More advice, old pros?

[BackOnTheWater]

OK, after talking, reading, and listening, here's what I see as my engine problems that I asked about earlier this week:

A little line in the lowoer unit would NOT cause a lack of power out of the engine. It may eat up the seal and bearings after some use, but I have not run the engine more than 5-10 minutes since I saw the line. I would see leakage at some point, had the seal been ruined and water in/ lube out had occurred. There is no evidence of a seal problem at this point.

After a few days of education here and from others, I thought about the fact that the time I took the boat out before I experienced the problems, I was not sure that I had enough fuel to make it from CFpark to the WTcreek ramp. I ran that sucker almost dry! Made it, though! AHA!!! Debris clogging the fuel filter or line! Makes sense to me! THERE'S where my power problem is.

Now, not taking away from the damage a little bit of mono could eventually cause, I feel secure in taking the following actions: 1- pull the prop and hope that all of the line is outside the seal, 2- check the clarity of the gear lube, 3- clean the fuel filter and blow out the main line, 4- crank her up and see how she runs.

Any fault in my logic and/ or tips or tricks that I might need to know when I pull the prop? Is it simple and straight-forward or are there any tricks or traps I need to know about?

Thanks again for all any help!

 

[jon the fisherman]

That is what I would do....an ounce of prevention....

 

[jon the fisherman]

I just noticed the prop question. It is easy to pull off, with a big socket(like a 15/16) Just make sure when you put it back on that you have some way of locking the nut in place.. I have a Merc and use blue loctite on prop nut along with the tabs. Check the prop every now and then for loosening

 

[BackOnTheWater]

Thanks once again, J!emoThumbsup

Scared me away from the prop (I'm not at all good mechanically) until a gear-head buddy can come by to help. I don't even have a socket that big, haha! Gotta get one, so I'll skip the prop removal today. The power issue was my primary concern, and I'm fairly confident that I can get to it and deal with it...hoping against hope that it's an obvious clogging problem!

Appreciate the tips!

 

[Liveliner]

When you pull your prop make sure you are out of gear. Get a block of wood that is large enough to stop the prop against the lower end housing. Watch closely how you remove the nut locking device and reinstall it the exact same way. I use that gold colored anti seize stick by Loctite on the shaft for the thrust washer and prop.

You can get a Prop wrench at about any boat shop, Boaters World, Walmart or etc..

 

[BackOnTheWater]

Thanks, LiveLiner...see, it's the little things I don't know that you old hats take for granted...I'm listening and learning...emoToast

 

[BackOnTheWater]

Ran the engine on the hose yesterday...water pump worked fine, gear lube clear as new, and she seemed to run smoother after a few minutes. I think I had water and/ or debris in the fuel system, though the fuel filter appeared clean as a whistle.

Gonna take her out for a test run this afternoon, and yank the prop over the weekend.

Thanks for the opinions, fellas!emoWorthy emoToast emoBigsmile

 

[Liveliner]

Water would not necessarily show up in your inline filter. If when you are running your boat and it starts to lose power and/or sputter look behind the engine to see if you are getting more than normal white smoke. If you suspect that you have water in your fuel and you have a portable tank you can fix that problem. Tilt your tank so any water will run to one edge or corner on the tank. Insert a small hose so the end of the hose will be at that lowest point in the tank and siphon out a glass jar full of your gas. Let it set. If yousee water in the bottom of the jar after a while. DFrain your tank and clean out your tank. Do not trash your gas, It will seperate and the water will go to the bottom. Do not use that part.

Good luck. Jun a few gallons of high test gas in it and run it hard for a little while.

 

[Bass Addict]

Great advice Liveliner, A kerosine pump works also and there is'nt any worry of drinking gasoline.

 

[Ram Jack Scott]

does your trolling motor work????? i'm ready to go fishin!!!!! no rain and 55 out and you are at home.emoVomit

 

[BackOnTheWater]

Yeah, yeah, yeah...the trolling motor works, it's ME that didn't work SAT AM...it's hell gettin' old! emoGeezer

My poor engine's coughing and sputtering, and all you care about is fishing? emoPoke

 

[ChooChooSnakeMan]

Hey BackOnTheWater,

I don't want to alarm you, but many a 2 cycle engine has developed problems after being starved for gas. If your filter got clogged to the point of disrupting the air / fuel mixture ratio then the engine would have been running extra lean and this a very bad thing for a 2- stroke outboard. That is why it is never a good idea to run an outboard completly out of gas. I know some people like to do it especially at the end of the season when they are going to store the boat for a while, but I think it is better to have the gas / oil mixture on the cylinder walls to prevent rust. When a 2- stroke engine runs lean it causes high cylinder head temperatures and detonation which can destroy the engine in a short time. I really hope that this is not your problem, but as has already been posted, the fishing line around your prop would have nothing to do with your power loss unless it happened long ago and the lower seals had let the lower bearing corrode and create so much friction that it is fighting the engine. This is not likely and from your account the line wasn't on the prop long anyway. Please post and let us know the outcome and I'll keep my fingers crossed that you don't have any engine top end damage.

 

[BackOnTheWater]

I pulled the prop yesterday, took off a couple of feet of line around the shaft outside the seal...no problems there. I replaced all spark plugs (and they needed it). I'm pretty sure (hoping?) that the lack of power was due to a cylinder or two not firing properly due to old or fouled plugs caused or compounded by the short run on a lean mixture. After my initial panic due to the fear of what the line might have done, everything leaned towards that type of problem, and I don't think that I ran it long enough to do serious damage. I also have old coil wires that could stand to be replaced.

I'm taking it out today and I bet (hope, once again?) that she purrs like a kitten.

Thanks for the advice!emoThumbsup

 

[Liveliner]

When you get it"Backonthewater" let us know if you have improvements. Sounds like by the spark plugs you should see a big change.

 

[BackOnTheWater]

Engine does not seem to be getting enough fuel...taking the fuel tank apart and clearing lines today or tomorrow...fun fun fun 'till my daddy takes the t-bird away...emoMad

Runs like a top once it gets planed off, but still slow to power up...