The latest chapter:
Since my last post, the motor has been running great. The no start condition in my last post was caused by the injector harness not being plugged in all the way. Once I re-mated the connector - the motor fired right up.
I have been using the boat and still have a reoccurring issue that is reminiscent of the issue that started this thread in the first place.
The motor runs excellent, it starts, idles, and throttles up like a champ. I can run around at any RPM above 2000 all day without a hiccup. Has lots of power and runs like the clock. The issues start when I either idle for extended periods of time, or shut the motor off when hot. If I idle or troll for 5+ minutes, eventually the motor dies. I usually hear a change in sound and the motor dies over a period of about 10 seconds. Most of the time, the motor will re-start. To restart, I usually have to advance the throttle all the way. Once the motor re-starts, it does not want to idle and I have to rev it several times to keep it running in neutral. If I can then get it in gear without stalling and throttle up - it will run perfect until the next time I decide to stop and idle down. It will usually idle perfect for some time after a hard run, and then start acting up.
If after the motor dies, I do not restart it immediately and instead let it sit for some time (20 minutes for example)- the motor becomes very difficult to start. It turns over and over and does not catch. I have verified that while this is happening, there is spark and fuel pressure. Eventually the motor restarts (this can take another 20 minutes of trying to restart it every several minutes) and after revving the motor in neutral, I can get it in gear and going. Once throttle is applied, it gets the boat on plane and runs perfect.
This same scenario happens even if the motor does not die by itself, but rather I shut it off after reaching my fishing spot or the dock. It sits for 10 minutes, and then does not want to start.
I feel that for some reason, the motor is flooding. Perhaps the VST is overflowing into the intake? The last time I had the VST apart, I replaced the float and needle. Is there a way to screw that up?
The only other thing that comes to mind is over oiling. The motor seems to smoke quite a bit on restart after dying. Is there a way to check that? What can cause an intermittent over oiling condition?
Any thoughts or troubleshooting suggestions?
Mike