I have a 1988 SeaRay 18 OB with a 135 HP Mercury (SeaRay) V6 outboard.
I purchased the boat new and except for a stator going bad a few years
ago it has run fine. We used to do alot of skiing and it would always
pull a skier out of the water with no problem. Last weekend I tried
pulling a few skiers and the boat had a very difficult time getting
them out of the water. The boat seems to idle fine, normal
acceleration seems fine, top end seems fine, but the engine seemed to
have no power when pulling a skier out of the water. I had a new set
of plugs with me so I replaced the plugs but it made no difference.

I checked the compression last night and found all the cylinders to be
between 90 and 100 PSI. The plugs all looked ok.

Would anyone have any suggestions as to what I could possibly look
for, or where to start the trouble shooting process?

Thanks

In article ,
says...

I have a 1988 SeaRay 18 OB with a 135 HP Mercury (SeaRay) V6 outboard.
I purchased the boat new and except for a stator going bad a few years
ago it has run fine. We used to do alot of skiing and it would always
pull a skier out of the water with no problem. Last weekend I tried
pulling a few skiers and the boat had a very difficult time getting
them out of the water. The boat seems to idle fine, normal
acceleration seems fine, top end seems fine, but the engine seemed to
have no power when pulling a skier out of the water. I had a new set
of plugs with me so I replaced the plugs but it made no difference.

I checked the compression last night and found all the cylinders to be
between 90 and 100 PSI. The plugs all looked ok.

Would anyone have any suggestions as to what I could possibly look
for, or where to start the trouble shooting process?

Thanks

Yeah.. try less skiers you are creating a TON of drag. Skiers are like a
Parachute for a Dragster. you keep the chute out try to do a 1/4 mile in your
normal 4's and 5's you'll end up doing 15's and 135 v-6? But if you MUST tow
4 skiers. try a differnt Prop. if it works dont' forget to change it when you
go to a single skier or just running around cuz if you do WOT you'll here a
Bang then a snort then smoke then splash splash splash.. thats the sound of
your Oars paddling you back to shore..

Sorry that my post was not very clear. I was only trying to pull one
skier at a time, which had never been a problem in the past.

(Mikkilla) wrote in message ...
In article ,
says...

I have a 1988 SeaRay 18 OB with a 135 HP Mercury (SeaRay) V6 outboard.
I purchased the boat new and except for a stator going bad a few years
ago it has run fine. We used to do alot of skiing and it would always
pull a skier out of the water with no problem. Last weekend I tried
pulling a few skiers and the boat had a very difficult time getting
them out of the water. The boat seems to idle fine, normal
acceleration seems fine, top end seems fine, but the engine seemed to
have no power when pulling a skier out of the water. I had a new set
of plugs with me so I replaced the plugs but it made no difference.

I checked the compression last night and found all the cylinders to be
between 90 and 100 PSI. The plugs all looked ok.

Would anyone have any suggestions as to what I could possibly look
for, or where to start the trouble shooting process?

Thanks

Yeah.. try less skiers you are creating a TON of drag. Skiers are like a
Parachute for a Dragster. you keep the chute out try to do a 1/4 mile in your
normal 4's and 5's you'll end up doing 15's and 135 v-6? But if you MUST tow
4 skiers. try a differnt Prop. if it works dont' forget to change it when you
go to a single skier or just running around cuz if you do WOT you'll here a
Bang then a snort then smoke then splash splash splash.. thats the sound of
your Oars paddling you back to shore..

In article ,
says...

Sorry that my post was not very clear. I was only trying to pull one
skier at a time, which had never been a problem in the past.

Woops.. lol my bad.. hmm. didn't have a prop rebuilt did you? What are your Max
Rpms when towing with and then with out a skier check your Cap and rotor for
build up that could do it really quick too. and you might be losing the stator
again in it.on the highspeed side pick up. is the boat trailerd or does it
spend most of its time in the water?? look for that nasty Marine growth if
so.

Hook up a timing light to each plug wire to see if they are ALL firing. If
not, you have an ignition problem. If they are all firing you have a carb
problem.

Bill

In article , says...

Hook up a timing light to each plug wire to see if they are ALL firing. If
not, you have an ignition problem. If they are all firing you have a carb
problem.

Bill


Just cuz the light goes blink blink don't mean the Highspeed side of the
Switchbox/cdi/ brain / who cares.. Is working right It only happens when he
trys to pull a skier out of the water no while out and about with out a skier.