Here's the deal..... Got a new 2054 Breaux Bateau and hung my old motor. Its a 36 PD with 65 hours with evt heads & intake, mikuni carb, hopkins exhaust and evt cam. Had a nearly new (7hrs) 12x14 hopkins cleaver on there and could barely get 18-20 mph at 3500 rpms in deep water with a very light load. Since I bought the prop used, I thought maybe it was the culprit. I put on an old worn out stock wheel and only gained 200 rpms and no speed difference. I was getting 4100 rpms on my motor stock with this prop before mods.

I also noticed that when I put the motor in gear it wants to die unless I'm on the throttle before I engage the clutch. The motor also is sputtering a little at WOT and I am getting an occasional backfire thru the carb/exhuast.

I'v checked the following: Wires/connections look ok, compression ok, plugs look ok. new fuel filter, getting fuel ok, etc.
The key is sheared, but the keyway is lined up for stock timing. It bumps the rev lmter in nuetral.

Any ideas??????

Check you main jet on your carb. Might have some trash in it

Main jet looks fine. Problems started after I put in the cam. I'm wondering if it could be the problem????

One way to check, pull the valve covers and turn the engine over with the kill switch pulled so the engine wont start, and watch the rockers to see if they are lifting or not.

Checked it...... All 4 rockers are moving and appear to have full travel.

I don't what the hell to think now????

Did you index the cam to the crank.

I had a evt cam fail at one hour on the water. It ran well for a 1/2 hour and started losing rpm before breaking.

I hope thats not your problem, find the problem if other than the cam before you push it to failure.

Did you pull fly wheel with cam change.
Ck for a sheared key, if offset to advance make sure you put it in right.

Throw it back on the old boat if you can, to see if boat related.

Is the boat's transom set up for a pro drive. Is the lower unit plowing.

JD

Your timing is off. There is a dot on the cam gear and on the crank they have to be set across from each other. Pull her down and set it up right.

JD

I suspect timing too.

How could the key be 'sheared'? I thought the key is only for alignment, the bolt holds it on (i.e. have to use a puller to get it off). If the timing key 'sheared' the flywheel moved?

Start the engine and pull one wire at a time and see if you get a real change on one side . If you pull a wire and nothing happens it most likely is not working. You should get a drop in rpm. If you pull a wire and it dies ,that one is working and the other one is not. If you have a lawn more shop near by they sell a spark plug with clip that you clip to the plug on the motor and you can see the spark.


JD

And you set the clearance for the coils OK too after you pulled the flywheel?

Like JD said- you can check at the plug wires. If you are having problems there, then take off the cowling and pull the kill wires off the coils (ones with the diodes) one at a time to ensure one of them isn't grounding you out and causing it not to fire. Run it and use your choke to kill it. Be careful with the fan (obviously- don't want to end up as 'Half-Finger Throttle').

Change out the key!!! before installing the new one get some valve compound and lap in the fly wheel to the crank just a little goes a long way.
Don't not hold the fly wheel by hand and spin the crank with the starter.

Just put the compound on the crank with out a key in place and spin the flywheel by hand. Check scratch pattern to see how they mate up.

JD

Do you actually have to use the key? Or can you just eyeball it? The reason I ask is those advanced keys are a real PITA to get put in right...

Are you pulling my chain or what.

You have to use a key, the placement of the flywheel on the crank fires the coils, The key times it at the right time in the piston stroke.

The cam timing is set on that relationship. With out that key the coils could fire too late or with one or two valves open, or too early causing damage . Just a couple of degrees make a big difference!

JD

You do not leave the valve grinding compound on the crank once you clean up the fit.

You need to find the air gap in the manual or on line . Use a brass feeler gage to set the air gap as the magnet pass under each leg of the coil.


I am starting to think you are pulling my leg.

JD

Get an envelope or a thicker type of paper, and use that as a feeler gauge.

Least that is the way I have always done it.

Yes, set one coil, tighten it down then set the other coil.

ROtate flywheel by hand and check it again. Good to go.

There you go.

Perfect solution.

I usually use a piece of box that what ever parts come in but that is about the same thing.

I just reread your 1st post. Did you take a pd that had been modded out and running good off a old boat and move it over to a new boat.

Or did you pull your motor go stage 2 and move it over to a new boat?

You have some set up issue with the motor, but the boat change at the same time adds a new set of problems. Did the boat builder set the transom up for a PD and are you running a tall transom motor on a tall
transom.

When you set the air gap for the coils each coil has two leg. You set each leg to the "magnet" that is located on the flywheel

Make sure you take that valve grinding compound off the crank and fly wheel.

JD
JD

Cam and timing issues will make it run like shit.

Try it now, and I bet you get a much better result.

Went and ran the boat, really thought I had fixed the problem. Put the newer 12x14 hopkins prop and could only get 3100 rpms and 16 mph with a light load.

I'm beginning to wonder if it is not the transom height or angle. I looked back while driving and it appeared as if the whole Lower Unit was maybe plowing. Its a tall transom motor and the transom measures 20.5 to 21". Do these pics look like I'm set up right?????

Put an angle gauge on the transom and see what the angle is.

What river said... level the bottom of your boat first, then stick a gauge on the transom. Then see what it says.

Adam
You dont have alot of weightin the front do you? If i dont have any weight in the back when my tank is full i get close to your results.

My 1214 likes to be trimed way up. To the point you have to hold it on your leg to get max speed. But if you want some low end grunt run it the same as a stock. If you trim it up to get your RPM up we might see some speed change.

If you can only get 3100 out of it trimed up you got other issues. If you are getting 4600 out of water the only other limiting factors are your boat or prop. If i ever get my rig back ill give you a call and we can go runem side by side.

Did u take the coils completely off or just slide em' up? Reason I ask is that the coils are directional and have to be facing the right way or symptons similar to yours will occur. The coils actually say "this side out" on them!

Don't ask me how I know this LOL!

Good Luck

I appreciate yalls help.....

James, my gas tank is up front with 8-10 gallons of fuel. Do you have your motor? I could run that way and hang your motor on my boat and see how it runs if you wouldn't mind. I'll buy the beer!

Coon, I just slid the coils back, didn't remove them. I can see where it says this side out.....

Where can i buy a digital angle gauge?

I sent a build sheet to brother stating that I was putting a PD 36 long shaft on the boat. I also told him verbally 3 or 4 times. When I picked up the boat, he asked me "What motor are you putting on here again??".

That's what has me wondering......

I doubt the problem is transom height or angle. From the pics the motor looks "normal".

I've got a stock 36 we can slap on there and see how it runs.

Man I sure hope you get your problem worked out.

Dont have it yet its down south gettn a little mowgo........ its been gone for a LONG time now so it should be finished up soon.

When i get it we can slap that puppy on and let it fly.

Im not a motor head, but could you posably have a bad cam? without a load on the motor you might posably still bump 4600 rpm if you have just enough movement in you rockers. IDK just an idea.

Later
James