Motor fixed sort of
Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:10 pmI got my motor back from the repair shop and took it out today to see how it ran. The repairman said the original carb jet was ruined and he had to order a new carb. However, it took six weeks to come in apparently. When I picked it up, He mumbled something about having to make one carb out of two, so I assume the buying a new carb plan some how didn't work out. But, fortunately he charged me as though he did. Good for him, its the American way.
But it didn't work. I got out on the lake and the motor wouldn't start. Again. It leaked like crazy when I put it back in the boat on the trailer until I turned it over. On the way home, I tried to decide what to do. Take it back? I didn't see the point. He obviously couldn't bring himself to fix it the first time. Give away for free on craigslist and take the loss? Tempting. Sometimes you need to cut your bait and move on. I decided I'd take a look myself when I got home. The leaking told me there was either a loose nut or a bad float or pin.
When I got home and took the cowl off, the first thing I notices was that there was crud in the "new" fuel lines and they weren't clamped. No matter what, that wasn't going to cut it. I disconnected the lines and tried to drain out some gas, but it wouldn't drain, even with the cap off and the valve open. I figured there must be sediment blocking the outlet in the tank. I blew some air into the line and then drew a little back. THe gas started to flow and the sediment came out of the hose. Not seemed to be in the tank, though, so i am not sure what had clogged the line. Maybe crud in the valve.
I went down to NAPA and got four hose clamps and came back to check the float. At first, I tried to work it on the motor, but the float and pin dropped out and it was impossible to work upside down. So I took the carb of and brought it to my work bench.
THe first think I notices, was that the float "tines", the metal spring that the float presses on to push the pin, were uneven. I researched what the correct float adjustment was for a Mercury 2.2 engine. 1/16 above the edge of the float body. I adjusted it, put the float and pin in, and screwed the bowl back on.
Next, I notices that nozzle that the fuel line connected to was loose. So was the cap on top of the carb that held the main throttle and choke levers. THe repairman may have rebuilt the carb, but he did a pretty poor job of assembling it. I tightened everything up, and then set the main idle screw to the standard 1 1/2 turns for two stroke motors.
I put everything back together and tested the motor. It ran. So, I headed back to the lake and tried again.
First pull, nothing. Second, nothing. Third through fifth nothing. Sixth, the motor started.
I tested the throttle at a couple of positions, and set off down the lake. THis was Lake Elmore, about a two miles long and half a mile wide. I puttered along noisily, making the required blue exhaust and smells. I arrived at the other end of the lake after about twenty minutes and make a wide turn back towards the ramp. About a minute later, the motor died and would not start.
There was still gas in the tank, the valve and relief cap were open. Choke, no choke, throttle, no throttle, I couldn't get the thing started again. A young fellow in a zodiac towed me back up the lake. While I waited for the. Ramp to clear, I tried again, and this time the motor started.
So, I have no leakage anymore when the motor is tilted, so I guess that was the incorrect float. But, I am stumped at what cause the motor to die after about twenty minutes wide open. Over heat? Maybe. The water was spitting out the shaft like it was supposed to, though. Air bubble or blockage in the tank? Maybe. WHen being towed, the motor tilted up and was that way for about ten minutes. Flooding? Maybe. I didn't bring a screwdriver so I couldn't make a final idle screw adjustment under power.
Oh, well. It works well enough to be used in a pinch. I'll fiddle with it next year some more. Maybe take the tank off and make sure there is no more sediment. Maybe replace the shut of valve with one I know is good.
When I got home, I put a tarp on the boat and towed it up under the trees in the back yard. That's it for this year. Next year, I plan to make a new tiller, and try to fix at least one of the major cracks in the fiber glass.
But it didn't work. I got out on the lake and the motor wouldn't start. Again. It leaked like crazy when I put it back in the boat on the trailer until I turned it over. On the way home, I tried to decide what to do. Take it back? I didn't see the point. He obviously couldn't bring himself to fix it the first time. Give away for free on craigslist and take the loss? Tempting. Sometimes you need to cut your bait and move on. I decided I'd take a look myself when I got home. The leaking told me there was either a loose nut or a bad float or pin.
When I got home and took the cowl off, the first thing I notices was that there was crud in the "new" fuel lines and they weren't clamped. No matter what, that wasn't going to cut it. I disconnected the lines and tried to drain out some gas, but it wouldn't drain, even with the cap off and the valve open. I figured there must be sediment blocking the outlet in the tank. I blew some air into the line and then drew a little back. THe gas started to flow and the sediment came out of the hose. Not seemed to be in the tank, though, so i am not sure what had clogged the line. Maybe crud in the valve.
I went down to NAPA and got four hose clamps and came back to check the float. At first, I tried to work it on the motor, but the float and pin dropped out and it was impossible to work upside down. So I took the carb of and brought it to my work bench.
THe first think I notices, was that the float "tines", the metal spring that the float presses on to push the pin, were uneven. I researched what the correct float adjustment was for a Mercury 2.2 engine. 1/16 above the edge of the float body. I adjusted it, put the float and pin in, and screwed the bowl back on.
Next, I notices that nozzle that the fuel line connected to was loose. So was the cap on top of the carb that held the main throttle and choke levers. THe repairman may have rebuilt the carb, but he did a pretty poor job of assembling it. I tightened everything up, and then set the main idle screw to the standard 1 1/2 turns for two stroke motors.
I put everything back together and tested the motor. It ran. So, I headed back to the lake and tried again.
First pull, nothing. Second, nothing. Third through fifth nothing. Sixth, the motor started.
I tested the throttle at a couple of positions, and set off down the lake. THis was Lake Elmore, about a two miles long and half a mile wide. I puttered along noisily, making the required blue exhaust and smells. I arrived at the other end of the lake after about twenty minutes and make a wide turn back towards the ramp. About a minute later, the motor died and would not start.
There was still gas in the tank, the valve and relief cap were open. Choke, no choke, throttle, no throttle, I couldn't get the thing started again. A young fellow in a zodiac towed me back up the lake. While I waited for the. Ramp to clear, I tried again, and this time the motor started.
So, I have no leakage anymore when the motor is tilted, so I guess that was the incorrect float. But, I am stumped at what cause the motor to die after about twenty minutes wide open. Over heat? Maybe. The water was spitting out the shaft like it was supposed to, though. Air bubble or blockage in the tank? Maybe. WHen being towed, the motor tilted up and was that way for about ten minutes. Flooding? Maybe. I didn't bring a screwdriver so I couldn't make a final idle screw adjustment under power.
Oh, well. It works well enough to be used in a pinch. I'll fiddle with it next year some more. Maybe take the tank off and make sure there is no more sediment. Maybe replace the shut of valve with one I know is good.
When I got home, I put a tarp on the boat and towed it up under the trees in the back yard. That's it for this year. Next year, I plan to make a new tiller, and try to fix at least one of the major cracks in the fiber glass.