first trip out in boat.... PROBLEMS!

[89stang1]

After a couple years out of fishing, my 12 year old son wants to fish so i spent lots of money and time getting the boat etc ready to fish. One of the things i did was disconnect my autoblend oil injection unit ive heard lots of problems with them so i figured i rolled the dice long enough. So i got rid of it and put 10 gallons of gas and premix it. Sunday me and jr put the boat in at Sayreville boat ramp boat started right up and ran nice, we ran to the back bay by Keyport fished for a little while saw some birds hitting the water in the distance so i went to fire her up smoked alot and was running rough when i put her in gear it would stall repeatedly. After trying for about 20 minutes i finally got it running limped it back in felt like it was running on 5 cylinders and would not idle. When i got her home i noticed alot of gas stains running down lower unit, when i put the earmuffs on motor in driveway was running rough i checked the plugs they looked ok, im thinking carb problem. So this week im gonna try to figure out why my first trip out sucked! i was really hoping to see my son catch a fish ............maybe next time i hope!! any ideas welcome motor is a 1987 Mercury 115 outboard
 

[Andys Delight]

After a couple years out of fishing, my 12 year old son wants to fish so i spent lots of money and time getting the boat etc ready to fish. One of the things i did was disconnect my autoblend oil injection unit ive heard lots of problems with them so i figured i rolled the dice long enough. So i got rid of it and put 10 gallons of gas and premix it. Sunday me and jr put the boat in at Sayreville boat ramp boat started right up and ran nice, we ran to the back bay by Keyport fished for a little while saw some birds hitting the water in the distance so i went to fire her up smoked alot and was running rough when i put her in gear it would stall repeatedly. After trying for about 20 minutes i finally got it running limped it back in felt like it was running on 5 cylinders and would not idle. When i got her home i noticed alot of gas stains running down lower unit, when i put the earmuffs on motor in driveway was running rough i checked the plugs they looked ok, im thinking carb problem. So this week im gonna try to figure out why my first trip out sucked! i was really hoping to see my son catch a fish ............maybe next time i hope!! any ideas welcome motor is a 1987 Mercury 115 outboard
 

I used to have the same motor.  Not to get you down but I had nothing but problems with it until I repowered.  I was really low on one cylinder.  First thing I would do is a compression test.  If that comes back good then it definitely sounds like you're due for a carb cleaning/rebuild. 

[fellinger]

Good luck with her!

[Reel Time]

godo way to clean the carbs out, and what everyone does for the bikes, is get a couple gallons of cheapie pinesol, put it a tube big enough for the carbs and fill up till they are covered. let them sit for a day or day and alot if not all of the gum and varnish will clean right on out of them.

 disassembly is still needed to check everything thing out, and blow all the holes and passages through.

[89stang1]

thanks guys i had a compression test done a couple years back and the famous bad cylinder was just slightly lower than the rest still ok, i think i will do another comp test anyway. I think my problem is carb with the boat sitting a day after theres a little black puddle on the ground motor is wet with fuel.

[Hunter 2]

Task Marine might be able to help you out if you cannot resolve the issue.

[Andys Delight]

thanks guys i had a compression test done a couple years back and the famous bad cylinder was just slightly lower than the rest still ok, i think i will do another comp test anyway. I think my problem is carb with the boat sitting a day after theres a little black puddle on the ground motor is wet with fuel.

Slightly low on that engine won't do much damage.  It will slowly keep losing compression as it goes but you can run it hard for a long time.  The excess fuel and oil definitely points to the carb being an issue.  Probably time for a cleaning and rebuild.  I second Task Marine if you can't do it yourself.  Matt will get you running right and back on the water in no time. 

[89stang1]

thanks guys i had a compression test done a couple years back and the famous bad cylinder was just slightly lower than the rest still ok, i think i will do another comp test anyway. I think my problem is carb with the boat sitting a day after theres a little black puddle on the ground motor is wet with fuel.

Slightly low on that engine won't do much damage.  It will slowly keep losing compression as it goes but you can run it hard for a long time.  The excess fuel and oil definitely points to the carb being an issue.  Probably time for a cleaning and rebuild.  I second Task Marine if you can't do it yourself.  Matt will get you running right and back on the water in no time. 

yeah i think i definitely have a carb issue maybe a stuck float by the volume of gas on the ground and all over the motor. I put the boat in at Sayreville boat ramp the boat ran fine all the way out to the back of the bay, after i tried to restart motor after fishing for 15 minutes my problems started. Im thinking now the pint of seafoam i put in my gas caused my problem by loosening up junk in the fuel system what do you guys think?

[89stang1]

thanks guys i had a compression test done a couple years back and the famous bad cylinder was just slightly lower than the rest still ok, i think i will do another comp test anyway. I think my problem is carb with the boat sitting a day after theres a little black puddle on the ground motor is wet with fuel.

Slightly low on that engine won't do much damage.  It will slowly keep losing compression as it goes but you can run it hard for a long time.  The excess fuel and oil definitely points to the carb being an issue.  Probably time for a cleaning and rebuild.  I second Task Marine if you can't do it yourself.  Matt will get you running right and back on the water in no time.  

yeah i think i definitely have a carb issue maybe a stuck float by the volume of gas on the ground and all over the motor. I put the boat in at Sayreville boat ramp the boat ran fine all the way out to the back of the bay, after i tried to restart motor after fishing for 15 minutes my problems started. Im thinking now the pint of seafoam i put in my gas caused my problem by loosening up junk in the fuel system what do you guys think? Me and a buddy are gonna try to fix, wheres the location of Task Marine i will use them in the future .....maybe sooner than later lol


BTW SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST NOT SURE HOW IT HAPPEN

[Andys Delight]

thanks guys i had a compression test done a couple years back and the famous bad cylinder was just slightly lower than the rest still ok, i think i will do another comp test anyway. I think my problem is carb with the boat sitting a day after theres a little black puddle on the ground motor is wet with fuel.

Slightly low on that engine won't do much damage.  It will slowly keep losing compression as it goes but you can run it hard for a long time.  The excess fuel and oil definitely points to the carb being an issue.  Probably time for a cleaning and rebuild.  I second Task Marine if you can't do it yourself.  Matt will get you running right and back on the water in no time.  

yeah i think i definitely have a carb issue maybe a stuck float by the volume of gas on the ground and all over the motor. I put the boat in at Sayreville boat ramp the boat ran fine all the way out to the back of the bay, after i tried to restart motor after fishing for 15 minutes my problems started. Im thinking now the pint of seafoam i put in my gas caused my problem by loosening up junk in the fuel system what do you guys think? Me and a buddy are gonna try to fix, wheres the location of Task Marine i will use them in the future .....maybe sooner than later lol

Matt actually has a traveling trailer business so he might actually come to you.  His username is Maritime Matt.  I've dealt with him myself before and my cousin went through him for a survey.  Every report here from people who have used him were all glowing praise. 

[IKAT]

thanks guys i had a compression test done a couple years back and the famous bad cylinder was just slightly lower than the rest still ok, i think i will do another comp test anyway. I think my problem is carb with the boat sitting a day after theres a little black puddle on the ground motor is wet with fuel.

Slightly low on that engine won't do much damage.  It will slowly keep losing compression as it goes but you can run it hard for a long time.  The excess fuel and oil definitely points to the carb being an issue.  Probably time for a cleaning and rebuild.  I second Task Marine if you can't do it yourself.  Matt will get you running right and back on the water in no time.  

yeah i think i definitely have a carb issue maybe a stuck float by the volume of gas on the ground and all over the motor. I put the boat in at Sayreville boat ramp the boat ran fine all the way out to the back of the bay, after i tried to restart motor after fishing for 15 minutes my problems started. Im thinking now the pint of seafoam i put in my gas caused my problem by loosening up junk in the fuel system what do you guys think? Me and a buddy are gonna try to fix, wheres the location of Task Marine i will use them in the future .....maybe sooner than later lol


BTW SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST NOT SURE HOW IT HAPPEN

Heres Dunks seafoam method with some other info
Hope its an easy fix to keep the kid fishing

seafoam will NOT clean the carb


This works for Carbed, EFI, Ficht, HPDI, Optimax and even 4 strokes...

First you need a separate small fuel tank. One of those 3 gal red Tempos works great or an empty gal milk jug will also work, but might be a bit messier..
I use Seafoam over the OEM stuff like OMC Engine Tuner or Merc Power Tune because in the last few years they changed the formula and you have to let them sit up 12 hours. Who's got time for that?? Seafoam you can buy from NAPA, CarQuest or other auto stores. Seafoam works in 15 mins.
You'll need 3/4 gal of gasoline and one 16oz can of seafoam for each engine. Don't forget to add 3oz of oil if you are premixing in a carbed engine. Use about 3 ft piece of fuel hose off the little tank. You connect this tank to your engine by pulling off the main tank fuel hose off the intake side of your water separating fuel filter and plug the hose off the small tank on to that fitting. Or you can separate the fuel line on the tank side primer ball, so you can still use your primer. If you have an engine that has fuel plug then you need a fuel plug on the little tanks hose.
Start the engine, let it warm up and start pulling the mix into the engine. You may have to increase the idle to keep it running once she get loaded with the Seafoam. Run the engine 15 mins in the dock or just cruising around under 2500. Then shut it down and let it sit for 15 mins. Restart the engine, the smoke you see is the carbon burning off. Do the whole thing again and let her sit again for 15 mins. If she smokes after the second time do it again, but I've never seen one still smoke after three doses. The gallon mix should be enough to do this 3 times. You don't need any wide open throttle, you don't need to change the plugs. If it's cleaning the combustion chambers it's also cleaning the plugs, but every 50-60hrs is good time to change plugs in most engines.
I cleaned a antique evinrude one time that had a 1/4" of solid carbon on the exhaust chamber walls by running a 1/2 gal of the mix through it. Seafoam has been around since the 30's and it's what they used when they were burning straight 4 stroke 40SAE oils in outboards.
You guys with the 4 strokes think you are immune from this? Those engines work 10 times as hard as any auto engine ever will and they will carbon up. I bought a Bronco two years ago that had 95,000 miles on it. When I used seafoam on it I had the neighbors hanging out of their front doors looking for where the fire was after I started it the first time there so much smoke.
Too many are under the assumption that it's totally the 2 stroke oil that causes the carbon, Wrong... it's also the additives they put in the fuels today. The carbon inhibitors in 2 stroke oil are there for this reason also. Remember when gasoline used to smell like gasoline, today it smells more like bad cologne.
For those guys that like to do the carbon treatment by spraying it down the carbs Seafoam also comes in spray can called Deep Creep. It's the same stuff under pressure. Says right on the can Oxygen Sensor Safe, for you Yam guys. After that if your engine maunf recommends a daily additive treatment then do that in the mean time, but all 2 stroke outboard need decarboned every 50-60hrs. If I owned a 4 stroke I would do it the same. Once you are set up with the tank and hose the Seafoam is only 5-6 bucks can. It to easy not to do it.
__________________


For other ebgines but good info

With a Carbed engine like your Johnson remove the carb face plate, about 12 screws. Buy a good hand sprayer at an auto parts store where you buy Seafoam. One that you can adjust the spray to a squirt.

With the engine idling in the water or not. Get it warmed up. Start sparying the Seafoam down the carb intakes moving from one to the other. You might need to hold the carb linkage open some so it doesn't stall out Pump about half the can into the engine. Then bring the idle down and spray hard moving from one intake to the next till you drown the engine out and it stalls.. Two sprayers works better, one in each hand going up and down each bank of carb intakes on V6's. Let the engine sit for 15 minutes then restart it. Run it till the smoke clears and do the whole thing over again. If the engine has never been decarboned use the two cans and do it 2-3-4 times.. Then throw new spark plugs in her.. Gapped at .030..

This whole thing has gotten out of hand with people worrying about the amount of smoke they see.. Carbed engines are easy to load up with Seafoam because you are pumping it directly down the carb intakes.

Fitch engines respond completely different if you spray anthing flamable down the air intake. They can/will over rev. This is why I recommend the separate tank method for them..
__________________

[89stang1]

thanks guys i had a compression test done a couple years back and the famous bad cylinder was just slightly lower than the rest still ok, i think i will do another comp test anyway. I think my problem is carb with the boat sitting a day after theres a little black puddle on the ground motor is wet with fuel.

Slightly low on that engine won't do much damage.  It will slowly keep losing compression as it goes but you can run it hard for a long time.  The excess fuel and oil definitely points to the carb being an issue.  Probably time for a cleaning and rebuild.  I second Task Marine if you can't do it yourself.  Matt will get you running right and back on the water in no time.  

yeah i think i definitely have a carb issue maybe a stuck float by the volume of gas on the ground and all over the motor. I put the boat in at Sayreville boat ramp the boat ran fine all the way out to the back of the bay, after i tried to restart motor after fishing for 15 minutes my problems started. Im thinking now the pint of seafoam i put in my gas caused my problem by loosening up junk in the fuel system what do you guys think? Me and a buddy are gonna try to fix, wheres the location of Task Marine i will use them in the future .....maybe sooner than later lol


BTW SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST NOT SURE HOW IT HAPPEN

Heres Dunks seafoam method with some other info
Hope its an easy fix to keep the kid fishing

seafoam will NOT clean the carb


This works for Carbed, EFI, Ficht, HPDI, Optimax and even 4 strokes...

First you need a separate small fuel tank. One of those 3 gal red Tempos works great or an empty gal milk jug will also work, but might be a bit messier..
I use Seafoam over the OEM stuff like OMC Engine Tuner or Merc Power Tune because in the last few years they changed the formula and you have to let them sit up 12 hours. Who's got time for that?? Seafoam you can buy from NAPA, CarQuest or other auto stores. Seafoam works in 15 mins.
You'll need 3/4 gal of gasoline and one 16oz can of seafoam for each engine. Don't forget to add 3oz of oil if you are premixing in a carbed engine. Use about 3 ft piece of fuel hose off the little tank. You connect this tank to your engine by pulling off the main tank fuel hose off the intake side of your water separating fuel filter and plug the hose off the small tank on to that fitting. Or you can separate the fuel line on the tank side primer ball, so you can still use your primer. If you have an engine that has fuel plug then you need a fuel plug on the little tanks hose.
Start the engine, let it warm up and start pulling the mix into the engine. You may have to increase the idle to keep it running once she get loaded with the Seafoam. Run the engine 15 mins in the dock or just cruising around under 2500. Then shut it down and let it sit for 15 mins. Restart the engine, the smoke you see is the carbon burning off. Do the whole thing again and let her sit again for 15 mins. If she smokes after the second time do it again, but I've never seen one still smoke after three doses. The gallon mix should be enough to do this 3 times. You don't need any wide open throttle, you don't need to change the plugs. If it's cleaning the combustion chambers it's also cleaning the plugs, but every 50-60hrs is good time to change plugs in most engines.
I cleaned a antique evinrude one time that had a 1/4" of solid carbon on the exhaust chamber walls by running a 1/2 gal of the mix through it. Seafoam has been around since the 30's and it's what they used when they were burning straight 4 stroke 40SAE oils in outboards.
You guys with the 4 strokes think you are immune from this? Those engines work 10 times as hard as any auto engine ever will and they will carbon up. I bought a Bronco two years ago that had 95,000 miles on it. When I used seafoam on it I had the neighbors hanging out of their front doors looking for where the fire was after I started it the first time there so much smoke.
Too many are under the assumption that it's totally the 2 stroke oil that causes the carbon, Wrong... it's also the additives they put in the fuels today. The carbon inhibitors in 2 stroke oil are there for this reason also. Remember when gasoline used to smell like gasoline, today it smells more like bad cologne.
For those guys that like to do the carbon treatment by spraying it down the carbs Seafoam also comes in spray can called Deep Creep. It's the same stuff under pressure. Says right on the can Oxygen Sensor Safe, for you Yam guys. After that if your engine maunf recommends a daily additive treatment then do that in the mean time, but all 2 stroke outboard need decarboned every 50-60hrs. If I owned a 4 stroke I would do it the same. Once you are set up with the tank and hose the Seafoam is only 5-6 bucks can. It to easy not to do it.
__________________


For other ebgines but good info

With a Carbed engine like your Johnson remove the carb face plate, about 12 screws. Buy a good hand sprayer at an auto parts store where you buy Seafoam. One that you can adjust the spray to a squirt.

With the engine idling in the water or not. Get it warmed up. Start sparying the Seafoam down the carb intakes moving from one to the other. You might need to hold the carb linkage open some so it doesn't stall out Pump about half the can into the engine. Then bring the idle down and spray hard moving from one intake to the next till you drown the engine out and it stalls.. Two sprayers works better, one in each hand going up and down each bank of carb intakes on V6's. Let the engine sit for 15 minutes then restart it. Run it till the smoke clears and do the whole thing over again. If the engine has never been decarboned use the two cans and do it 2-3-4 times.. Then throw new spark plugs in her.. Gapped at .030..

This whole thing has gotten out of hand with people worrying about the amount of smoke they see.. Carbed engines are easy to load up with Seafoam because you are pumping it directly down the carb intakes.

Fitch engines respond completely different if you spray anthing flamable down the air intake. They can/will over rev. This is why I recommend the separate tank method for them..
__________________

thanks for info i actually mixed a pint of seafoam in ten gallons of fresh premium gas after i siphoned out my old gas, im wondering if the seafoam loosened up some stuff thats why im having a problem now what do you think?

[IKAT]

I really don't want to say either way as I am not there to see where gas in leaking--could be many things.

If Matt (TASK) sees this I am sure he will chime in with some info for you.

Just wanted to post the seafoam thing for info for the forum-

Best of luck

[89stang1]

i appreciate the help and i am a seafoam believer for sure ive had lots of great experiences with it, even if it possibly loosen something that could caused the problem i would use it again

[Duffman]

Not to hijack the thread but....

Used SF a ton of times in 2 stroke stuff. Everything from outboards to lawn equipment.  Great stuff.

That being said, never saw the need for it in a 4 stroke application.  Understand my experience is in autos, NOT marine.  I tear down multiple engines a week and have never seen enough carbon buildup to warrant running SF through the engine. 

I've seen badly maintained engines go 300K w/o enough carbon builup to notice a  performance drop.

I know the 4 stroke O/B's/I/O's and inboards are a whole other animal in terms of how they are used.  But is this enough to cause a carbon buildup/performance problems?  Just thinking out loud!

[Maritime Matt]

Pull the air box off the front of the motor. It hides alot. We use Berkible 2+2 to spray everything down and it evaporates pretty fast. Some low pressure compressed air helps. Once its dry, start lookin for any external leaks. If its a stuck float they usually dump out an overflow.

[89stang1]

Pull the air box off the front of the motor. It hides alot. We use Berkible 2+2 to spray everything down and it evaporates pretty fast. Some low pressure compressed air helps. Once its dry, start lookin for any external leaks. If its a stuck float they usually dump out an overflow.

thanks for advise we are gonna look at her tonite im thinking the pint of seafoam i mixed in loosend up some junk in my dirty carbs that stuck a float cause boat ran out to bay fine after trying to restart it went bad

[89stang1]

finally me and a freind who is a very good marine mechanic! pulled my carbs off and blew them out and cleaned them up nice. Turns out two of my three carbs floats were shot filled with gas, so we changed all 3 floats and did a full rebuild on all 3 carbs shes finally running good!!. So as bad as i want to get out this weekend its the Nationals at E-Town this weekend and i go sat and sun always...........might try to sneak in a couple hours out anyhow dying to try her!!

[IKAT]

   Good for you John 

Say Hi to Texas Rd. for me--   

[Scott G.]

  CONGRATS ON GETTING HER RUNNING