1987 force 125 no power

[Jgamble1971]

Running a 1987 force 125 outboard. Runs ok for the first half mile or so but then bogs down and wont go any faster than about 10mpg at WOT. No tachometer on the dash but rpms are low at WOT. Limped it back to the dock at 10 mph . Got it home thinking I'd burned up a cylinder or 3 but compression tests run 130/140 on all 4. New gas in new portable tank. Need some ideas on where to start. Thanks!

 

[jerryjerry05]

Start with?? you open the vent on the tank?(had to ask)
Does it have an inline filter? Replace.
No filter, install one. Fram G-2 G-3 or G- 12
Rebuild the fuel pump.

Test for spark on all 3 use the inline tester.
The trigger, it has very tiny wires, the wire breaks at the shrink wrap at the connector.
Tug on each lead and see if it comes out?
I replace ALL the connectors, stator too. SOP

 

[Jgamble1971]

cleaned the carbs. Took apart the fuel pump and cleaned that. Put everything back together. Ran worse than before. Severe miss under power. pulled off each spark plug with engine running. got a good zap from the top spark plug. if its arcing like that does it need to be replaced? Im guessing ill have to replace the entire coil?

 

[jerryjerry05]

You get a shock?? then it's not the problem.
Does it arch to the block when running?Try after dark.
The other ones when pulled did the make any difference in the way it ran?

 

[Jgamble1971]

pulled em off one at a time and it ran like crap each time till i put wire back on. Im outta ideas. Clean gas in a new portable tank. Brand new spark plugs.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Runs good for 10 min then dies.
That sounds like the vent on the tank is closed.???
Or it's sucking air at a hose connection??

Pump it and get it started, then hook a hose direct from the tank to the fuel pump.
Bypassing the squeezie and any connectors.
Open the tanks cap and go for a ride.
This bypasses the old hose.

If it still does it? then check for overheating.
Key on, ground the orange lead on the busbar.
The buzzer should sound off.

Post the results.

 

[Jgamble1971]

I open the cap on the tank. no effect. To the best of my knowledge there is no buzzer. ive got good water flow out the tell tale hole at the top of the motor by the thermostat. I just replaced the impeller. it "did" run good for ten minutes the first time i took it out. Now it misses and chugs from start up. it idles ok but as soon as you apply power it misses and chugs. At times it seems like its gonna go but bogs down again.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Try the buzzer test anyway.
You might be surprised??
If not you can install a motorcycle horn later.

When you cleaned the carbs, did you make sure the jets were clear?
One tiny, tiny piece of dirt can make it run bad.

The fuel pump, the diaphragm, one tiny hole can do what your complaining about.

You check for water in the gas?

 

[Jgamble1971]

Not sure what you mean by grounding the orange wire on the bus bar. Only orange wire I see is coming out of a little circular tab in the middle of the power head. What do you mean by grounding it?

 

[jerryjerry05]

Follow the lead to where it screws down(busbar/terminal block).
Ground the screw with a piece of wire.
Key on, ground the lead.

To the other problem, you have fuel coming out the front of the carb?

 

[Jgamble1971]

ok, well i took a wire and held one end on the screw where the orange wire attaches to the board and then touched the other end of the wire to the engine block and nothing happened. the key was on. I ran a line straight from the gas tank to the fuel filter on the motor and though it took for ever to get it going it eventually started and seemed to run much better. Now the problem is there is an oil slick in the test tub that wasnt there before. im guessing im running too rich? should i back the fuel air mix screws back a 1/4 turn?

 

[jerryjerry05]

Then you don't have an overheat alarm.
If your trying to start in a tub or barrel, every time the motor turns over it's spraying gas/oil into the cyl.
If it doesn't start then it continues to add more fuel.
The unburned fuel just ends up in the water or your tub.

If it runs better then something in the fuel line is letting air in and the motor stalls.

Setting the air screw.
One of the top posts in this forum covers the adjustments.