Motor diagnosis - on the fly...

J

JamesTXSD

Active member
Hello Brat Friends,

We are running in the Erie Canal right now. A thunderstorm chased up behind us, so I put the coals to it to get to a lock wall where we could tie off to wait out the storm. The ever-reliable Honda wouldn't get above 2500 RPM before bogging down. Before the pouring rain hit, I checked the obvious: prop isn't spun, nothing caught in the prop, fuel filters are clean, motor doesn't appear to be missing (i.e. plugs). Oil level is fine.

So, as we sit here in the midst of the wind, rain, lightning, and thunder... any ideas? Running the same fuel we started with. Even though much of the canal is 10 mph, when the speed limit is higher, I've occasionally run into the mid-teens, including earlier today. I felt a "shudder" on the motor before this happened, went back to check and didn't see anything caught, trailing behind, or spit out behind.

We are currently at lock 13, doesn't appear to be much civilization nearby. The lockmaster did come out and tell us that if the weather turns severe, we can come to the pump house. The wind has already clocked 180º, but the weather weasels are calling for t-storms all night. Looks like I'll have a few hours on my hands to further diagnose, if anyone has suggestions.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
check the hose connection as is enters the engine. had mine come loose. was on enought for trolling but would suck air if full throttle. dont know how it can loose but I took it off and wiped it down and re hooked. worked great.
 
starcrafttom":j6z5jsgj said:
check the hose connection as is enters the engine. had mine come loose. was on enought for trolling but would suck air if full throttle. dont know how it can loose but I took it off and wiped it down and re hooked. worked great.
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Thanks, Tom; I'll do that as soon as the rain lets up.
 
As long as it's not raining or rough such that you're taking water over the gunwales open the fuel tank to see if it's a clogged fuel vent causing trouble. (If yes this could immediately solve the problem; also check to make sure the primer bulb if relatively firm).

With the engine running, put an ear as close to the fuel pickup as possible to see if you hear anything. If you hear 'sucking' or in my case a 'zapping' sound it could indicate a problematic anti-siphon valve.

Lift the cowl to make sure nothing is somehow clogging the air intake....


Bob described engine trouble recently and the fix was to drain two fuel reservoirs in the engine...I will find the post...

Edit...Here are some links....

Same problem with a Honda…
http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=11708&start=0

Bob’s post about bad gas…(Suzuki)
http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... light=fuel
 
Thanks, Matt - I will go through those posts.

Charlie, we're sitting out a pounding rain right now. Just for the fun of it, a log has blown in behind us, so I can't put my motor down right now. :roll: When this rain lets up, I'll push that out of there and give that a try, as well.

Thanks folks, for the suggestions. If nothing else, as long as it runs at even 2500, we'll move on in the morning to get somewhere that service is available. We've been running most of the time at 2000 rpm, anyway.

I appreciate that help.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
starcrafttom":3q155v9e said:
if it make you feel any better it just hit 100 degrees here in everet. no ice snot today.
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Yikes! No, that doesn't make me feel any better, Tom. With the rain, it has cooled into the mid-70s here. Still coming down, and predicted to do so all night. It looks like a pretty good size system on radar.

Hope Mother Nature cuts you guys some slack. I know a lot of folks in the PNW don't have air conditioning, and your "unusual" heat waves can really take a toll.

Joan has supper going out in the cockpit to keep the heat/humidity down in the cabin.

I checked the fuel line - seems OK. If the rain lets up, I'll check the rest... if not, I'll start building an ark. :disgust

Best wishes,
Jim
 
JamesTXSD":ewi0cwyw said:
If the rain lets up, I check the rest... if not, I'll start building an ark. :disgust

Best wishes,
Jim
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If you start building an Ark, you need to find another cat! :lol: :cat :cat :love

Oh, and don't forget the unicorns this time' :thup :wink:
 
Hey neighbor, sounds like you're up the creek without a Honda. Lock 11 was about as far out as you could get from ANYWHERE to have an "experience". If you need a trailer, we're a day from ours, and I'm pretty sure the boats are similar enough so your's will fit my trailer if needed - there is a Honda dealer in Albany. You have our cell numbers if we can help in any way.

Good Luck to you, guess I'd better check Wunderground.
 
JamesTXSD":k57qmo07 said:
Hello Brat Friends,

The ever-reliable Honda wouldn't get above 2500 RPM before bogging down. Before the pouring rain hit, I checked the obvious: prop isn't spun, nothing caught in the prop, fuel filters are clean, motor doesn't appear to be missing (i.e. plugs). Oil level is fine.

So, as we sit here in the midst of the wind, rain, lightning, and thunder... any ideas? Running the same fuel we started with. Even though much of the canal is 10 mph, when the speed limit is higher, I've occasionally run into the mid-teens, including earlier today. I felt a "shudder" on the motor before this happened, went back to check and didn't see anything caught, trailing behind, or spit out behind.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
Click to expand...

Hello Jim,

When something similar happened to me recently, it turned out to be a fuel pickup tube cut at 90 degrees and stuck to the bottom of the fuel tank. I could only make 2000 rpm before she would shudder/sputter and try to stall. Notably, the fuel primer bulb would stay flat after 2 good squeezes.

I assume no buzzers, warnings, or red lights came on since you didn't mention...

Have you tried opening your fuel filler cap and blowing into the fuel vent opening? Air should flow easily. I learned that little test whilst observing the mechanic at Wefings rapidly diagnose my boat's problem. Perhaps something as simple as a mudwasp having done its deed in your vent line, leaving it partially obstructed, is the culprit.

Please let us know how it turns out. Thanks for posting your travels...I very much enjoy reading about your travels.

/david
 
Interesting night (more on the Wild Blue thread). We got the log away from the back of the boat; with the motor down and in neutral, it surged a few times and then held a steady higher RPM. Fuel line and bulb seem to be OK, I'll need to run it more this morning to check. When we are up and about, we'll get out on the water and see what's happening. With the surging, then settling in, it makes me think that there may have been some water in the fuel. The filters seem clear. No buzzers or warnings.

Dave, I appreciate the offer of a trailer, you are one very gracious guy. BUT, I don't think we're in that kind of mess at this point. Besides, our trailer is in the same park as yours. :wink:

As always, I appreciate the help here, folks. I'll keep y'all posted.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Jim, I think you're right, you had a slug of water that passed through the filters somehow...or some "bad" gas, whatever that is :shock:

As you go further north, the skeeters get bigger. Buy a shotgun some where if you get close to Maine!

Hope your engine problems are behind you.... Oh wait, that's where the engine is anyway! :roll:

Charlie
 
Jim , if you cant figure it out with the suggestions so far, give Alan a call at our shop . He is the detective/mechanic that SGI Dave is talking about .Im sure you remember him . There are some semi hidden filters under the cowling that could be the culprit .
Marc
 
Thanks, Marc. Wild Blue is underway again this morning. We waded through the mosquito carcasses, I checked the fuel lines, bulb, and filters again. Powered up while still tied off... in neutral it hesitated, then ran smoothly. I checked a bit of thrust forward and reverse; you want to be sure you have power here, because right next to the lock is a spillway. We ran west a bit so we could power up... no hesitations, good thrust. Maybe Charlie is right: that notorious "bad gas"? I do check the oil and fuel/water separater each morning.

Lucky Lock 13, huh? :wink:

I haven't felt the need to run a fuel conditioner, but I will pick some up the next time we are in civilization.

Thanks again for the suggestions, advice, and for being there. When the precip was heaviest, we lost our internet signal last night. This place is like having the "Verizon network" along... look behind you, it's an army of C-Brats! :D

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Glad to hear you are underway. The anti-siphon issue could present with intermittent symptoms as could bad gas. Good luck with the rest of the trip. Hopefully just a little hiccup or bad gas or something.
 
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