Well just a quick update here. Put the new coil on yesterday, put new
spark-plugs, wires, distributer cap and rotor (electronic ignition) on
today, and set the timing. We just got in from the sea trial and it ran
perfectly. The ocean is still kinda crappy, so we didn't go very far, a
couple of miles to the north and then ran back down. I pushed that engine
harder just to TRY to make it fail and it ran perfect.

Sooooo, I am hopeful that the problem is now solved and closed. Time will
tell for sure. After the wind and seas settle back down, will get it out for
a better trial.

Granted, the problem generally didn't occure real early into a trip, so
we'll just have to wait and see when things calm down offshore.

"Nancy" wrote in message
...
Quick update

Irritating!! Even after replacing the filter in the carborator the
problem
is still there and acts exactly the same... Port engine runs great for the
first several hours, then it starts cutting out as if it's not getting
enough fuel. This time I know I had enough fuel in the tank, so I know
it's
not related to that. Out of a 100 Gal tank, I added 20 gallons when the
problem started up, and it continued once we were back under-way. Fueled
up
right away and it only took another 35 gallsns, so I'm sure it's not
related
to the amount in the tank.

Have had a couple of people suggesting possibly the coil or other ignition
parts. I guess that may be the next thing to try, a complete tune-up and
see if that takes care of it.

Any other ideas?

Thanks
Nancy

"Nancy" no-spam.ask.me.and.we.can.talk.com wrote in message
...
Hi all,

First I must apologize for my abrupt leaving a couple of weeks ago. I
was
under a lot of stressors in life, and just let too many things get to
me.

Now, onto the problem of my boat.

Boat is a 30' Sportcraft with twin 350 inboards.
Both engines start up and run perfectly with no problems. Have been out
salmon trolling all day (at idle speeds), come in and had no problems.
This
past weekend I went out on a long range tuna hunt. (got 24 albacore off
of
the Oregon coast, but that's another story. :-) ) Boat ran great going
out, trolled at 6-9kts all day. On the way back in however, after a
quick
refuel (carried 40 gal. of gas in cans), about 24 miles offshore, the
port
engine began cutting out and stalling. Ended up coming in on one leg
basically, with the port engine at idle speed only at best.

I figured the problem was some crap in the fuel filter, so changed that
out,
and a few days later went out and did a short 15-20 minute trial run to
test
it...problem seemingly solved, engine ran at full speed with no
problems.

Yesterday, I take some friends back out to the tuna grounds (only got 21
fish, but were not out as long either :-D ). Both engines run
perfectly,
troll a good portion of the day and running back in the port engine
begins
cutting out again. I found that I could shut it down, let it sit for a
few
minutes running on just the starboard engine, and then restart it and it
would run for a minute or two again then stall out again. It acts like
it's
running out of gas. No sputtering, no smoke, not hot, just cuts out.

Both engines run off the same gas tank, the tank is built into the
transom
and I've not visually inspected it yet (not sure I can get access to it
with
any ease at all). But if it were a problem with the gas, or the tank,
it
should be in both engines I would think. If it were a problem with the
engine only when it's warm, I would think running it for even 30-40
minutes
at speed would get it warm enough to present the problem. I took it out
today on the water and it ran perfectly for about 45 minutes. The ONLY
thing I've done is gas it up yesterday when we got back into port.

I have no real clue what to check next. It SEEMS to present when the
fuel
tank gets down to a certain level, but without running it all day, to
run
it
down again, I have no real way to check that again...

Any ideas or suggestions of what to look for next? Carborator? Fuel
Pump?

Thanks much for any suggestions anyone could offer up.

Nancy