Rough Running '88 Prostar

[JimN]

Originally Posted by woobiedmd

I believe so. I spoke to Vince at Skidim, he told me to remove the bowl, turn it upside down and make the float parallel to the bottom. What I did notice was the cardboard gasket was dissolving/crumbling like wet paper. I believe it got sucked in/clogged something. I ordered a rebuilt Holley from National Carb for $230.00. It won't get here until next week but I feel confident that that will make the difference.Tell me about gas in the oil.

You don't want to run it with gas in the oil. The oil will break down and its ability to lubricate under load will be nil. Oil needs to maintain a film that stays between the surfaces in contact and when the gas dilutes the oil, this film can't be thick enough to do any good. The gas may clear out some gunk that's in there but if you run it with gas in the oil, you'll wear a lot of parts that shouldn't wear. Think cam, lifters, cam, bearings, etc. Also, any small leaks will become large leaks and some gaskets may break loose.

[WilliM1940]

That mangy gasket and sinking float I really think is an ethanol problem. It eats plastic, and the coating off the nitrophyl float. I have to overhaul once every two years. With ethanol percent slated to increase in gas, the problem is not going to go away even with your new carb. You might as well learn how to overhaul. I doubt if the gasket material let go into the bowl. At the end of the season, dump the fuel out of the carb at layup. Replace the bowl contents with avgas or kerosene, just dump it before the next season.

[TLR67]

There is a Filter in your Fuel Pump as well... Make sure you check that too...

[woobiedmd]

I know about the screen going into the carb and the filter on the water/fuel separator prior to the fuel pump- I've never heard of a filter in the actual fuel pump-what gives?

[rjracin240]

Originally Posted by woobiedmd

I just did it and no luck! Lots of gas pouring into the back 2 barrels. I put a call into national carburators for a rebuild for less than $300. It won't get here until next week so no boating for me this weekend.

Hope you dont get the carb I returned to them, cause it did not run worth a crap on my 88 190.

Been down your path earlier this year. If you bolt your new carb on and it dies instantly when going for the holeshot you got my old carb, send it back and buy a new one.

Advance Auto when you go online had the best deal I could find for a new Holley 4160.

[Jerseydave]

Hope you get it running good with that new carb.
I've had a lot of power valves go bad on my holley equipped truck in the past.
It does the same thing, drips gas right down the inside of the carb while at idle.

BTW, where do you ski? I'm on the Delaware river in Florence NJ. (I sent you a PM)

[woobiedmd]

I'm out of Chalfont- near Doylestown. We usually go down to the Bohemia river(upper Chesapeake). I would need your guidance to hit the Delaware- 3 years in a row-bent nonrepairable props, I just installed a depth finder. Now I will know how deep the water is when I hit my next log!

[rjracin240]

Just curious to know how yor progress is going towards getting your boat up and running?

[woobiedmd]

Thanks for checking. Still waiting for a rebuilt 4160 from National Carb. Ordered last Thursday, was supposed to ship out yesterday, now shipping "early next week". The guy said the marine section is swamped. I don't mind waiting as long as quality doesn't suffer. I'll keep my fingers crossed and will post with results.

[kjohnson]

I agree. I had the same problem on an older boat and the float was sticking and causing the engine to flood. Sounds more like a carb problem than a wiring problem.