Splash Day Surprise

[cdhickey]

So yesterday was my along awaited launch day after a long, cold, lonely winter, but it got off to a rocky start. I had re-commissioned and started the engine a few weeks back with no trouble- fired up easily and all seemed to be working well on the hard. When I got aboard yesterday morning I gave another quick start to make sure everything was good, and again she fired up without a problem. I hop off and help a few others launch their boats, and as the crane was approaching mine i climb aboard... only to encounter an major smell of gas. Hatches open, blower on, fuel shutoff closed and I head below to find the source- a slow but steady drip of gas coming from around the choke lever on the carb.

I'm guessing this is a sticking float valve which means a carb rebuild is in my immediate future. But at least my boat is back in the water!

[Dave Neptune]

Great diagnostic cdhickey! Once you get the needle and seat working again do not forget to look upstream if you find KRUD causing the sticking. If it is a gooey mess it could be something in the tank getting loose. These are the worst case scenarios.

Best case is if it's just stuck and sometimes a sharp LITTLE rap or two on the carb will shake it loose and all is well. I doubt this as it was running recently so I suspect one of the above.

Good luck with it!

Dave Neptune

[toddster]

So far, I've found the same on a small outboard and a lawnmower that sat all winter. Not on the A4, which at least went out every month.

But then I started noticing all sorts of loose hardware fasteners. Including the pins holding the rudder in that were just about to drop out! And the traveller mounting bar... Time for a stem to stern inspection. Which will probably generate a depressingly long check list.

[JOHN COOKSON]

I Noticed In The Post..........

So yesterday was my along awaited launch day after a long, cold, lonely winter, but it got off to a rocky start. I had re-commissioned and started the engine a few weeks back with no trouble- fired up easily and all seemed to be working well on the hard. When I got aboard yesterday morning I gave another quick start to make sure everything was good, and again she fired up without a problem. I hop off and help a few others launch their boats, and as the crane was approaching mine i climb aboard... only to encounter an major smell of gas. Hatches open, blower on, fuel shutoff closed and I head below to find the source- a slow but steady drip of gas coming from around the choke lever on the carb.
I'm guessing this is a sticking float valve which means a carb rebuild is in my immediate future. But at least my boat is back in the water!

The fuel shut off was open or closed when the dripping started? If the shut off was open maybe you got a siphon going.

TRUE GRIT

[cdhickey]

The fuel shut off was open or closed when the dripping started? If the shut off was open maybe you got a siphon going.

TRUE GRIT

Sorry, the fuel shutoff was open when the dripping started. I shut it off again as soon as I smelled fuel. My normal practice is to turn it off every time I leave the boat, but I had left it open after the test start so everything would be ready for when I hit the water.

[Mo]

Been there...I was lucky.

Did the same thing, left a valve open and went in the house for the night when I had the boat home in the driveway...stuck needle valve as well. Lucky I didn't kill myself and burn everything around.

Post number 3 in the following post:

http://www.moyermarine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1802&highlight=grace

[alcodiesel]

Chris, lucky find considering the where and when of it.