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I thought my 1979 V-20 Outrage was ready for the water, started and idled OK in the driveway several times during the last month, including today - even took higher rpms.
Launched and it was hard to start, lots of coughs, a few times it stumbled for a few seconds, and it occasionally idled correctly. Moving away from the beach at low speed it would run 3-5 minutes and die. More throttle killed it immediately. 6-8 start attempts later it would finally idle normally and take partial throttle for a few minutes. Did this sequence a half dozen times, battery was in better shape than I thought it was. Fuel bulb would take a partial squeeze to get rock hard but that didn't change the falling rpms or help starting.
Back home it started and idled a few minutes before it died and wouldn't restart.
New 3/8 fuel lines from the tank, new Mercury primer bulb, new canister filter with clean fuel showing in the bottom, and fresh gas in the last two weeks after draining the tank last fall. Blowing on the side tank vent can be heard with the fuel cap off. With the key off I could hear a click from the primer solenoid when I pushed the key in.
Next I will try running from an on deck portable fuel tank, if that doesn't work then it is time for the shop. Caught between not wanting to put a lot of money into an old engine and not affording a $15K-$20K new engine.
The symptoms you presented suggest contaminated fuel entered the carburetors. The carbs may need a cleaning. See if the symptoms resolve by running a portable tank; I recommend K100MG fuel treatment - in a concentrated mix in the portable fuel tank - to see if you can cure the problem.
Cy,
This sounds very familiar. If I leave my boat for more than a few months, I have suffered the same issues. It idles fine, takes throttle in idle fine, put it in gear and it would run a little then die. I had to press the key in (choke) every few seconds to keep it running and get it to the boat ramp. The issue was ethanol gas gumming in the carbs. You might need to clean/rebuild your carbs.
Recently went through this with my 1989 Yamaha 90 2-stroke. I ran the motor on the trailer every couple weeks through the winter and Spring. Finally took it 150 miles to its Summer home. Just before splashing it I started on muffs and could immediately hear it was not right.
By pulling plug wires one at a time, I isolated the bottom cylinder as not firing. Played with it for 2 days off and on using Mercury Quikkleen in a remote tank concentrated. All 3 firing, put in water, ran great at all RPM. After 5 minutes on way back in, same problem. This time the top cylinder is not firing.
Later that day, same thing. Starts, runs great, then not on all three again.
Got carbs cleaned $450 and all is well.
I am dying to learn to clean myself as it is a pretty simple process and would save time and money. At this point I have performed this task on a 4HP outboard and a 10 HP generator. It is amazing how small the passages are for fuel from the bowl to the throat of the carb.
Lost use of boat for 3 weeks, job takes less than 1 hour.
I am now paying for real gas at a marina that is a bit out of the way, but it adds peace of mind.
If you or a friend are mechanical, it is not that intimidating. I watched the you tube video for my Yamaha, and also the one for the 10 HP generator.
Thank you for the suggestions. I did add stabil with this year's fuel as a preventive step.
This afternoon I disconnected the fuel line at the bulb's outlet and drained 5 gallons from the boat's tank into a gas can. Purely subjective but it initially seemed more of a trickle than a flow. Unlike prior drains this one stopped after a gallon and took a lot of bulb squeezing to restart. This time it seemed a stronger flow.
Put the gas can on the deck and went through the usual multiple starting attempts, but when it started it idled strongly, showed no tendency to die, and took higher rpm briefly without hesitation. Ran it about ten minutes without any stumbling and let it drain the alternate fuel line.
Then I reconnected the boat's fuel line, did the multiple start attempts, and it began running like it did on the external tank. Another 10-15 minutes of idling with occasionally higher rpm. Hopefully I don't have a driveway queen and this is repeatable on the water.
Carb cleaner additives, snake oil or do they really help? Seems too easy but a lot less than a shop
cleaning six carbs. Of course rain is in the forecast for the next five days and then the tide is in a less useful cycle.
When on the water, at speed, if the symptom re-occurs, squeeze the primer bulb when running. If it improves performance, the issue is either a failing fuel pump or a clogged pickup on the main tank.
I would use some carb additives/cleaners, cheap step.
If you are in Maine, get the rain gear and go for it. Season is short.
