Any good boat mech on here?????

[G..]

I have a 97 Johnson 130 on a Cajun f/s. I have had a wierd problem ever since I bought the boat 6 years ago. The boat will run. It wont hold a idle. It dies erratically for no reason. Sometimes it will idle and troll for 10-15-30 min. sometimes it wont run longer than a few sec or worse wont start. It runs awesome anything past idle and troll. It will run around 55 on smooth water with not a single hiccup.
Here is the problem. Over the course of the last 4 years in has spent 3&1/2 years at the boat shop with a well known boat mech. He swears everytime I get it back its fixed. Its not. It will run on a hose and idle all day. Just not in the water at a lake. He swears he takes it to the lake and tries but there is no way he does cause he would know right away its not fixed. I am looking for someone to go with me to lake and tool around and try to diagnose/ fix the problem. I will not pay unless its fixed and runs as it should. Anyone know anyone or recommend anyone. I have been told that B.P wont work on it cause it carb and not inj and they cant use a comp on it. I need I think a old school boat mech.

[openroadracer]

a lot of times boat shops will give jobs like this to their younger mechanics that don't know what they are doing.

where do you live? i was a boat mechanic in the 1980's. i bet i can get it running for you. the reason it runs well on a hose is because there is no load on the motor.

those boat motors are simple. compression, ignition and fuel are the 3 main things to look at.

we ALWAYS first thing ran a compression check. all cyl's need to be within 10 pounds of each other. it sounds like the powerpacks are fine, so if the compression is fine, then it only points to the carbs.

a 97 130 should have two 2 BBL carbs. it sounds like a simple rebuild is all you need. you will probably only need a couple of rebuild kits. also, there is a special plastic seal that you need to dig out with a barbed fish hook that most people overlook.

[krazy kris]

x2 on the carbs or it may be a vacuum leak somewhere

[G..]

a lot of times boat shops will give jobs like this to their younger mechanics that don't know what they are doing.

where do you live? i was a boat mechanic in the 1980's. i bet i can get it running for you. the reason it runs well on a hose is because there is no load on the motor.

those boat motors are simple. compression, ignition and fuel are the 3 main things to look at.

we ALWAYS first thing ran a compression check. all cyl's need to be within 10 pounds of each other. it sounds like the powerpacks are fine, so if the compression is fine, then it only points to the carbs.

a 97 130 should have two 2 BBL carbs. it sounds like a simple rebuild is all you need. you will probably only need a couple of rebuild kits. also, there is a special plastic seal that you need to dig out with a barbed fish hook that most people overlook.

he is a older guy in a one man boat shop. He has rebuilt carbs twice, and the compression test was good. When it dies it normally 'sneezes' then dies. Last round he thought it was running lean so he blanked the jets. But it still acts up. I would be more than willing to let you try if you want. I live in rockwall area.

[Racewerx]

You may have a blocked or restricted exaust,due to carbon.So try a shock decarb treatment, and re-test the compression. If it improves, you may have fixed it, by opening up the exaust, or un-sticking a stuck ring. Openroad is right about it having to be under load to test conditions. I am in Rowlett send a me a pm if you would like to get together and we can check it out.

[openroadracer]

he is a older guy in a one man boat shop. He has rebuilt carbs twice, and the compression test was good. When it dies it normally 'sneezes' then dies. Last round he thought it was running lean so he blanked the jets. But it still acts up. I would be more than willing to let you try if you want. I live in rockwall area.

i bet that between me and dave (racewerx) we can get it fixed up.

PM dave and you guys work out the details. he will text me the arrangements.

i'm not on here as much and can't check back here.

[Magnimike1]

You may have a blocked or restricted exaust,due to carbon.So try a shock decarb treatment, and re-test the compression. If it improves, you may have fixed it, by opening up the exaust, or un-sticking a stuck ring. Openroad is right about it having to be under load to test conditions. I am in Rowlett send a me a pm if you would like to get together and we can check it out.

That is what I thought. Exhaust.