What should the RPM be at idle with a 3.0

[StanKromfols]

I recently purchased a 2002 176 Bow Rider with the 3.0 engine, and took it out for the first time today. I can't seem to find what the idle RPM should be. Mine is almost 2,000 RPM and that seems very high. Also open throttle seems to be 5,000 RPM. Does that sound right?

Any information would be appreciated because I can find nothing about this in the owners manual for the boat, the outdrive or the engine.

 

[scoflaw]

Your tack is probably inaccurate. If it was 2K RPM you wouldn't even be able to shift it without it getting ugly

 

[Skybolt]

I recently purchased a 2002 176 Bow Rider with the 3.0 engine, and took it out for the first time today. I can't seem to find what the idle RPM should be. Mine is almost 2,000 RPM and that seems very high. Also open throttle seems to be 5,000 RPM. Does that sound right?

Any information would be appreciated because I can find nothing about this in the owners manual for the boat, the outdrive or the engine.

When there is a bad ground the tach can sometimes float at around that number or it is just bad. But to answer your question ~500-600 is a good number.

 

[Nater Potater]

Once you get the tach issue figured out, the engine should idle around 700-750 in neutral, then hold 600-650 in gear (in the water, of course).

 

[Bill Curtis]

It the tach is suspect, there is a little potentiometer on the back to adjust for 4-6-8 Cyl. Those contacts in it crap up sometimes. Just take a small screwdriver and move it from 4 to 8 a few times and that miraculously "fixes" them 90% o0f the time

 

[aerobat77]

But to answer your question ~500-600 is a good number.

I had a volvo penta 3.0 and an idle setting around 500-600 would result in the engine stalling when put in gear . When memory serves my engine was happy at ~800 in neutral and ~700 in gear.

 

[Skybolt]

I had a volvo penta 3.0 and an idle setting around 500-600 would result in the engine stalling when put in gear . When memory serves my engine was happy at ~800 in neutral and ~700 in gear.

That's because the shift cut-out was not working correctly. ~550 is the correct idle when things are working correctly.

 

[scoflaw]

Shift interrupt is not in play going from neutral to in gear, it woks when shifting out of gear.

 

[StanKromfols]

Thanks to everyone for your information. I'll see if I can get the tach working correctly, then start looking at the speedometer. The boat has been very well maintained, but obviously the guages were neglected.

 

[Skybolt]

Shift interrupt is not in play going from neutral to in gear, it woks when shifting out of gear.

Earlier OMC and Merc went both ways. It was a switch on an pivoting arm. Sorry been with inboards since that time frame. My bad.