Trouble setting ignition timing on Force 125

[Merriam]

I have a 89 Force 125 L drive outboard, I just rebuilt. The engine is on a 89 19' Bayliner with open bow. Engine starts fine, idles fine, runs smooth at WOT. However, the boat will not run over 27 MPH. throttle was out of adjustment, so I decided I better synch the carbs and adjust the ignition timing. With a timing light on the engine and trying to conduct a static timing check at WOT, the timing mark is about 90 degrees from where it should be and I can not adjust it back. My guess is, the stator or the trigger wheel is installed wrong. The Seloc manual I have just says to install the stator/trigger wheel in the same place as it was when I Disassembled it, but I never made any notes of there orientation. Can anyone help me?

 

[roscoe]

Re: Trouble setting ignition timing on Force 125

How about if you rotate the trigger 90*<br /><br />Seems strange that it would run that well and that fast with the timing out by 90*.<br /><br />Are you timing off the top cylinder?<br /><br />??<br /><br />How fast did the boat run before the rebuild?<br /><br />What are your max rpm's?

 

[Merriam]

Re: Trouble setting ignition timing on Force 125

I have tried rotating the trigger 90 and rotating the stator as well, but with no good results. I am hooking up a timing light to the top cylinder, I have used 2 different timing lights, thinking the first one was bad. I Bought the boat with a bad motor, so I do not know how fast it ran before. I do not have a Tach on the boat, so I do not know my engine RPM's.<br /> My next step is to mark each cylinders TDC on the flywheel and see if I can time the engine off one of the other cylinders. I have noticed that Cyl 1 spark plug has little to no carbon, but Cyl's 2,3 and 4 show some carbon. I am now wondering if #1 cylinder is the only one not firing correctly. That would explain why the boat would only go 27 MPH. I assumed the 125 HP motor would push a 19 ft boot at least 35 MPH.

 

[baxtr]

Re: Trouble setting ignition timing on Force 125

Can't help with the timing, but i too have a 1989 19' bayliner open bow w/ force 125 and i get 42 mph +/- with a 13 1/2 X 17 prop with just myself in the boat. I timed mine this weekend because the plastic connection between the throttle linkage and the trigger broke ( the one with the trigger adjustment screw) so I made a new one out of aluminum, drilled and tapped , installed and re-timed it, ran great at wot, but chugged and kept dying when idleing. let me know if you figure out your timing.

 

[Bry21317]

Re: Trouble setting ignition timing on Force 125

I also have a Bayliner 19' Capri, with the Force 125hp. I have Boyeson Reeds in mine and a Hustler 17 Pitch Prop and I can get up to about 45mph, by GPS.

That engine should push that boat alot faster than 25 for sure. I can run 25 at about 3000 Rpms on my Tach.

Bryan