Help!!

[SSDalton]

Okay well my wife and I took out our boat yesterday and it was ok not a total disaster but not the greatest either...

Anyway we back the boat down to the water i get it started and go to back it off the trailer and it wont go continues when I put it in reverse die.
I choke it and it's running like a champ go to put it in reverse it dies again...
Finally get it running and thanks to a friendly guy he helps push boat off trailer.
Well we finally get going up the river and I go to throttle her up and she falls flat on her face .Later on I let it warm up choked again and slowly throttle it up and it finally takes off and planes nice..
Several times that day it would do that if I put it in N and went to take off again it would die...

My boat also wanted to lean to the port side when my wife was in there and when I was by myself it tended to lean to the starboard side..

Also got the boat out of the river and the plug will not come out I didn't put the plug in so I don't know which way the plug goes in clock wise or counter clock....
Any ideals...

I removed the steering wheel tonight to find out that the threads on the shaft are stipped also..
I had intended on putting on an up to date one...
It has a key way in the steering wheel need to know what I can do about
this...


Another question when should I turn on my bildge pump and

BTW my boat is a 1977 Crestliner Nordic 16 Ft AMF with a Johnson 70 HP OB..
This boat was just bought this yr and has sat for 2 yrs...

My wife and I are new to boating and we had a blast yesterday but we had these problems and was wondering if anyone on this great forum could give us any help...

Thank You all in Advance
John

 

[5150abf]

Re: Help!!

First of all can you do any work on the motor yourself?

If the motor starts and runs you are halfway home, sounds like it needs a tune up, clean carbs, change lower unit oil(do this before you take it out again) and plugs, not bad if you can do the work yourself.

Find a product called Sea-Foam, Autozone or my local Speedway sells it run some of that through the gas.

As far as leaning that is a matter of shifting weight if you can, batteries and gas weigh alot and if you can move them around to help balance the boat.

The plugs is rubber or it actually screws in?

If it is rubber flip the lever and turn it counter clockwise, same if it is threaded.

The nut on the steering wheel is stripped or something else is stripped?

My steering is a 2 year old Teleflex no feed back and it has a key , I believe they all do, if you want to update go with the Teleflex, fairly easy to install and it is a bullet proof system.

iboats has them and th eprice is very good as with all the other things they sell.

Turn your bilge pump on whenever you like, if nothing comes out you are good but confirm that the pump is working, you should hear it hum when it is on.

 

[12vMan]

Re: Help!!

I agree with 5150. Sounds like the carbs need cleaning, and you need to service everything else.

Be sure to turn the bilge pump off if it's dry or you'll burn it up. You may consider installing a float switch. Iboats can take care of you there: http://www.iboats.com/Marine_Store/...378660--submit.Search--submit.x.0--submit.y.0

The leaning sounds like it might be a trimming issue. Do you have hydraulic trim?

 

[SSDalton]

Re: Help!!

5150 The plug screws in under the back of the boat.
The threads on the nut and the steering shaft is stripped... So I can get any steering wheel and put on the boat...

12V No I don't have tilt and trim....
Just a 70 hp Johnson with the lever you have to lock to get the boat to go in reverse

 

[haskindm]

Re: Help!!

A 16' V-bottom boat will be very sensitive to weight distribution. With one person aboard, it will lean toward the side that person is on. Things as simple as moving the battery or portable gas tank can have a big effect on trim. As for the motor problems, that sounds like it needs normal tune-up work. A good mechanic can adjust the idle on the carburetor so that it will keep running. As others have said, try some sea-foam or other fuel system/carburetor cleaner first, and maybe a new set of plugs. Make sure any old fuel is drained out. 2+ year old fuel may be a large part of your problem.
Welcome to boating.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Help!!

some pictures would be worth 1,000's of words.

 

[INJUN]

Re: Help!!

I had the same problem with my 115hp Johnson. The gas was old, so I ran it to use up most of the old gas and the problem went away as new gas becme introduced. Then changed the spark plugs and no problems since.

Steering?, I have no clue.

 

[SSDalton]

Re: Help!!

Well got good new my friend came over today and we did a compression test on clylinders 119 118 and 117 he said,that they were GOOD

Checked carbs and bowls there are good....

Plugs were bad though and he said,i bet if you replace them it will run like a champ...

We got the plug out ....Next time I'll use teflon tape.:redface:

Checked steering we pulled out the shaft and we are going to make a new one at work ...We work in a machine sheet metal shop...can basically make anything

So seems like most of my problems are solved except the seats need to work on getting them to stay tight too the floor not fun when you seat comes lose on the river...

One more ? What steering cable would I have to get if i wanted to replace the whole steering system...

Thanks to all that helped....