Can't get rpm over 4500 on my '98 175 Ficht.

[dq55]

During our only boat outing this summer my '98 175 Ficht began sounding as if it were missing.<br /><br />The sound from the engine became more muffled rather than a healthy popping sound. The rpm went from 5600 max to 4500 max.<br /><br />Also, an occasional knocking sound came from the engine. The knock sounded as if a hammer was being struck against the cylinder walls or head.<br /><br />Any ideas? We would sure like to get this boat back in the water this summer. But I hesitate taking the boat back out when its performing this badly.<br /><br />Thank you,<br /><br />Dean in Ohio

 

[Reel Appeal]

Re: Can't get rpm over 4500 on my '98 175 Ficht.

If your motor overheats enough you may hear what you described.Make sure it's pumping good water and getting oil(smoke?)....Do not continue to use it until corrected or major damage can occur.

 

[dq55]

Re: Can't get rpm over 4500 on my '98 175 Ficht.

Reel Appeal, thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't thought of the engine overheating. <br /><br />Most of the time on the boat is spent tubing. That may be contribute to overheating.<br /><br />I've got the fuel injectors out of the engine at this time. I'll replace them, take the boat out see if I have good flow of cooling water.<br /><br />Thanks again,<br />Dean in Ohio

 

[Solittle]

Re: Can't get rpm over 4500 on my '98 175 Ficht.

Dean - Do yourself a favor and do a compression check on that motor before you take it anywhere. You may have a major problem & could get stranded. See:<br /><br /> http://www.outboardrepairs.com/ficht/

 

[dq55]

Re: Can't get rpm over 4500 on my '98 175 Ficht.

SoLittle, thanks for your suggestion and link. I'll go out today and buy a compression gauge. I'm also going to see if I can buy something to test the fuel for water content. I been told that water in the fuel can cause detination within the cylinder thereby damaging the cylinder or piston.<br /><br />I might be able to do the compression check tomorrow, 7/17/03. I'll post the test results.<br /><br />Thanks again for your guidance,<br />Dean in Ohio

 

[dq55]

Re: Can't get rpm over 4500 on my '98 175 Ficht.

Although delayed, I did perform a compression test yesterday on my '98 175 Ficht. All cylinders tested right at 130 psi. I was very pleased with the results.<br /><br />In preparing the engine for the test, I think I may have discovered what was causing the poorer engine performance. The spark plugs were covered with soot. From the patterns formed on the spark plugs, you could tell the injectors were spraying fuel directly on the spark plugs. I finally reached someone at Bomdardier who was familiar with the early Fichts. He informed me the early Fichts did have trouble with soot forming on the spark plugs. OMC sent out upgrade notices to all Ficht owners back in '99 to have their engines reworked by authorized dealers. <br /><br />The free upgrade kit consisted many parts including a new head which deflected the fuel spray away from the spark plug. I never received the upgrade notice because my family moved to a new home in '99. The dealer I've been taking the boat to(regularly) for the last four years never mentioned the upgrade kit until I asked him about it yesterday(nice guy, huh?).<br /><br />Well, now the kit will cost me $400 and another $280 to install it. I'll probably buy the kit and have it installed. But first, I'm simply going to run some power tuner through the engine to clean out the soot. In addition, I am going to install new spark plugs after the cleanout. Typically, OMC recommended this be done twice a year or every 50 engine hours. I've been told it may need to be done much more often to engines that have yet not been upgraded with the new heads. <br /><br />But before I buy the kit, I'm going to gauge the degradation of the engine performance and see if its more economcal to just run power tuner through the engine four or five times a year.<br /><br />Does anyone know if running power tuner through the engine that much will hurt the engine? <br /><br />Thanks everyone for your advice. It has been very helpful. I feel I'm finally getting a grip on improving the performance of my Ficht. <br /><br />Dean in Ohio

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Can't get rpm over 4500 on my '98 175 Ficht.

Dean55...I have a 99 150 Ficht which is relatively the same motor. I bought it new and the dealer told me about an upgrade to the injectors but it did not involve any new heads. It was just a mounting bracket for each injector that Bombardier had updated, but the dealer did tell me that there is a certain way to put the plugs into the Ficht motors. It is a certain way of marking the plug on the gap side and puttting it in with this mark facing away from the injector or else the injector will spray fuel directly into the gap and cause a miss or detonation. It is easier to show than to explain so if you ask the dealer you have been using he can probably show you, although he doesn't sound too on the ball so if he doesn't show you let me know and I will try to explain it in more detail. As for running that tuner, I think that stuff is pretty much just decarb so it may clean the combustion chamber up a little but if those plugs are in wrong you will probably get the same condition, which is probably why it happenned in the first place. Let me know what happens.

 

[jegervais]

Re: Can't get rpm over 4500 on my '98 175 Ficht.

Running some Engine Tuner (also known as Power Tune) won't hurt it. You want to make sure the engine block is at normal operating temp when you spray it in the throttle bodies. It's also a good idea to run the engine in a tank or barrel of water, it will help prevent the engine rpm's from "running away". I usually attach a string to the safety lanyard and run it to where I'm working at the back of the boat, that way, if the engine rpm's do run away, or when I'm done, all I have to do is reach down and pull the string.<br /><br />Let the engine tuner sit in the engine at least overnight.<br /><br />If you've never indexed the spark plugs in your Ficht, you may find this helpful: <br /><br /> http://www.boatsetup.com/PlgIndxRA.pdf <br /><br />-John