Do you have an electric or mechanical fuel pump? What you describes sounds like an electric. If so, disconnect the fuel line ahead of the fuel/water separator and pump some into a glass jar. Do it a couple of times and it will be obvious if you have any water in the tank. Doesn't comepletely eliminate the possiblility, but knocks once more thing off the list. The fact you have a fue/water separator makes it even more unlikely this is your problem, but its still possible. My system runs from the tank to the fuel/water separator/filter to the mechanical pump mounted on the lower port side to the carb. I replaced my pump a few years ago, but I kept the glass bowl and "bundt cake" filter since it provides a convenient sight glass into the fuel system.
----- Original Message -----
From: "jd" <jdood@...>
To: "Evinrude & Johnson Boats of the 1960's and 70's" <omc-boats@...mate.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 31, 2009 4:02:41 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] engine wierdness
from my tank the fuel goes to a clear plastic inline filter thing,
then a couple feet on to the fuel water separator, then to the
carb. the blob of water sorta makes sense. so i guess it the water
blob would mix with the air vapor and a mixture of ONLY air and water
(zero gas) would shoot equally into all 6 cylinders and potentially
kill the whole engine instantly. still seems like it would have
to be a big blob of water - like maybe a teaspoon or something - to do
that though. but like you say, anything is possible.
On Oct 30, 2009, at 3:28 PM, ANDY PERAKES wrote:
> Water in fuel is kinda like an oil & vinegar salad dressing -- you
> can shake it all you want, but it doesn't mix well and it doesn't
> stay mixed for long. It is possible to get a sudden "blob" of water
> that can suddenly kill the engine and that could be why it takes
> awhile to restart. It wouldn't be the first suspect on my list
> either, but anything is possible! Do you have the glass bowl on
> your fuel pump? That'd be one easy check you can make, but as
> stressed by others, meticulous attention to detail is the only way
> to nail down a problem like this.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "jd" <jdood@...>
> To: "Evinrude & Johnson Boats of the 1960's and 70's" <omc-boats@...timate.com
> >
> Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 1:41:15 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
> Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] engine wierdness
>
>
> On Oct 29, 2009, at 5:48 PM, ANDY PERAKES wrote:
>
> > I once had a crack in the rotor that would cause it to lose contact
> > at different speed ranges so it can be almost anything. Sometimes
> > failures can be induced by vibration, sometimes by heat, sometimes
> > both or something completely different. As metal things like coils
> > and wires expand and contract as they heat and cool, it can cause
> > them to make intermittent contact that can be maddening to
> > diagnose. Fuel could very well be a possibility too, things would
> > indeed stop quick if you suddenly injected an air/water mix instead
> > of an air/fuel mix.
>
> ok so this is something i've wondered about........still learning how
> engines actually work i guess..........if you have some water in your
> line somehow and it makes it's way to the carb bowl, isn't it going
> to get diluted a bit by the fuel already in the bowl? And once past
> that point, wouldn't it go into one of the 6 cylinders OR if all 6
> equally, isn't it further dilluted at that point being spread out
> among 6 places? And if that's all true, then it seems the engine
> would just cough a bit, then pick right back up a second later when
> it got fed clean gas again? Seems like it would take a lot of
> water in the line to completely and suddenly kill the engine, but im
> not sure how it all works.
>
>
>
> > Best way to check that would probably be connecting to a remote
> > tank, but remember you'll still need to purge everything in the
> > lines and bowl. It helps a lot that it starts back up for you.
> > Good luck!
>
> yeah, i'm glad about that too. although, it does take a while to
> get it started again. not the greatest feeling when you are out on
> the columbia alone in 50 degree weather and there aren't any other
> boats around.
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Scott Veazie" <scottveazie@...>
> > To: omc-boats@...
> > Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 4:05:40 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada
> > Eastern
> > Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] engine wierdness
> >
> > Yup...no spark for the plugs. Also don't discount a bad condenser,
> > I had one leave me stranded.
> >
> > > From: jdood@...
> > > To: omc-boats@...
> > > Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:45:06 -0700
> > > Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] engine wierdness
> > >
> > > yeah, maybe the coil - hope its something that easy. i guess that
> > > would do it wouldn't it? if i understand it all correctly, if the
> > > coil shuts down then no spark is being send to ANY of the plugs,
> > > right? which would make the engine completely die instantly.
> > >
> > >
> > > On Oct 29, 2009, at 10:41 AM, Scott Veazie wrote:
> > >
> > > > JD-
> > > >
> > > > >From my past experience, I would start with a new coil, then
> get
> > > > new points, condenser, cap, rotor, check all spark plugs and
> > wires.
> > > > Get all that ignition nonsense eliminated as a potential
> problem,
> > > > and then go from there. You probably won't have to replace your
> > > > dist. cap though.
> > > >
> > > > ~Scott
> > > >
> > > > > From: jdood@...
> > > > > To: omc-boats@...
> > > > > Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:31 -0700
> > > > > Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] engine wierdness
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > i just don't see how it can be any kind of electrical system
> > thing,
> > > > > esp since i re-did most of the wiring this summer and it's now
> > very
> > > > > solid. but who knows. and what "electrical" stuff is happening
> > > > > with the engine while its running anyway?
> > > > >
> > > > > - one wire sends power to the starter when the key is turned -
> > > > that is
> > > > > working fine
> > > > >
> > > > > - there's a purple wire that runs to the electric choke (i
> > guess) on
> > > > > the carb - perhaps that?
> > > > >
> > > > > - there's theres a wire going to the coil and stuff - perhaps
> > that?
> > > > >
> > > > > - then there's the alternator - perhaps that?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > The last 3 on this list i don't really understand at all, esp
> > what
> > > > > their function is AFTER the engine is up and running. If
> > > > > electrical, it has to be something that functions not just to
> > start
> > > > > the engine, but to keep the engine running. Doesn't that just
> > > > > narrow it down to the alternator? Or is there other electrical
> > stuff
> > > > > that has to do with the engine staying running?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On Oct 29, 2009, at 9:02 AM, ANDY PERAKES wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > I tend to agree with the electrical suspect. Fuel/air
> problems
> > > > > > generally linger a bit and don't result in an immediate
> drop-
> > out
> > > > > > like you describe. Anything is possible though. I like the
> > > > > > guidance Lee sent out awhile back where he said to
> > eleiminate the
> > > > > > possibility of electrical problems first since that's
> usually
> > > > > > quicker and easier to do. Trouble is, intermittent
> electrical
> > > > > > problems can be a nightmare to trace. Is there any
> > possibility of
> > > > > > hooking up some basic instrumentation to see if there is any
> > > > > > electrical effect when it happens? If you see a sudden
> voltage
> > > > > > change or current drop out, that would be a clear indicator.
> > Good
> > > > > > luck!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Andy
> > > > > > '67 Reveler
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > > From: "jd" <jdood@...>
> > > > > > To: "Evinrude & Johnson Boats of the 1960's and 70's" <omc-boats@...
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 11:44:16 AM GMT -05:00 US/
> > Canada
> > > > > > Eastern
> > > > > > Subject: [OMC-Boats] engine wierdness
> > > > > >
> > > > > > took my boat out for the last of possible testing this
> season
> > > > before
> > > > > > things get too cold and rainy. didn't go as i hoped. i'll
> > > > > > try and condense this down to it's simplest form:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > BEFORE (about a month ago):
> > > > > >
> > > > > > except for some slightly fast idling, engine ran well.
> Then I
> > > > > > noticed it starting to do this weird intermittent thing
> where
> > > > all the
> > > > > > power (throttle) would just drop down to zero. It seemed to
> > happen
> > > > > > mainly during acceleration up to plane. This all was
> > happening at
> > > > > > the end of the season, so I have pretty much had the boat
> > > > sitting for
> > > > > > the past month waiting for parts and time. But I was
> > thinking it
> > > > was
> > > > > > related to my falling apart carb and / or and electrical
> thing
> > > > > > related to my rebuilt shifter switch. so......
> > > > > >
> > > > > > AFTER (yesterday):
> > > > > >
> > > > > > - I installed my nice practically new carb (rebuilt by
> flying
> > > > fish).
> > > > > > keep in mind, it was the exact same carb i have always had
> > on the
> > > > > > boat, just completely rebuilt. I also changed my air water
> > > > separator
> > > > > > cartridge beforehand to avoid any chance of issues from fuel
> > > > that had
> > > > > > sat for a month.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > - I installed a NOS shifter switch that I recently acquired.
> > > > Tested
> > > > > > with light after install, everything checked out. And as I
> > said,
> > > > > > it's basically new.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > So after those two major upgrades, the engine is doing the
> > same
> > > > dang
> > > > > > thing. Started up, let it warm up a bit, took it for a spin.
> > > > > > About 5-10 seconds after getting up on that first plane
> > everything
> > > > > > just dropped down to zero and unlike the past times, this
> > time the
> > > > > > engine died at the same time. Had to crank it over several
> > times
> > > > > > for it to start back up, and when it did, with the red lever
> > set
> > > > at
> > > > > > full throttle it took several seconds for the RPMS to climb
> > up to
> > > > > > where they should be. I limped back to the dock.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Then while at the dock idling for a few minutes, all of the
> > sudden
> > > > > > it just died again. At idle this time, not while
> accelerating.
> > > > > > And every time it dies it is quick. It's not like it sits
> > there
> > > > and
> > > > > > slowly dies. It just cuts out suddenly. So I of course tried
> > to
> > > > > > restart it. Nothing for several tries, then it acted like it
> > was
> > > > > > going to start, then it finally starts, coughing and
> > sputtering a
> > > > > > bit, then very slowly climbs up to full throttle (in
> neutral).
> > > > > > I started thinking maybe a fuel pump issue. Disconnected
> fuel
> > > > > > line, cranked engine, plenty of pumping of fuel happening.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > It seems sort of electrical in the way it just all of the
> > sudden
> > > > dies
> > > > > > either at idle or accelerating. Yet when it finally starts
> > back
> > > > up it
> > > > > > coughs and sputters and smokes a bit. Which sounds like bad
> > fuel,
> > > > > > yet I have a new water/fuel separator cartridge, the carb is
> > new,
> > > > > > and nothing looks dirty with the inline regular fuel filter.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Any ideas?
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
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Received on Sunday, 1 November 2009
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