After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

jwl

Cadet
Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Messages
7
Here's the history: 1) bayliner with 90hp force. Bought boat and motor used, fully checked out by dealer and ran great. 2)Partner, new to boating, flushed engine in full tilt up position. 3) Next time I took the boat out engine ran poorly. I find fuel shooting out of one of the carbs (through a port in the side of the carb) and a pool of fuel in the case. 4) Questionable mechanic replaces choke mech. and pulls carbs for cleaning. 5) Boat runs awful, shop refunds all money. 6) Tune up by repected mechanic with dyno. Performance improves but boat still runs poorly - idles fine, rough in middle, smooth at high end. Poor acceleration especially with any load. New plugs, adjusting idle screws, premium gas and oil and a prop change makes no difference. I suspect only 2 cylinders firing. Plugs wet/black. 7) Towing my kids on an innertube, do a few turns and the fuel line pops off. The engine revs up and the boat takes off like a scalded rabbit. 8)My eyes get real big 9) I try it again - same thing.<br /><br />Any Ideas? I suspect a problem from carb reassembly (but I don't know a thing about 2 strokes.) Diaphram? Float? Needle valve? Help!
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,758
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

May be a leak in fuel line, fitting, or connector, sucking air. Or a restriction in fuel line or tank pickup.<br /><br />Try running it with a new fuel line and a different portable tank.
 

The Marine Doctor

Commander
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Jul 25, 2003
Messages
2,177
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

After what Roscoe suggests...run the boat and squeeze the primer bulb. The engine should die.<br /><br />If it does die...rebuild the fuel pump and have the floats checked on the carbs.<br /><br />TMD
 

jwl

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Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Messages
7
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

Thanks for the ideas. I haven't tried a different tank and fuel line yet, probably tomorrow. I did try running the engine and squeezing the bulb. The engine never faltered. I was wondering, if the problem is in the fuel line why would the engine performance improve when the line popped off the engine? <br /><br />jwl
 

The Marine Doctor

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Jul 25, 2003
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2,177
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

When the fuel line is removed the fuel pump is no longer able to draw fuel and push past the needle and seat or a hole in the diaphram.<br /><br />TMD
 

force01

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 12, 2003
Messages
152
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

jwl,<br />I have seen this problem on customers boats. Sounds like one of your needles is not completely shutting off or your floats are adjusted way too high and basicly what you are doing is giving one or more cylinders too much fuel so when your fuel line popped off you could no longer over fill the float bowls and finally you got the right fuel level and you were no longer flooding the motor and it was finally able to run like it's suppose to. thanks, bret forceparts@yahoo.com
 

eurolarva

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Messages
4,182
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

NAPA sells rebuild kits for carbs and fuel pumps. The rebuild kits are about 15 bucks per carb and come with complete instructions on how to do it. I was suprised how easy it was to do. These kits come with needle valves and new seats and instructions on how to set the float valve correctly. The fuel pump kit was even easier. Just replace old diaphram and gasket and you are pretty much done. This kit was under 10 bucks. Add 3 bucks for new fuel line and I bet your problems disappear.
homfloat.gif
 

jwl

Cadet
Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Messages
7
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

OK, I pulled the three carbs off and took off the bowls. Now I don't know much about carbs but I am assuming that the brass machine screws with hole in the head and the numbers stamped on them are the jets? I'll stretch a little further and assume that they should all have the same number? And that each carb should have one? What I find is that one has a jet 074, another is 072 and one carb doesn't have one! <br /><br />Should the all jets be the same? What is the proper jet for sea level operation? Where can I purchase the jets I need? Can I get away with reassembling (with new gaskets)without rebuilding the carbs? <br /><br />jwl
 

The Marine Doctor

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2,177
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

All the Main jets must be the same...and there should be 1 for each cyl.<br /><br />.074 would be fine.<br /><br />TMD
 

force01

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 12, 2003
Messages
152
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

One carb didnt have a main jet at all? just a threaded hole? if this is the case you found your over rich condition this would cause whatever carburetor that was to dump 4x as much fuel as needed thats why the motor ran great when the fuel line popped off you finally leaned it out so it could run. I have jets gasket kit anytbing you need for that motor in stock. thanks, bret forceparts@yahoo.com
 

jwl

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Sep 9, 2003
Messages
7
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

Thanks Marine Doctor. I really appreciate everyone's input, this is truly a great resource for those of us of with little knowlege. The journey from problem to solution certainly is more fun and rewarding with a little expert advice. I just wonder why I can't get any from my mechanic...<br /><br />jwl<br /><br />P.S. Where can I get a workshop manual for this engine (Force 90)
 

jwl

Cadet
Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Messages
7
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

Thanks Bret. Ya, isn't that amazing! A pretty major thing to leave out during reassembly. <br /><br />Do you have the workshop manual?<br /><br />jwl
 

jwl

Cadet
Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Messages
7
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

Hello again, It's been suggested that I use .074 main jets in the bottom two carbs and an .076 in the top carb. Does this sound ok? Would there be a legitimate reason to run the top carb a bit richer? I think Marine Doctor had suggested .074 for all three. <br /><br />jwl
 

The Marine Doctor

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Messages
2,177
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

Any engine I have seen come through the shop...always has matching jets.<br /><br />TMD
 

jwl

Cadet
Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Messages
7
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

Hey guys! Wow, what a difference three cylinders make! With jets in all 3 carbs she snaps right up onto a plane. A little rough at idle and a little smokey but so much better. Thanks for all the advice.<br />jwl
 

The Marine Doctor

Commander
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Jul 25, 2003
Messages
2,177
Re: After the fuel line popped off it ran great!

To take care of the rough idle, you might want to do some fine tuning of the low speed jets now.<br /><br />TMD
 
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