Hey guys 1st post. I've had this motor/boat for 2 seasons now and it has run great. That is until the last time out. I was out for my Tuesday evening bass league and went to take off for my first fishing spot and the holeshot was not there followed by an extreme lack of speed. Normally runs around 55-60 mph @ 5000 rpms maybe more and this time I could only manage around 35-40mph @ 4300 rpms. It didnt even sound right. I could here a humming noise like a piston wasn't firing. Finished the night with 4 fish and 3rd place finish. Problem is I checked spark plugs and 5 of the six seemed normal maybe a little oily with one that had almost no oil on it and what looked like little peices (small round bits) of metal around the inside of the spark plug. I am suspecting that the oil injector quit on me in that particular cylinder. On top of that i looked for other causes that may have caused a slower speed like a lower unit malfunction. Drained the lower unit oil and it was the dreaded milky color. Hoping that i didn't neglect it for too long and caused it to semi-cease. Anyways i changed the lower unit oil and replaced the bad plug(only thing i could think to do with resources and time i had before my next tournament) and nothing has changed. Still slow and now power. Can only reach 4300 rpms when normal is 5000. I realize running it like that was stupid but it was our league championship. So all that for 3 questions.
1. If indeed the piston and rings in that 1 cylinder did go kaput am I at a total loss or can the rings/piston be replaced in just that cylinder?
2. If water was leaking into the lower unit (couldnt have been for long i checked it recently) could it have made the motor work harder thus leading to slower speeds?
3. Should i be able to turn the prop in gear with the motor off and forward engaged because i cannot?
Sorry guys. I know this long. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Love fishing and not real wealthy so this sets me back big time. Got all winter now so hopefully it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg but fearing it will.
1. If indeed the piston and rings in that 1 cylinder did go kaput am I at a total loss or can the rings/piston be replaced in just that cylinder?
2. If water was leaking into the lower unit (couldnt have been for long i checked it recently) could it have made the motor work harder thus leading to slower speeds?
3. Should i be able to turn the prop in gear with the motor off and forward engaged because i cannot?
Sorry guys. I know this long. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Love fishing and not real wealthy so this sets me back big time. Got all winter now so hopefully it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg but fearing it will.