Only runs with full choke

[Bold Rascal]

I stepped up and replaced my old fuel filters and fuel pump with a new Racor and Facet from MM. Thanks Ken for the excellent help and ultra-fast shipping.

Prior to this purchase decision the engine would run well for a few to several minutes and then die. I had previously cleaned and rebuilt the carb in the spring and all was well until recently. This new stalling helped me to decide it was time to ditch the old electric fuel pump (non Facet) both the primary and polishing filters with all new and hopefully all would be good to go. Not so.

While removing the copper fuel line from the tank, the end of the tube just pulled out from the fitting. Ahah! Cut and reflared the tube, put it all back together, purged the fuel line of air to the carb. Attempted a start and required full choke. I let it warm up, cut the choke and she gasped and slowly died.

Another restart attempt would not start or continue running without full choke. End result: no choke, no run.

I've pulled the carb, drained the fuel bowl, removed the main passage plug, drained out a good amount of fuel (looks clean, no visble debris or water), all passages look clean and pass air. I can hear the faint movement of the floats inside, etc etc. All appears as it should.

The Idle mixture screw is 1.5 turns out.
Blowing air thru the fuel inlet stops and starts as I tilt the carb to seat and unseat the float valve.

The fuel tank vent is clear.
The fuel tank itself was removed and cleaned last spring.
Any suggestions?

[joe_db]

Connect an outboard tank to the filter inlet. Isolate the issue that way to up or downstream of that point.

I stepped up and replaced my old fuel filters and fuel pump with a new Racor and Facet from MM. Thanks Ken for the excellent help and ultra-fast shipping.

Prior to this purchase decision the engine would run well for a few to several minutes and then die. I had previously cleaned and rebuilt the carb in the spring and all was well until recently. This new stalling helped me to decide it was time to ditch the old electric fuel pump (non Facet) both the primary and polishing filters with all new and hopefully all would be good to go. Not so.

While removing the copper fuel line from the tank, the end of the tube just pulled out from the fitting. Ahah! Cut and reflared the tube, put it all back together, purged the fuel line of air to the carb. Attempted a start and required full choke. I let it warm up, cut the choke and she gasped and slowly died.

Another restart attempt would not start or continue running without full choke. End result: no choke, no run.

I've pulled the carb, drained the fuel bowl, removed the main passage plug, drained out a good amount of fuel (looks clean, no visble debris or water), all passages look clean and pass air. I can hear the faint movement of the floats inside, etc etc. All appears as it should.

The Idle mixture screw is 1.5 turns out.
Blowing air thru the fuel inlet stops and starts as I tilt the carb to seat and unseat the float valve.

The fuel tank vent is clear.
The fuel tank itself was removed and cleaned last spring.
Any suggestions?

[JOHN COOKSON]

Full choke will make the fuel-air mixture richer. Are you sure you don't have an air leak somewhere?

TRUE GRIT

[Bold Rascal]

Hmmm?

I'll be headed down to the boat this evening, carb in hand to re-mount it.

The engine was running great prior to this most recent stalling episode. I attribute the stalling not to the old fuel pump or filters but to the failing copper fuel line connection.

I'll double check the operation and flow of the new fuel pump by running some fuel out of the last section of the "new" fuel line that terminates at the inlet of the carb.

I hadnt touched the carb prior to or while replacing the old fuel line, filters and fuel pump.

Thanks.

[jpian0923]

Are you actually seeing the choke fully closed while it's running?

I ask this because I operated my engine for more than a year with the choke cable installed backwards. I mean, pulling the chock cable actually fully opened it and pushing it in closed it. That's the way it was when I bought it so I didn't know any better til I rebuilt the engine back in June.

Before:
[YOUTUBE]VSRw1giSF_Q[/YOUTUBE]

After:
[YOUTUBE]wAzXMfmRuSA[/YOUTUBE]

[JOHN COOKSON]

Another Idea

I remember reading in the forum about a chap - I don't remember who - that had an air leak around the shaft for the throttle butterfly that caused a lean condition.

You could check this out easily while the carb is off the boat.

TRUE GRIT

[Bold Rascal]

Runs great!

Thanks all for the helpfull advice. I performed a more thorough cleaning job on the carb at home and re-installed. Before attempting a restart I double checked the fuel flow coming from the new facet fuel pump by running a cup or so of fuel into a container. Got good flow so I reconnected to the carb and gave it a shot. Vrroooom, she started right up and continued to do so in gear, under load (tied to dock) for a good 30 mins with no issues.

I never found any contamination but I'm betting there was something clogging the main jet.

Thanks again!

[sastanley]

Mike, apparently we don't often find anything, the jet is so small, the particle is likely flushed out and there is no real way to capture it.

I had a piece of teflon tape (before I knew to seal the gas line barbs with Permatex) that I was able to recover when I had a 'run only with choke condition', but only because I took the carb home and was in a controlled environment. I dumped the 'flushing fluid' (carb cleaner) into a clean bowl and there was an obvious bit of teflon tape in the solution. In the field, under duress (i.e. near a busy entrance channel ) you just spray the crap out of it, flush some fuel out of the drain plug and try to get it running again...

Glad you got her going!

[Bold Rascal]

Thanks Shawn.

We sailed (or tried to sail) and motored down to Somers Cove in Crisfield for the weekend. I think that's the most weve actually used the motor since getting her running. About 6 or 7 hours total run time.

Saw your comments on another thread regarding the PVC mod. Did it help with the filler tube smoke and was it worth it?

Thanks.
Mike

[sastanley]

Mike, yes..I commented in the other thread...well worth it in my opinion & the similar symptoms of oily smoke coming thru the fill cap.

[Bold Rascal]

Excellent!

It wasn't botherring me so much but my best mate asked me if there was something I would DO about it. It was a very polite but meaningful request.

Always nice to get help from someone with first hand experience. Wonder if she'll appreciatte it as a Christmas gift?

Thanks again!