Newb needs help with Mariner, 40hp OB......

[floppychicken]

Hey all,

I having a couple issues with the throttle on my 16' Lowe. It's a 'center-left' type console (similar to that of a ZEBEC setup..) and the throttle doesn't seem to want to co-operate.

Issue:

Throttle slides forward but acceleration is only about 1/3 of the boats top end/speed. Boat will of course not "Plane out" and only does about 10 - 14 mph. Idle paddle needs to be 'FULLY' extended in order to get 'just enough' fuel for engine to start / idle.

When the cowling is removed from the engine (OB Mariner 40hp LSET) I am able to push the throttle mechanism forward, thus causing the boat to accelerate, Plane and attain it's top speed (around 30 - 35 mph) with no problems. However, once the throttle is backed off (even minutely) the boat returns to it's previous maximum speed of about 10 - 15 mph.
This seems to also affect the 'idle paddle' (I'm assuming the idle and throttle are 'co-linked'.) :mad2: This is especially frustrating on cold-starts where the engine has to be cranked over numerous times (warms up slowly from cranking) before idle can take place. If I have the cowling off and push gently on the throttle arm, the boat will start up first try, almost everytime.

Does this sound like a 'stretched throttle cable' ?

Anyone have a similar problem or suggestions as to how to fix this ?

Thanks very much,

/FC....

[barbless]

Try lubing the cable at both ends and all your linkage with some kind of lube that contains graphite. WD40 might do for now. That's a good place to start.

[Skidog]

If it is anything like my honda you should have two places for adjustment in your cables, one right at the throttle lincage inside the cowling and one inside the throttle handle assembely. Mine has two nuts on a treaded rod that is part of the cable at each end you can thread the nuts forward or back to adjust the amount of pull or tension in the cabel. This is used to keep your rpms in check eg. to tight and you will have a high idle and you will reach max rpm before you get to the end of your forward movement in the throttle handle. You have to make sure to use a lock nut or a nyloc to keep the adjustment from moving or loosening. May noy be the problem but it is an easy thing to check. Good luck.

[floppychicken]

Try lubing the cable at both ends and all your linkage with some kind of lube that contains graphite. WD40 might do for now. That's a good place to start.

I've got some graphite lube here... I'll try that.

Thanks,

FC..

[floppychicken]

If it is anything like my honda you should have two places for adjustment in your cables, one right at the throttle lincage inside the cowling and one inside the throttle handle assembely. Mine has two nuts on a treaded rod that is part of the cable at each end you can thread the nuts forward or back to adjust the amount of pull or tension in the cabel. This is used to keep your rpms in check eg. to tight and you will have a high idle and you will reach max rpm before you get to the end of your forward movement in the throttle handle. You have to make sure to use a lock nut or a nyloc to keep the adjustment from moving or loosening. May noy be the problem but it is an easy thing to check. Good luck.

OK, that's good to know ! I wasn't sure where to start looking, so that should help quite a bit.

Thanks,

/FC...

[ukrmaf]

are u sure u are pushing on the throttle and not one of the linkages coming from th egovernor or timing advance, my friends boat was doing the same thing may long, he thought streached throttle cable but it was one of the linkages that connect under the flywheel had come loose, i have been working on cars, boats bikes, pretty much anything with an engine and i have yet to see a streached throttle cable that caused the problems you are describing, double check all the linkages first of all. pm me if that doesnt help.

[floppychicken]

are u sure u are pushing on the throttle and not one of the linkages coming from th egovernor or timing advance, my friends boat was doing the same thing may long, he thought streached throttle cable but it was one of the linkages that connect under the flywheel had come loose, i have been working on cars, boats bikes, pretty much anything with an engine and i have yet to see a streached throttle cable that caused the problems you are describing, double check all the linkages first of all. pm me if that doesnt help.

Dang !

Good advice ! I was definitley pushing on some kind of linkage on the right side (as you look at it from inside the boat) of the engine and merely assumed it was the throttle. What you are saying makes a whole lotta' sense. Although I'm not very good with these engines and such (I was the kid that took the toaster apart and couldn't get it back together...), I will give that a try as well. I'll let you know how it goes !

[ukrmaf]

another thing to consider is the choke, u are saying that you have to keep the idle lever open all the way to start the motor, make sure your choke isnt staying engaged because you may actually be flooding the motor and by opening the idle up lever you are letting enough air in to start because there is too much fuel getting sucked in from the choke staying on, to check for this remove the airbox, its usually on the front of the engine mounted to the carbs, in there should be a butterfly valve that closes when you engage choke and opens almost/or fully when you disengage it if its staying closed that could also have been the rod you were moving that made it all of the sudden run well, hopefully this info gives you some things to consider and points you in the right direction, if your still having trouble and you are in the edmonton area call me i do mobile repairs on auto electronics but i tinker with other stuff too so i wouldnt mind giving you a hand, it would be much easier to figure out if i saw it, and i dont charge nowhere near what the dealers do, pay for gas and a case of beer or tip, if i can figure it out for you, 780-710-1762, paul.

[ukrmaf]

just realized your in cowtown, if you could email me pics of both sides of the engine front and back i could label some stuff for you and/or suggest a couple more things, its usually not that complicated. ukrmaf@hotmail.com

[floppychicken]

just realized your in cowtown, if you could email me pics of both sides of the engine front and back i could label some stuff for you and/or suggest a couple more things, its usually not that complicated. ukrmaf@hotmail.com

Hey there Paul,

Thanks very MUCH !

Good to know the above information and I don't mind hauling the boat around a bit if someone can fix it before I disassemble it like 'my Mom's toaster' !

Seriously though, thanks very much much for the advice. I'm going to attempt to have a whack at it tomorrow (today was a write off..) and with any luck, I'll have made some progress. I'll send some pics if I get stuck... Hell, I might send some before and after pics anyway !

Cheers,

/FC....

(AKA: Joe)

[floppychicken]

DOH !

Was gonna post and let ya know I fixed her ! But I didn't...:cry:

Took the throttle apart, lubed everything up, fixed a broken ignition switch and messed with the set screws at the engine.... Worked great but now I have FULL THROTTLE and good RPM (good..) but once I bring the throttle back, the boat idles WAAAAY too fast (bad..) and then I have to remove the cowling and push back on the rod / Idle arm. It seems I've traded one issue for another ! There must be a happy medium in there somewhere....
Anyway, after looking at that throttle assembly, my assumption is that it's going to need replacing SOONER than later....

So I'm looking for someone that can do this work for me (preferably while I'm away.....). I'm in Calgary, so it would help if you were within reasonable driving distance although, I'm certainly willing to drop it off just about anywhere if it can be done while I'm gone.. (July 12 - 23)

Cheers,

/FC....

[PlayDoh]

At the top of the part that rotates as you throttle, there are two grease nipples, give them sum grease. There is a set screw for idle, and advance, adjust your idle. You need to loosen the nut(s) then adjust the screw.

I might be able to fix it for you actually, if you can't get it. I've become familiar with Merc engines to some degree, and it sounds like its just a matter of adjustment. I wont know for a day or two though.

I'd try to adjust the cable at the motor if I was going to try that route, but I'd try to find out how the problem started first. A throttle cable isn't going to put itself too far out by itself, so I would give the screws a blast of primer or mark their positions first.

Take a couple pictures of the motor with the cowling off, if you could. You should have 2 cables, one is for your gear/lower-leg, and the other is the throttle. Both work in unison, and through the linkage move the 'dynamo' I believe its called. Part that rotates.

Check out Iboats, they have a merc/mariner section with a thousand old Q&A's, and Marine helpers. http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=25