Motor fixed sort of

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Motor fixed sort of

Postby fatjackdurham » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:10 pm

I 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.
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Re: Motor fixed sort of

Postby GreenLake » Mon Sep 25, 2017 1:17 am

I admire your persistence with this technology. I've never gotten small gas engines to be reliable without regular hired expertise, so my personal consequence has been to go for electric propulsion when it came to boats. After seeing the new Electric Paddle, I'm tempted to treat myself to an upgrade from my trolling motor. Looks promising, but will see whether it fits my budget.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Motor fixed sort of

Postby BaronDaniels » Mon Oct 16, 2017 4:53 am

In such case, what is the resulting lifespan of electric propulsions?
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Re: Motor fixed sort of

Postby GreenLake » Mon Oct 16, 2017 7:45 pm

You mean, what is the expected lifespan? In years?

Lead-acid batteries last about 7 years with good care, trolling motors are good for more than a decade (without any servicing). That's based on my personal experience.

I would expect similar lifespans for the fancier electric motors. Li-Ion batteries do lose capacity continuously, but as we are seeing with electric cars, they are getting better and live longer. The electric paddle has a gear on the propeller itself, making the propeller a "consumable" with about 100hrs of lifetime use. I could have run a motor for 15min every single trip I took my boat on and would just about have reached that amount of usage.

It makes that system fractionally more expensive over time (in addition to the higher initial price compared to a trolling motor) but averaged per trip it's negligible, even if you tend to motor more.

I think we've discussed the expected range per charge etc on other threads.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Motor fixed sort of

Postby carl10579 » Tue Oct 17, 2017 3:40 am

Hi Jack,

Stupid question but it bit be in the butt more than once. --- Was the gas tank vent open when it stalled out on the lake?

Does the Merc have a built in tank? Sometimes all you can do is flush and clean and make sure you put it away with Startron or Seafoam added in the fuel. Ethanol is very crappy.

And pick up a small fuel filter from a lawnmower repair shop and install it as close to the carb as is practical.

Went through this with my Sailmaster earlier this year. (and every other thing I own with a carburetor over the past couple of years).

Good Luck!

Carl
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