Hello,

I have an '88 Supra with a PCM Ford 351-Windsor engine.

I've been having problems with the engine in my boat for a few years.
For the first 20-30 minutes in the water, the thing runs like doo-doo.
It spits & sputters and barely gets on plane. After a while, the
engine gradually smoothes out. Eventually, the thing runs fine. I've
tried many things, including replacing the coil, replacing the points
with an electronic unit, replacing the fuel filter, and checking the
fuel pump.

I tried starting the boat for the first time since November. Now it
won't start at all. Instead, fluid is being spit out of the carb.
Also, while cranking, smoke (exhaust?) is coming out of the exhaust.
Occasionally it tries to fire up, but just spits a lot of fluid (gas?)
out.

Does anyone have any ideas what's wrong?

Thanks,

Donald

wrote:
Hello,

I have an '88 Supra with a PCM Ford 351-Windsor engine.

I've been having problems with the engine in my boat for a few years.
For the first 20-30 minutes in the water, the thing runs like doo-doo.
It spits & sputters and barely gets on plane. After a while, the
engine gradually smoothes out. Eventually, the thing runs fine. I've
tried many things, including replacing the coil, replacing the points
with an electronic unit, replacing the fuel filter, and checking the
fuel pump.

I tried starting the boat for the first time since November. Now it
won't start at all. Instead, fluid is being spit out of the carb.
Also, while cranking, smoke (exhaust?) is coming out of the exhaust.
Occasionally it tries to fire up, but just spits a lot of fluid (gas?)
out.

Does anyone have any ideas what's wrong?

Thanks,

Donald

Could be a timing issue. Check ignition timing, and cam timing (timing
chain)

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,

I have an '88 Supra with a PCM Ford 351-Windsor engine.

I've been having problems with the engine in my boat for a few years.
For the first 20-30 minutes in the water, the thing runs like doo-doo.
It spits & sputters and barely gets on plane. After a while, the
engine gradually smoothes out. Eventually, the thing runs fine. I've
tried many things, including replacing the coil, replacing the points
with an electronic unit, replacing the fuel filter, and checking the
fuel pump.

I tried starting the boat for the first time since November. Now it
won't start at all. Instead, fluid is being spit out of the carb.
Also, while cranking, smoke (exhaust?) is coming out of the exhaust.
Occasionally it tries to fire up, but just spits a lot of fluid (gas?)
out.

Does anyone have any ideas what's wrong?

Thanks,

Donald

Do a compression test first...make sure the engine is sound.

Your new distributor should NOT have a vacumm advance.

Make sure your timing is set correctly.

And it could be loading up. You may need a carb rebuild.

--
-Netsock

"It's just about going fast...that's all..."
http://home.columbus.rr.com/ckg/

On 15 Jun 2005 12:18:03 -0700, wrote:

Hello,

I have an '88 Supra with a PCM Ford 351-Windsor engine.

I've been having problems with the engine in my boat for a few years.
For the first 20-30 minutes in the water, the thing runs like doo-doo.
It spits & sputters and barely gets on plane. After a while, the
engine gradually smoothes out. Eventually, the thing runs fine. I've
tried many things, including replacing the coil, replacing the points
with an electronic unit, replacing the fuel filter, and checking the
fuel pump.

I tried starting the boat for the first time since November. Now it
won't start at all. Instead, fluid is being spit out of the carb.
Also, while cranking, smoke (exhaust?) is coming out of the exhaust.
Occasionally it tries to fire up, but just spits a lot of fluid (gas?)
out.

Does anyone have any ideas what's wrong?

Wires, compression, timing, timing chain, stuck valve, leaking head
gasket, carb jets stuck, carb rebuild - in that order.

Later,

Tom

wrote:
I didn't see plug wires on the list

He said there was gas spitting up from the carb. Plug wires wouldn't
make it do that.

I had a tune-up done on it about a year ago. That included plugs, plug
wires, distributor cap, and rotor. Years ago, I bought a kit that
replaces points with an electronic unit. It doesn't replace the
distributor, just the points.

I bought a Holley carb kit and rebuilt it yesterday. No help.

Probably 6 years ago, the fresh water pump's impeller basically fell
apart. The boat overheated to the point that smoke was billowing out
the exhaust. I can't remember exactly when it started running bad, but
it was sometime after that happened (maybe the next summer). I'd think
if I had hurt a head gasket or warped a head, I'd have had problems
soon after the time I overheated it, not a year later.

I have checked the timing numerous times (maybe once per year). I
can't check it now because I can't get it started.

During the time I've been having problems with it, while running in the
driveway the boat "lopes" like it has a big cam in it. I've been told
that's an indication of a vacuum leak. That, combined with how it runs
when cold, combined with how it's now blowing fuel & exhaust out the
carb make friends of mine think its a head or head gasket problem. But
there's not water in the oil. Could this still be my issue?

I had a tune-up done on it about a year ago. That included plugs, plug
wires, distributor cap, and rotor. Years ago, I bought a kit that
replaces points with an electronic unit. It doesn't replace the
distributor, just the points.

I bought a Holley carb kit and rebuilt it yesterday. No help.

Probably 6 years ago, the fresh water pump's impeller basically fell
apart. The boat overheated to the point that smoke was billowing out
the exhaust. I can't remember exactly when it started running bad, but
it was sometime after that happened (maybe the next summer). I'd think
if I had hurt a head gasket or warped a head, I'd have had problems
soon after the time I overheated it, not a year later.

I have checked the timing numerous times (maybe once per year). I
can't check it now because I can't get it started.

During the time I've been having problems with it, while running in the
driveway the boat "lopes" like it has a big cam in it. I've been told
that's an indication of a vacuum leak. That, combined with how it runs
when cold, combined with how it's now blowing fuel & exhaust out the
carb make friends of mine think its a head or head gasket problem. But
there's not water in the oil. Could this still be my issue?

Yes it would if they are cross-firing.

wrote in message
oups.com...


wrote:
I didn't see plug wires on the list

He said there was gas spitting up from the carb. Plug wires wouldn't
make it do that.

You got to do the basics first:
compression and cylinder leakdown test
check camshaft timing, chain maybe worn out and jumped.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,

I have an '88 Supra with a PCM Ford 351-Windsor engine.

I've been having problems with the engine in my boat for a few years.
For the first 20-30 minutes in the water, the thing runs like doo-doo.
It spits & sputters and barely gets on plane. After a while, the
engine gradually smoothes out. Eventually, the thing runs fine. I've
tried many things, including replacing the coil, replacing the points
with an electronic unit, replacing the fuel filter, and checking the
fuel pump.

I tried starting the boat for the first time since November. Now it
won't start at all. Instead, fluid is being spit out of the carb.
Also, while cranking, smoke (exhaust?) is coming out of the exhaust.
Occasionally it tries to fire up, but just spits a lot of fluid (gas?)
out.

Does anyone have any ideas what's wrong?

Thanks,

Donald

Netsock wrote:



Do a compression test first...make sure the engine is sound.

Your new distributor should NOT have a vacumm advance.

What new distributor?

Rob