2017 Scarab 165G Motor Issue

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

ok sounds like it is starving for air or it has water in the fuel so see if you can check what I said previously

 

[globaldude]

Just for s**ts & giggles, I replaced all three plugs and poured some HEET fuel treatment in the tank. like always, it cranks just fine. Now I need to drag it back to the water to see if anything has changed.

One thing I didn't mention earlier. It may or may not be related to my problem but towards the end of last year, I ran it out of fuel. The previous owner failed to tell me the fuel gauge was stuck showing a full tank. Buyer beware...right?

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I think you may have discovered the issue low fuel possibly stale as well and I would still check out that small air filter it may be dirty and you also may have had some water in the tank

 

[globaldude]

Which (air) filter? The only filter I know of is the fuel filter in the pump or is there another?

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

He means the big red one on the side of the engine. They don't usually get dirty but since you don't know the history of the boat, check it for sure.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

Actually, re reading, I'm not sure what he means. Implying an air filter on the tank.... but there isn't one.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

the round purple one at the top center of the picture. make sure it is no clogged.

 

[globaldude]

Got it. Thanks. I'll keep chasing this gremlin until one of us wears out.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

Btw, how did the old plugs look?

 

[globaldude]

Not bad

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

What color were the ends of the plugs

 

[globaldude]

Mostly light brown with a little hint of black

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Mostly light brown with a little hint of black

ok so no silver color and that is good now you need to run the engine with the filter first and if it still runs poorly try without the air filter and see if that works better.

 

[Joatmon]

I agree you should change the spark plugs. I experienced the same engine issues and went through all the scenarios you did. Bad spark plugs were the culprit. They may look ok but after changing all was good.

 

[globaldude]

It'll probably be next week before I can get it back in the water to test. You guys have been awesome. I appreciate your help. Hopefully I'll soon be gremlin free.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

How many hours are on the engine? and are any of your hoses leaking water it looks like signs of water leaking on the front of the engine , also I would check on the fuel pump pressure and all the main ground wire connections to the engine block should be unbolted and cleaned then reattached. negative connections corrode bad if water gets on them ,looking at the picture it may have some loose hose clamps. And any leaking hose clamp can be an issue plus any leak in the exhaust is bad.

 

[globaldude]

How many hours are on the engine? and are any of your hoses leaking water it looks like signs of water leaking on the front of the engine , also I would check on the fuel pump pressure and all the main ground wire connections to the engine block should be unbolted and cleaned then reattached. negative connections corrode bad if water gets on them ,looking at the picture it may have some loose hose clamps. And any leaking hose clamp can be an issue plus any leak in the exhaust is bad.

The engine has 54 hours. There are no obvious hose leaks but I'll recheck. I thought about fuel pressure being the culprit just not sure how to check pressure. I've cleaned the filter; just waiting for it to dry to recharge it. It wasn't very dirty.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

ok I see possible issues, also that low of hours in 7 years is leading me to suspect the fuel quality again I see boats loose power if they just sit 1 winter with low fuel and your tank is not sealed so moisture gets in the vent and can condense in the tank Also clean the grounds and try removing the air filter just to see if it runs better without it just as a test and any rust on the clamps I would replace them with good ones , one loose hose can sink your boat.

 

[globaldude]

I bought the boat in Feb 2023 with 48 hours on a consignment sale so there was no interaction with the owner. No doubt it sat unused for extended periods of time. The only thing is it ran just fine up until this past Jan.

 

[globaldude]

View attachment 215707 ok I see possible issues, also that low of hours in 7 years is leading me to suspect the fuel quality again I see boats loose power if they just sit 1 winter with low fuel and your tank is not sealed so moisture gets in the vent and can condense in the tank Also clean the grounds and try removing the air filter just to see if it runs better without it just as a test and any rust on the clamps I would replace them with good ones , one loose hose can sink your boat.

There's no leaks anywhere. I believe your arrows are pointing out how certain metal parts react to exposure to the Florida air. The boat was near Orlando and my place is about 12 miles from the Atlantic.