SOS.. 911... um... help :)

Was not the coil or the vacuum hose.

More experimenting and I discovered (for sake of ease im numbering the cylinders as :
STERN
78
56
34
12
BOW

Runs and stays running with 78 removed
Runs worse and will sputter out with 56 removed
tries to get going with 34 or 12 removed

Closer to the stern removed the better.

I kept the known good parts... pretty much the whole ignition system on the bad engine, and put the bad engines parts on the good engine, and it started right up.
Someone at work mentioned it could be a valve seal putting too much back pressure on the rest of the engine, and when the plugs are removed it allows the pressure to escape that way thus allowing the engine to start. Is this a valid possibility, and if so, is this going to be insane expensive to fix (as I am not going to attempt that kind of repair)

We really appreciate the brain storming!!
 
We are all going to have to have a fundraiser to pay for the answer to this one... I wish you the best of luck and a good bottle of bourbon.
 
chandalen said:
Was not the coil or the vacuum hose.

More experimenting and I discovered (for sake of ease im numbering the cylinders as :
STERN
78
56
34
12
BOW

Runs and stays running with 78 removed
Runs worse and will sputter out with 56 removed
tries to get going with 34 or 12 removed

Closer to the stern removed the better.

I kept the known good parts... pretty much the whole ignition system on the bad engine, and put the bad engines parts on the good engine, and it started right up.
Someone at work mentioned it could be a valve seal putting too much back pressure on the rest of the engine, and when the plugs are removed it allows the pressure to escape that way thus allowing the engine to start. Is this a valid possibility, and if so, is this going to be insane expensive to fix (as I am not going to attempt that kind of repair)

We really appreciate the brain storming!!
Click to expand...
Is that how you numbered each cyl when you changed plug wires. The correct numbering is

stern
87
65
43
21

Did you verify correct plug wire installation on plugs and distributor? What sequence are they in on the distributor?
 
Woody: No i was just making a quick diagram for the post, they are wired correctly. (thanks!)

COMPRESSION TEST RESULTS

BACK
150 140
145 135
135 135
145 140
FRONT

Appears they all fall within tolerance??
Also tried direct wire from + battery term to + coil.
I noticed.... (numbered as on the engine)
#7 spark plug had a lot of black coloured fuel drip out of the plug when removed (where anode is)
#4 plug had less but still a couple of drops
#8 had what appeared to be water but, could be from the exhaust drain cock that was dripping (fixed that) this is the ONLY time I have noticed either from this plug.

Is it possible that I was entirely over liberal with fogging oil and its just clogged something inside? If so is there an 'easy' way to clean it out?

Most engine shops cant get my boat in until after memorial day...
This help is REALLY appreciated! I owe everyone a few beers!
 
ok let's start fresh making sure the systems are correct

1) Use Vice grips or a clamp and clamp off fuel supply to the engine. Crank the engine to remove any remaining fuel from the carb.


2) change the rotor and the cap,

3) Change spark plugs with the spark plugs out spray a shot of starter fluid in each cylinder to help dry things out ( a little canned air can help speed the drying process), ensure that the wires are going to the correct locations (if unsure use working engine as a guide)

3) Get a spark tester or a timing light and ensure that all cylinders have spark.

4) Leave the clamp in the fuel line and try to start the engine with starter fluid.

5) If everything above is correct the engine will try to run on the starter fluid. If not double check everything above.

6) change fuel filter if installed and the water separator

7) now that the engine is making some noise remove the clamp from the fuel line and try to start.

7) if the engine doesn't start there are a couple of things that could be the issue.

A) Fuel pickup in the tank could be restricted

B) fuel pump could be bad(even if there seems to be fuel at the carb the fuel pressure may be too low)

C)stuck floats in the carb

Gary
 
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Timing was 2 degrees off (at 6 instead of 8) I made the adjustment. No luck.

mrpaper::

I was already planning on spraying starter fluid into the cylinder but ADD kicked in and I forgot. The desperate Admiral re-read everything and made me repeat every suggestion again.
I did so (of course), and I think this may be getting somewhere because the engine will start with just 1 plug removed and run fairly well. I did my best to spray the remaining starting fluid I had into a blind hole and rotated the engine to blow out the cylinder's. I put the plugs back in... it sputtered and I removed the plugs again to spray more in, and noticed on 2 of the plugs a nice collection of black dirt? for lack of a better word.

Then I tried starting with just #7 out, and it ran. Put #7 back in and puttering.

I'll be damned if I know why its doing this, but ... Il get more starter fluid, hopefully cans with a straw on them to blast the hell out of the ports.

To be continued....
It putters with all 8 in but not enough to start.
 
Been following this thread but havent had anything to add.

Word of advice with those little red straws. They are a royal PITA if they drop down the hole. Get some tape (duct tape whatever you have handy that you dont mind using a lot of) wrap the tape around the straw until its thicker than the spark plug hole. So if the straw drops on you the tape keeps it from dropping into the hole.

Or some other afro engineered device to keep the straw outta the hole.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
 
Thats amazingly good advice... Thanks, cause way things are going I would lose the straw for sure.... I am already buying stock in whatever company makes the telescoping magnet tool grabber thinggy!
 
I have a question, if you were to start the engine with the one plug out of the hole, but grounded to the block as if it were in the hole, will it run? I cant remember if you tried the new coil, I thought you swapped between engines. I'm wondering if you have spark, but not a strong spark and therefore when you remove the 2 plugs there is less load on the ignition system.
I'm thinking at this point I may just start swapping ignition components between engines starting with the easy stuff first, like the ignition module, coil wire and then the entire distributor.
Weak ignition spark or slow cranking speed are the only things I can think of right off the bat that would lead to an engine running better with 2 plugs removed.
 
SOLVED!!!

First off, thanks to EVERYONE for their assistance, without which I wouldn't be able to splash in the next couple of days!

Everyone following the thread knows what the symptoms were, the steps taken, etc.

The Solution, was a case of starter fluid a little red straw (or 3) tape to make sure the straw didn't take a solo trip into spark plug well-land (which was amazing advice because it did indeed seperate from the bottle at least 2 times)

What I was noticing after I sprayed about a can per hole was that the back 4 plugs #5 and #8 specifically were very dirty, with black sticky sediment. SO I focused on the back 4 cylinders filling them up... waiting... cranking the engine to blow out the goop, put plug back in, crank, pull plug, check for goop on plug, etc. After um... 4 cans of starter fluid.. I was satisfied that the plugs were all staying clean following my little pattern.

I went all out and plugged in all 8 plugs and cranked... the the damn bugger started like she had been running every day for the last month.

Now I just need to fine tune the idle.

I assume i went overboard on fogging oil? or maybe the oil jarred loose some sludge and it came to haunt me.

Thanks again for the assistance!!!

SSG James P. Hendrix
 
chandalen said:
SOLVED!!! I assume i went overboard on fogging oil? or maybe the oil jarred loose some sludge and it came to haunt me.
Click to expand...


glad you got it solved....if i were a betting man i'd bet this is exactly what happened....

cliff
 
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Glad it worked out a can per hole is quite a bit more than I would have used.

Make sure you change the oil, I'm sure a bunch of that starter fluid found it way past the pistons and into to crank case

Gary
 
I am very happy for you..... Come up, we will have a bourbon and celebrate (Sea Horse comes home in 2weeks)
 
If it were me, I would run it for a while right after I changed the oil. If this actually fixed your issue, you went WAY overboard with fogging oil. Still very strange.
 
I hate to say this but it would have probably started with just all new plugs!....Mike.
 
Hooray! I love to read threads like this. I learn so much from all the advice and trouble-shooting going on. And it's great when the original poster updates when it gets fixed and why.
 
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