10 to 1 compression. I did dump a gallon of toulene in the tank to raise the compression before knocking.

I don't believe the valves just deteriorated while you were parking the truck. There are four things that a four stroke engine needs: intake, compression, ignition, and exhaust. Of course my esteemed collegue, Mr Stinson assumed that y'all knew these things have to all take place at the proper time, hence the cam shaft. Since I also don't belive the cam shaft twisted itself in half, I'm betting on the fuel system. Before you go to changing coils, be advised I have a garage full of coills I've changed out when I believed it HAD to be the coil! I found exactly zero bad coils. Before everyone tells me how many engines they fixed by changing the coil, I submit you fixed the problem by fixing the bad connection that was already on the coil,

This ain't my first rodeo.

 

[cuda]

See if it will run with carb cleaner sprayed in the carb. If so, you have bad fuel in there.

Gummed up carb maybe, but if the fuel is that bad, it will smell exactly like linseed oil.

 

[89Mach1]

Thanks everyone for your replies!!! I'm leaning towards water in the fuel. New plugs and fuel/water filter in tomorrow.

Sean, thanks for the call!!! It all makes sense. I have fuel to the carb, I have spark, so it's has to be bad fuel.

 

[phragle]

I'm still going for crap fuel, my guess is there was enough decent fuel in the bowls and the seperator to run it for a few minutes, once it started getting water/crud from the tank.... spray some starting fluid in it, I bet it kicks.

 

[89Mach1]

Oh, I forgot to mention, I think I probably have 30-40 hours on it this season already. As for old gas, nah, been long gone. Could have been bad gas from the pump, or it has been raining here for about 4 days, so maybe it got it through the cap. I did notice the other day the the gas cap has about 3/4" of the rubber seal missing around it. Never noticed in the past if it was there or not though. Hopefully it's just water in the fuel. I'll grab a can of starting fluid also and see what happens. If it kicks over, bingo, bad gas! Should I pump out the 20-30 gallons I have in it or add some dry gas and 93 octane?

 

[Ratickle]

Oh, I forgot to mention, I think I probably have 30-40 hours on it this season already. As for old gas, nah, been long gone. Could have been bad gas from the pump, or it has been raining here for about 4 days, so maybe it got it through the cap. I did notice the other day the the gas cap has about 3/4" of the rubber seal missing around it. Never noticed in the past if it was there or not though. Hopefully it's just water in the fuel. I'll grab a can of starting fluid also and see what happens. If it kicks over, bingo, bad gas! Should I pump out the 20-30 gallons I have in it or add some dry gas and 93 octane?

Okay, need someone smarter than me on this, but;


If there is suspected water in the gas, I would not try and start the engine with starting fluid or by pouring gas down the bowl. Unless, I had first unhooked the fuel lines and blown the gas out of the carb.

Water will not compress in an engine, the fuel pickup is at the bottom of the tank, and I waould be afraid of valve damage if it fired long enough to suck some in.

 

[Ted]

The compression issue is not a factor if it's pulled in through the carb, it will be atomized and go through the engine just like gasoline, just won't ignite. I would go real short on the starting fluid though, since you have probably already washed the oil off the cyl walls, too much starting fluid can scuff the rings. Just make sure it starts, no more than 20-30 seconds of running. (I know of someone that ran a boat to the ramp on it, not good.)