Erratic engine problem/high rpms to stay running

[Onthewater]

Guys and Gals,

My first true call for some help. First let me say that our owner's manual is misplaced at the time. Our 88 seems to have a ghost. Every now and then it will run like crap at idle...sputter and die. Has happened a handful of times in the last 2 years. It then needs to be fired up by giving it a healthy amount of gas and will die if I let the RPMs drop below 1300-1400 depending on the occasion. The funny thing is if I go out tomorrow (or even a few hours later) you would never even know it happened. It'll happen a few weeks/months later. There is no schedule, no warning, no symptoms that my brother or I can pick up. The carb looks pretty clean(key word "looks"). Where do I start? Fuel pump, fuel filter (if it has one/can't seem to locate it), fuel lines, carb? This is just a nuisance that I would like to work out as soon as possible because it will eventually leave us stranded. :cheers:

Thanks for the help,
Kurt and Hollywood

[Rick]

I had this problem with my 66 with a holley 4 barrel and eiectric fuel pump I would be running and it was like the fuel tank sloshed and picked up air. I replaced the fuel filter and electric fiel pump and I've never had the problem again

[tryan]

check valve on the fuel line maybe gummed up. clean it or remove it.

[thevogt]

Some other things to consider-
1. How long since the last time it was used? You could have a bad accelerator pump on the carb and/or crap in the idle circuits and bowls.
2. How long since the last carb rebuild? See above.
3. How old is the gas in the tank? You will lose octane rapidly during a layup if you didn't put something like Sta-Bil in the tank and run it until the treated fuel hits the carb.

These were the causes of my misfortune when my '93 Sport did the same thing yours is doing. Just some other items to think about. Hope this helps.

Gary

[Onthewater]

1. it has been a week
2. probably 5 years
3. not old at all, less than a month

i'll get back to you after taking a closer look, the boat is an hour away.

[thevogt]

That is good news. You may still have a bad accelerator pump. The diaphram (?) can go at any time. Usually it just goes and you'll have no hole shot. Sometimes it can start as a pinhole and you will eventually have no idle OR holeshot. Good luck.

Gary

[Hollywood]

thevogt, if it were a bad accelerator pump or diaphram I would believe the no idle issue would happen everytime. Like Onthewater said, a few days later and the carb works fine.

How far back is the fuel filter?

[thevogt]

My bad, Hollywood. Just relating my problems for discussion sake. My no idle was constant. But, the idle circuits could still be to blame if there is crap in the bowls that breaks loose occasionally and tries to go through. Once the flow stops, it could settle back in the bowls. Thats what mine did also. Now it runs like a champ after a good cleaning and a new accel pump.

Gary

[Onthewater]

while the lake is slow no wake i have time to get things done. the boat ran fine today, but can i clean out the bowl with the carb still intact and on the engine? and just for kicks if i decide to do a carb rebuild this winter what does that usually run?

[thevogt]

It is best to take the carb off for the clean. If you have a Holley like mine, just disconnect the throttle linkage, fuel line, choke wires, and 4 mounting nuts and lift straight up. Be careful of the o-rings on the fuel tube that runs between the 2 bowls. Pop the 4 bolts off for each bowl and remove CAREFULLY so you don't hurt the gaskets. It is easier to take the rear (secondary) bowl off first. I have some links I can post later when I get home. You may just want to get it rebuilt or tackle it yourself right now if the bowls have alot of crap in them. The kits can be had for $40-50 from many online sources like skidim.com. Good luck and hope this helps.

Gary