Surging and Detonation

Well threw some new plugs in her and got 2.5mph which is still slow and could just be a bit choppier water and the lack of the bimini.   ProTec is back on the chopping block for the winter. I had high hopes the plugs might work, the wife has given the OK for a Wetsounds upgrade for the tower, I guess it won't be quite as loud now. Lol. Plugs needed to go anyway 300hrs is plenty and only spent $20 inculing the 4 that fell in the lake while I was getting the cover off.

Okay I beat the rain this morning and had a chance to get the boat out with a mechanic friend. We changed the plugs and gapped them to .045. I had tightened up both fuel bowls and they were not leaking so we watched closely when attempting to run it.

The boat started right up and idled great. We took it out into deeper water and I eased on the throttle. This time, it almost instantly bogged when given throttle. We repeated the process 2 more times and she backfired like crazy both times. We then shut her down and checked everything over.

Since everything looked good, we fired it up and gave it a little fast idle while my buddy sprayed carb cleaner around the intake and spacer to see if we were leaking vacuum...nothing showing. I said, "Okay, let me just hammer down on her and see what we get."

I hammered down on her and she jumped out of the water speeding up to 45 mph with ease. One small hesitation that was barely noticeable. No popping, no decreased speed and shaking, nothing. I throttled down and looked at my buddy in disbelief. We continued testing it for the next hour taking it through all the paces. We even let her idle for about 5 minutes to see if she would "load up." Nothing. Ran awesome!!

Here is his thoughts. Sticking power valve when we first started going. Hammering throttle got it unstuck and it freed itself.

Got the rebuild kit today. I will wait until winter to have carb rebuilt. Crossing my fingers that there might be some upper 70's left this year.

That isn't the original carb. We have a 1992 Surpa Comp Ts6m with the pro boss ho engine and it has the pro-tech ignition. The carb on ours has a different fuel line setup for higher fuel flow, you could be running out of fuel.

I know he wont except money from you, so make sure you bring him a pie or something nice when he's done with the carb

and if he ever does decide to have me fix, he will bring his own parts that he scabbed somewhere off the internet

eric lavine wrote: I got this old guy who irratates the fck out of me, new boat nice car and always picks my brain about his boat problems, hasnt spent a dime yet, man, do i send him off in the wrong direction...lol, he just one of those guys. really though, for some reason its the only guy i will do this too and hope it isnt taken the wrong way

I'm not sure how I should take this, but I'll try. I'm thinking you mean crap, or get off the pot?

If so, know that I am working on correcting the carb leaking issues and the leaking vacuum that you had mentioned. Hopefully it will be done this weekend and I will post results.

BuffaloBFN wrote: Kevin, your e-mail is private. Shoot me one; I think I have some 351 gaskets from my old boat. I won't need them again, so... millman1 at   bellsouth dot   net

Email sent you you!

I got this old guy who irratates the fck out of me, new boat nice car and always picks my brain about his boat problems, hasnt spent a dime yet, man, do i send him off in the wrong direction...lol, he just one of those guys. really though, for some reason its the only guy i will do this too and hope it isnt taken the wrong way

Kevin, your e-mail is private. Shoot me one; I think I have some 351 gaskets from my old boat. I won't need them again, so...

millman1 at   bellsouth dot   net

kapla wrote: is that a normal place to plug the clear line from the fuel pump to the carb? normally don´t the go to the flame arrestor?

I've seen them both


Kap, are you going on saturday to the Axis demo "Choripan night"????

is that a normal place to plug the clear line from the fuel pump to the carb? normally don´t the go to the flame arrestor?

It looks like the leads going to your choke are pretty dirty. I'd clean then and make sure your choke is pulling off when its warmed up. your describing he noise as pinging. I know ringing as a Sharp metallic knock that sounds like its coming from the center of the engine. Usually caused from overly advanced timing under load. is this what your hearing or is the noise coming from the throat of the carb, more like backfiring. This is usually caused from a lean condition under load and would go along with those super clean plugs. May want to pin down the symptoms while your out. By going with the history and what your describing and the plugs it looks like you may have kicked up some feud in the float bowl that has now clogged a main jet on the clean plug side. I'm interested to hear how this turns out.

That's very true! I plan on using it 2-3 days/week every week in summer before lay up in the winter.

Thanks for the heads up on what I need to order. Can this be a local purchase through auto parts store or is it an online purchase?

Luchog wrote: Kevin, I think you could narrow the suggestions on this topic as carb or ignition issue. The carb cost 60 plus labour the ignition 500 plus labour I can recall now another expense being suggested, rather than if it's not the ignition it will need changed sooner or later If any bolt on the carb is leaking, it will need retightening at least, but a rebuild is still recommended If there's a vacuum leak at the carb base, first you'd try retorquing the nuts at the base I dont think you described an erratic idle so I doubt a vacuum leak is the issue. The base gaskets, unless very warped for overtightening, can be reused. the sealeant is truth it doesnt belong there. Bottom line is you need to go and start wrenching, discussing it here wont solve it.

Gotcha! The idle has not been erratic or "hunting" from what I can tell.

Rebuild of the carb is duly noted and kit will be ordered ASAP. It just bugs me that PO says carb was rebuilt 2-3 years ago and it needs to be done again. RTV suggests that it probably was not done correctly!

Kevin, I think you could narrow the suggestions on this topic as carb or ignition issue.

The carb cost 60 plus labour
the ignition 500 plus labour

I can recall now another expense being suggested, rather than if it's not the ignition it will need changed sooner or later

If any bolt on the carb is leaking, it will need retightening at least, but a rebuild is still recommended
If there's a vacuum leak at the carb base, first you'd try retorquing the nuts at the base I dont think you described an erratic idle so I doubt a vacuum leak is the issue.

The base gaskets, unless very warped for overtightening, can be reused. the sealeant is truth it doesnt belong there.

Bottom line is you need to go and start wrenching, discussing it here wont solve it.