ignition problem or fuel problem?

[wildmaninal]

I took my 1978 85hp out for the first time last weekend. I got the motor running (which didn't take long it seems to start easy), I went to throttle up and could not get past idle while in gear, sometimes it would die. A few weeks before I installed a new water pump, I did a spark test and had better then 7/16 spark on each coil. I did a spark test after taking the boat out on the lake and I had to run the spark tester nearly down to 1/4 to get any reading. I went to ohm the coils out and I couldn't get a reading on my volt meter (while set at 20k) I couldn't get a reading past .29 on each coil. The motor will throttle up in neutral. I did do a decarb on the motor before I took it out on the lake.

Shouldn't these readings be higher? I was thinking that I may have a faulty multi meter.

I took the carbs off and I am going to have them cleaned, I bought rebuild kits for them, so when I get them back I plan on rebuilding them. The carbs looked pretty good when I took them apart, I cleaned them last year (but not as far in depth last time) and the motor hasn't been running that much sense.

Is there a possiblity that my stator could be bad or that all 4 of my coils could be shot? Or should I rule out the ignition system. Could I of done something wrong when I put the lower unit back together?

[doug46]

I was told I have to change spark plugs after de-carbing, but it sounds like you know alot more about it than me.

[wildmaninal]

After I decarbed the motor I did check each plug and they still fire, when decarbing it doesn't mean that the plugs will automaticly foul, although it is possible. Some people have never had a plug foul after decarbing the motor. Most of the time (especially after I done mine) the plugs need to be cleaned.

I believe I'm going to check the timing base and see if that bloomed thing is sticking, after researching a bit, this could be my problem. I have already pulled the fly wheel and cleaned the stator up some, just got to go a little deeper. Won't hurt to check it out.

[Bassmeister]

Next time you take it out and it bogs push in on the choke, if it picks up suspect fuel if not suspect electrical.

[wildmaninal]

You know I can remember pushing on the choke at one point but I was doing that when I was trying to get it running on the water when it stalled out. I don't recall pushing on the choke when trying to throttle it up.

I looked at the "timing housing", the lever moves smoothly, I believe my motor is a bit newer then what I have been reading up on.

I know we pumped the bubble while trying to get it to go past idle and throttle up while in gear.

I hope to get the carbs back tomorrow and rebuild them and possibly do another test on the lake. I did buy new spark plugs just in case. I just hope I get this thing fixed tomorrow, if I can't test it tomorrow maybe I can test it the next day. Darn I forgot that I need to find a prop for my old trolling motor before I take the boat out.