3.0 won't idle

[Acorn]

I just purchased a 1993 Bayliner with a 3.0, 181cu.in. with a Alpha one outdrive. The history of this boat and motor is that the former owner had the motor rebuilt back around 2002 or 03, put about 25hrs on it and then put it in storage. Hasn't seen water until yesterday. Everything about the boat seems great, except it doesn't want to idle. I have drained the tank, put in sta-bil and Gum-out (complete system cleaning) and put in 15 gallons of 92 octane (Midgrade). I ran the boat for about and hour on the lake, it has good power, comes up to speed fast and if you bring it up slowly it's smooth and responisve, but when you sit down in the water and bring the throttle back to just about the netrual position it stalls. Is there something that I should change like a fuel filter, or check for? I wouldn't think it would be a filter, if it was then I would have several problems. Maybe I'm just not giving the fuel system cleaner time to work. What can I do?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

Welcome to iboats.....
Is it a slow death or like the key is shut off?.....
Will it idle normally when you start it & rev it in the "throttle only" position?.....
If this only occurs coming out of gear, I would be looking at the lower shift cable & lubing the pivot points on the shift interrupt switch......
See if the switch is activating prematurely or hanging up when this occurs by having an assistant drive while you observe......
The test must be done in the water with the prop under load......

 

[Fishermark]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

motor rebuilt back around 2002 or 03, put about 25hrs on it and then put it in storage. Hasn't seen water until yesterday.

Maybe I'm just not giving the fuel system cleaner time to work.

No way fuel system cleaner will work.

What can I do?

Time to rebuild carb.

Oh yeah... welcome to the forum!

 

[Acorn]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

Welcome to iboats.....
Is it a slow death or like the key is shut off?.....
Will it idle normally when you start it & rev it in the "throttle only" position?.....
If this only occurs coming out of gear, I would be looking at the lower shift cable & lubing the pivot points on the shift interrupt switch......
See if the switch is activating prematurely or hanging up when this occurs by having an assistant drive while you observe......
The test must be done in the water with the prop under load......

I hope that I'm giving this reply properly. When I pump the throttle 2 or 3 times and then return it to the neutral position, the engine cranks over but fails to start. It sounds like it's firing but starveing for gas. When I push the throttle only button and move the throttle handle to the forward position it will start and go into a high idle, but when I move the throttle back to neutral position it stalls before I can engage the drive. This happens when the engine is cold or warm after running.

 

[Acorn]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

No way fuel system cleaner will work.



Time to rebuild carb.

Oh yeah... welcome to the forum!

Thanks for the Welcome, it's great to have a resource, with someone that knows what to do.

I was hoping that maybe the fuel system cleaner would help remove any varish that might have built up in the carb during storage. The entire boat only has 250 hrs. on it so I was hoping that the carb would be fine.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

I was hoping that maybe the fuel system cleaner would help remove any varish that might have built up in the carb during storage.

It's a nice hope... but if there is varnish present, and there is sure to be... then the only cure is to disassemble the carb, soak it in a good carb cleaner product (you can buy a gallon at a local auto parts store like NAPA). Blow out the various passages with compressed air and start reassembling with new parts.

Even then some carbs are just not rebuildable.

Good luck! The sooner you get started with it, the sooner you will be enjoying your boat.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

By the way - you also need to pull the lower unit and check the impeller as well. Alpha impellers don't like being in one position for that long. The rubber vanes "take a set" then get hard and when used, break off. That results in overheating and other problems. Much better to stay ahead of problems and replace the impeller now if you haven't done so.

 

[Acorn]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

Thanks for your time and advice, I will certainly take it all into consideration. I will check the impeller, thats something that I hadn't considered. The carb rebuild however, even though I know you know your business, I am still in hopes that there is light at the end of the tunnel. After I read your last reply I decided to go put the muffs on and see if it would idle. Well, to my suprise it did, a little ruff, but it idled for sometime. I ran it for about and half hour, then shut it off. Waited a couple of more hours and it seemed to idle just a little better. I did find out however in that couple of hours that the lower exhaust billow had seperated from the outdrive. The billows were in tack and the clamp was there but it just wasn't attached. I couldn't figure out how to re-attach it because it appeared to be to short when to outdrive was in trailer position. So the boat is now at my local marina for service. They told me that they would have to remove the outdrive in order to re-attach the billows to the outdrive first then re-install the outdrive and then attach the billows to the exhaust port at the stern. I hope this is a true statement, sounds sort of fishy to me, am I right or wrong? Would this cause the motor to idle ruff?

 

[Mscanon99]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

Hi All,

I am having a simular problem, the boat runs just like Acorns.....put into neutral and it dies. This happend a few times last week and I could not restart it. Took it back to the dealer, he runs on muffs, runs fine.

Could the backpressure of the water be the difference on if it will idle?

From reading this thread, is the concensus that the carb should be rebuilt?

Thanks....

Mike

 

[Bondo]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

From reading this thread, is the concensus that the carb should be rebuilt?

Ayuh,.... Starting with the fuel Filters 1st.....

 

[nrf414]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

I'd definitely start with the fuel filters. I just replaced my inline and Fuel Water separator in my 1994 Bayliner with the 3.0. The inline filter was so nasty. It's a wonder I was able to get the engine to run at all. I'd definitely start there. If this doesn't fix your problem, I'd consider a carb rebuild.

 

[Schmoe]

Re: 3.0 won't idle

Adjust the idle set screw on the throttle cable that attaches to the carb. Might want to also check your mixture screw also.