need some help carb etc.

[nyvoyager]

boat got launched yesterday and i went up to start the A4 and sort out the remaining items thinking i was done...and i'd be sailing to my mooring today...no such luck.
I cranked the engine over with the raw water closed and it wouldn't start. upon opening the engine compartment, i found water in the carb throat.
took the carb off and it was filled with milky water.
pulled a couple of plugs and they were bone dry????
checked the oil dipstick and there doesn't appear to be any water in it.

then i spent last night dissembling the carb. in the galley sink.
the water looked clean (no winter antifreeze)????
the inside of the carb was filled with milky white stuff. (see photo- sorry for the bad pic but you'll get the idea).

got it started and at first it would only run under full choke. fuel delivery is fine and the fuel is clean. finally it is running off of choke but idles badly and i need to increase rpm's to keep it running.

Questions (i think).
I'm really confused about where this water came from and why (thankfully) it didn't effect anything else???

I've done everything i could think of except check compression. plugs cleaned and re-gapped, points checked and reset.....everything on the ignition side looks good to go.
The engine doesn't smoke at all.

Head Gasket?
Cracked Block?
New Carb?
Compression Test?
any ideas from all the A4ians is most certainly welcome
Thanks!
Steve

[Mo]

few ideas

Who winterized the boat and what did they use in the top end. I remove my carb yearly just after I put the antifreeze through. Then I put oil in the plug holes (top end) and turn the engine over.

I have to have a rag under where the carb sat because oil is forced down through the intake ... this oil, during winterizing, would have gone straight into the carb. So....it is possible that the white milky stuff was oil mixed with water.

Quick test of manifold:...remove all plugs first; then remove the hose of both ends of the manifold; put your thumb to plug the rear hole....then blow into the front hole ....if you hear air in the area of the plugs your manifold is the culprit.

[sastanley]

nyvoyager...

Here is another quick test...re: compression.. You can pull each spark plug wire off one at a time to see if that cylinder is working. Then replace it and move to the next one..you should notice a significant decrease in engine power, but it will still run on 3 and sometimes even 2 cylinders..it is a quick & dirty check to see if she is firing on all cylinders..no change when you pull a plug wire = no fire/compression in that cylinder.

[nyvoyager]

thanks i'll check both compresion and manifold

[Mo]

This is a post I put in for another guy this past weekend...maybe it will help.

-check and see if there is water in the oil / base pan.
-compression check on all 4 again.
-check spark again and check spark to plugs...
-remove plugs and look at them...put wire on removed plug and check that spark arcs across the tips...confirming good plugs. Plugs: if there are one or two that are really clean that may indicate water getting into those cylinders. 1 and 2 are usually a bit cleaner than 3 and 4 but should show some carbon. Plugs with water on them have droplets form...gas doesn't do that. With gas they just look wet.
-if you had the wires off for repair check they are back on correctly. Looking in over the engine number with flywheel toward you: 1 is @ 9 oclock on the dist...then 2, is @12, 3 is @3 and 4 is @6 oclock. Wire from 1 goes to cylinder 1; 2 goes to cylinder 2; 3 goes to cylinder 4; and 4 goes to cylinder 3...read that carefully...so it's 1234 on the cap to 1243 on the plugs.
-if no improvement after that we need to look at the manifold. So, turn off raw water and try starting the engine. If it starts turn water back on...then if it starts to run poorly you know there is a manifold leak. Pressure test manifold at this point.

...try that much and you might get her going.

Oh, and you worked on the carb, check all lines for clamps and ensure your valve is open for gas to flow...just in case.

[nyvoyager]

Mo,
thanks. printed your email out and will take it to the boat.