--- Engine wont Idle ---

Between the engine replacement, replacing the tranny 2 times, and replacing the shaft packing, the good old nautique has spent more time in the shop than on the water since I've had it. This time its not too seriuos. The stupid thing just decides to idle sometimes and not idle others. Its got an old holly carb on it and we've adjusted the idle settings on it. It just boggs out really bad like half of the time. It does it really bad after we fill up with gas every time for some reason. The guy at the marine said that it could be moisture in the fuel tank. I don't know if that would be one of the reasons contributing to the old block cracking? Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

2 trannies? new engine? cracked blocked? holy shid

have you tried a fuel filter?

So is the problem only at idle? What does this mean, "It just boggs out really bad like half of the time."? That sounds like it happens at higher RPM's. When it stalls, is it a slow stall, or does it die from regular idle fast? How does it restart? How wide do you have to open the throttle to restart it? With the engine idling normally, how does it come off idle when the throttle is whacked open, and then opened slow? Has the carb or power valve been serviced recently? What about backfires through the carb, has one happened recently? As it the engine starts to die, can you save it with the throttle?

That is a blind start to checking the carb system, assuming that is where the "idle" problem lies.

ya i bet its water in the fuel. take the carb off and drain it into a clear container. i bet you see the water gas seperation (sp)

Thanks guys... Ill try to give a little more detail of the situation. The problem is only at idle and when putting it into gear. The engine never misses a beat and runs strong at medium to high rpm's.When in nuetral, I can hear when its about to die and I'm always able to save it by giving it some more gas. When you just put it into gear it will also bog out. I usually give it a little extra when its kicking into gear. And I havent experienced any backfiring exept for yesterday when I tried to pull a barefooter. I dropped the throttle all the way from a dead stop and it popped 2 times. And when starting the boat we always have to drop the throttle pretty far. You cant just turn the key and the boat idles on its own. I'm really unexperienced with carbs in general so I don't know if I just need to adjust one of the fuel or air screws? If this doesn't should I just bring it in? Thanks for the help guys!

Yup, try adjusting it first. Turn the two mixture screws in gently until they stop. Then turn them out about 3.5 turns. What ever adjustments you make from here keep them even from left to right. Start playing with it and at some point it should start purring. The idle speed screw has an impact on the mixture too, so every adjustment should be slow and checked for lean or rich conditions. Make sure to put it in and out of gear and test how it idles. Also rev it in and out of gear.

Lean conditions will cause a high idle that dies quickly. Rich mixtures will die slower.

Have fun...and if you can't get it dialed in, have the carb rebuilt.

Canister fuel filters are a must!