Sluggish

thenovascotian

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
34
I just bought a 14.2 edson explorer speed and last weekend we were at the lake and i am not sure how well these smaller boats should come out of the water.I mean i am used to bigger boats but shouldn't 14' with a 65 hp work good.It goes fairly fast i just don't know how well the smaller boats should take off.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,758
Re: Sluggish

Setup correctly, and properly propped, it should be on plane in 3-5 seconds.

If not, is the boat underpowered?, excessively heavy? wrong prop pitch? Running on all cylinders?
 

thenovascotian

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
34
Re: Sluggish

i am going to check the compression tomorrow.It is running on all cylinders and starts like a top so if has good compression then i am going to say its the prop or could it be fuel system?
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Sluggish

To prop it correctly you will need a tachometer, you can't just throw a prop on it.

There is a certain rpm range you are looking for you need to know what that is for your engine and what it is doing now to know which way to go with a new prop.
 

DuckHunterJon

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 19, 2010
Messages
1,082
Re: Sluggish

I'm not familiar with the boat at all, so take this for what it's worth. I used to work at a campground on the river that hosted antique boat races. Some of the boats would come in with oversized motors on, and the only way to get them to plane was to hammer the throttle, run to the front of the boat, wait for the bow to start coming down, then jump back in the seat. Once on plane, they were scary fast. Again, not sure if this applies to your situation, but it was the first thing I thought of when I saw 14' and 65 hp.
 

thenovascotian

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
34
Re: Sluggish

I have a tach on the boat and permitting that it is working right,it says that the rpm is 2500 at wot
 

thenovascotian

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
34
Re: Sluggish

so if my compression is good then i need a prop eh or could it be my fuel system since this was my first trip out of storage.
 

DuckHunterJon

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 19, 2010
Messages
1,082
Re: Sluggish

Not running rated RPMs at WOT could be many things. The motor needs fuel, air, and spark to run right. Any one of these three could be the culprit. Need to start narrowing them down, or take it to a mechanic familiar with the motor. Until you are sure the motor is in top shape, I woudln't bother messing with the prop.

Since it's been stored, I'd start with fuel. A carb cleaning, inspection of the fuel lines/filter, and new gas would be a start. Keep us posted and you'll get through it.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,758
Re: Sluggish

Changing the prop will not recover 2500 rpm.
I suspect you are not running on all cylinders.
 

thenovascotian

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
34
Re: Sluggish

like i said i will be looking at it tonight.I will check the compression tonight and check the fire and probaly throw some new plugs in it.Is it okay to run some sea foam through a tank of gas?I am a mechanic i just have never worked on boats alot,and is there a substitute for the hypoid 90 oil in the leg or do i have to run the hypoid?and you guys are a great help by the way!!!
 

indy440

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Messages
400
Re: Sluggish

i suspect that tach is on the wrong setting if this thing goes "fairly fast" once on plane.
 

thenovascotian

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
34
Re: Sluggish

thats what i thought but i wanted a second opinion,but anyways i will go over everything tonight and see what i come up with
 

no704

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Messages
199
Re: Sluggish

Sounds like it may be a good idea to check the timing also?
 

thenovascotian

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
34
Re: Sluggish

it starts to well to be out of time i mean i barely have to hit the key to start it and sounds to good to be out time.Maybe the throttle isn't opening all the way.
 

thenovascotian

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
34
Re: Sluggish

well i have my digital tach from work and my compression gauge so tonight i am going to figure some things out and i will let you guys know tomorrow.But if the tach in the boat is reading wouldn't it be reading right.I mean all it does is take an pulse off the coil?
 

indy440

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Messages
400
Re: Sluggish

most tachs have a switch on the back for a 2-4-6-8-12 pulse ignition system. Sounds like yours might be on the wrong setting.
 

thenovascotian

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
34
Re: Sluggish

well if that is the case what setting should a triple be in and that still dosen't help my poopy performance,but i guess it will tell me if i have the wrong prop then?
 

thenovascotian

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
34
Re: Sluggish

well today after work i went and checked the boat and here is how it went.First i checked the tach and compared it to my digital one,it was way off about 1500rpm off so my tach on the boat is not reading right.Then i checked the compresion and all 3 cyl are 115lbs,125 and 120 not bad for a old motor.then i checked the and it is firing on all three cyl.I also checked to see if it was opening up all the way and it is.So then i checked to see if the fuel filter was plugged and nope but it does have rips in it so i am thinking that the carbs are dirty.So are the carbs causing it to act poopy or the prop and the prop says 48-13p.
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Sluggish

It is pretty easy to clean carbs and they are the number on reason for a foul running boat, make sure you remove and physically clean allthe jets with a stranded cooper wire, just pull back strands till it just fits and scrub it in and out a couple times.

Also check your fuel line, if it is old it will flake off inside and constantly clog your carb, should be replaces from tank to carbs and of coarse a new filter.

48-13 can't be right, the prop would be 48'' diameter, fine for a shrimp boat but I doubt it would fit on yours, the first number is the diameter, the second the pitch or rake of the prop, You probably have an engine issue rather than a prop problem.
 
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