3.0L Merc - Idles fine but minimal power in gear

[kraus42]

Hello,
I am a first time boat owner and have a 94 Larson with a 3.0L Merc. First post on this site looking for help. Took my boat out yesterday and it started fine and warmed up without issue. Once I got out past the no wake zone and tried to give it some throttle, it would eclipse 2000 rpm and honestly sounded like it was missing almost. When I tried to put it back into neutral it would die. i would restart it, and it sounded great and would rev high in neutral.
I bought an older boat to learn on being I have not owned one before and quite glad I did Already made plenty of mistakes but this one is confusing me. Thanks!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Welcome aboard

Start at the stickies at top if the forum. Specifically link 14

 

[Rick Stephens]

A new to you boat needs ALL the maintenance done before you head out on the water. Get the Mercruiser manual for that outdrive and motor and start in on the maintenance items. You cannot assume any of it was done by the previous owner. Typically, as people get bored with their older boat they stop doing the maintenance and bad stuff starts accumulating.

As Scott stated, you will find pretty much everything you need to do listed in the stickies. Your problems could be anything from a gummed up carburetor to a sticky lower shift cable. It all needs to be diagnosed properly and repaired as you go.

Then you can be out there happy boating. :^)

Rick

 

[kraus42]

Thanks. I will search around the site to find some common problems and hopefully solutions.
I should have mentioned that this was not the first outing. I bought it last winter and have gone through it quite a bit. I have had it on the water and running without an issue. This was a new problem that popped up yesterday.

 

[Scott Danforth]

most likely bad fuel or gunk in the carb. however head to the stickies