newbie w/a few question 3.0 wont idle

[alilley]

i am a newbie to boats as i have just purchased my first got it last friday she is 1988 sunchaser 1702 deck boat with a 3.0 alpha 1. i was told when i bought it that it had a cracked block after getting it home i stuck the out drive in a 55 gal barrel filled with water and got her to fire up but would not idle so i let it for at a high idle so i could find where it was leaking water form the block at and sure enoug under the manifold took appart and "glued her back together and again would not idle this time on the muffs so i let her run at a high idle (i am guessing about 1500 as my tack is not working right now)for about 10-15 min and no water leaking but as soon as i pull the throtle back to let it idle is start to chug and run ruff until she dies after which i can take the throtle and give it a little squirt hit the key and she will fire right back up and to a high idle again a run just as smooth as can be the carb was "rebuild earlier in the spring" andi do have the reciept where the previous owner had paied some one to rebuild it at a marina i am up for ideas here on what is could be and thanks in advance for all your help as i have already learned so much from readding these forums

 

[Don S]

Re: newbie w/a few question 3.0 wont idle

Before you get too excited about the idle, have you checked the oil to see if it's milky and/or overfull?

 

[alilley]

Re: newbie w/a few question 3.0 wont idle

i would not call it milky but would call it frothy and it is not over full if anything it is about a pint low and my next step is to change it before it does go any further

 

[Bondo]

Re: newbie w/a few question 3.0 wont idle

the carb was "rebuild earlier in the spring"

Ayuh,... Sounds like it Full of Crud again,... The Idle circuit is Plugged...

 

[alilley]

Re: newbie w/a few question 3.0 wont idle

if that is the case would that meant that it would have to be rebuilt again or what do you theink there??

 

[alilley]

Re: newbie w/a few question 3.0 wont idle

could the timing be off not allowing it to idle if so what should the timiing be set at when using a light it was jut a thought that had crossed my mind -- my brother had a car with a 2.5 4 cyl in it that would not idle but i fyou got it running and crackedd the throtle it woulld be just as smooth as can be so dad took the light to it and noticed that it was way out of wack on timing made the adjustment and ran like a champ just after your thoguhts on it and thanks again

 

[alilley]

Re: newbie w/a few question 3.0 wont idle

UP DATE

i got the oil changes and it currently just below the full mark on the stick. just changed out the plugs. i noticed that the plug wires fit the cap very loose so i spred them out and helped that out a lot. i pulled out the gas that was in it as i didnt have any idea how old it was (just siphoned out till would not go any more). i put about 4 gal of new fresh gas in it. now it starts just fine, purrs like a kitten but it is still high up around 1500. if i reach back ther and open the choke butterfly all the way it wll drop down to about a 800 idle hold for a split sec the die. reach over hit the key and it fires right back up. i could see it doing this if it was a cold motor but i had it running on the muffs for at the least 10 min. any ideas on why is it funning such a high idle?? what rpm should it be at?? will thr motor ever warm up completly on the muffs?? what is norm operating temp on a 3.0?? many thanks again in advance

 

[antsmands]

Re: newbie w/a few question 3.0 wont idle

UP DATE

i got the oil changes and it currently just below the full mark on the stick. just changed out the plugs. i noticed that the plug wires fit the cap very loose so i spred them out and helped that out a lot. i pulled out the gas that was in it as i didnt have any idea how old it was (just siphoned out till would not go any more). i put about 4 gal of new fresh gas in it. now it starts just fine, purrs like a kitten but it is still high up around 1500. if i reach back ther and open the choke butterfly all the way it wll drop down to about a 800 idle hold for a split sec the die. reach over hit the key and it fires right back up. i could see it doing this if it was a cold motor but i had it running on the muffs for at the least 10 min. any ideas on why is it funning such a high idle?? what rpm should it be at?? will thr motor ever warm up completly on the muffs?? what is norm operating temp on a 3.0?? many thanks again in advance

The idle should be set at about 700. Have you checked the idle adjustment screw on the rear righthand side of the engine looking from the front. Press on that screw after the boat is warm and see where the idle is. Adjust to 700. The motor will warm up on muffs and even over heat if you do not have enough flow through your out drive. The normal operating temp is about 140F. Where in Central Il. are you located, my boat is in Decatur, IL.

Tony D.

 

[BAproject]

Re: newbie w/a few question 3.0 wont idle

did you run this engine on old gas?

If so you might want to pop the carb and rebuilt it, getting all bad fuel and crud out of it.

Sounds to me like a fuel problem.

 

[alilley]

Re: newbie w/a few question 3.0 wont idle

antsmands i am from the effingham area and once i get things lined out the boat will be mainly on lake sara but ocosionally be going to shelblville, ren, and carlisle

the question about the fuel--- the previous owner had it rebuilt back on the spring and i do have the reciptfrom the shop that did it. i asked the previous owner how old the gas was that was in it and he didnt know for sure but did inform me that when they rebuilt the carb that the shop put some fresh gas in it. now with that being said when i sifened out the the gas to put fresh in it so i knew what i was dealing with it was still very clearish looking (looked like fresh) it didn not have a varnish smell to it all. o i forgot it tasted and burned the lips like fresh gas did. now with that being said i did put about 8 -10 gal of it in the truck and it runs fine and put 2 gal in my ridder mower and it ran just fine over the weekend. so i am doughting if that gas was old or bad

it will prob the weekend before i can get back to the house to work on it again but my father whom know a lot more about carbs then i do is going to try and make it over to see if he can figues out what is going on i just hope it is somthing simple