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Thread: Chomping at the bit for maiden voyage

  1. #1
    Member fox river rat's Avatar
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    Chomping at the bit for maiden voyage

    Brought a hull with rigging back from Florida in December of 2010. Built an adapter for a rotax 447 I owned, set up new tach, exhaust gauges and prop. I was ready for my maiden voyage, pop the cherry red Rotax 447 (mounted on mini 105) and hit the river. Engine sounded great, prop dialed in to keep it just a tad over 6500 rpm at full throttle. 2 weeks later, started the engine to warm up before driving over to the river launch area and the engine slowed from high rpm to max out at 3500. Turned it off, checked things over. Started getting harder to start.

    Shortened hoses between fuel tank and pump, seemed to be drawing fuel ok, filter clean, but didn't seem to be getting enough fuel to maintain high revs. @#$%^&It WAS running good 2 weeks earlier when I was adjusting the prop!

    Checked jets all around. Looks good, clean. No way I was heading out with the river running fast from rain with fickle engine.

    So I decided to try and get it running again and just let it run on the trailer. See if it would clear itself out. Then the pull start spring broke. $%^&*#

    I need some encouragement to get back into this.

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    Don't give up. You will have a lot of fun when you get it going

    Steve

  3. #3
    Senior Geezer buster's Avatar
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    Been there, done that, just keep at it and when you least expect it all will go well. At least that's what I tell myself, and sometimes it really works that way.

    Hang in there, it'll get better,
    Dave
    IF YOU WON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS, THEN JUST STAND IN FRONT OF THEM!

  4. #4
    Member fox river rat's Avatar
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    Thanks guys. I just need to take a few days off. Can't wait to be able to post some action shots.

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    Administrator Papee's Avatar
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    I've been there a few times most recently replacing my magneto. Check that thread out if you want to feel better. A good day on the water takes all that frustration away quick. The first time you feel the wind blowing through your hair makes it all worthwhile.

    Disclaimer: This was not meant to belittle all you OLDER folks with no hair. I may be old too but my hat covers most of the shiny spot.
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  6. #6
    Senior Geezer buster's Avatar
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    Papee,

    No offense taken, I've got a hat like that also

    Dave
    IF YOU WON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS, THEN JUST STAND IN FRONT OF THEM!

  7. #7
    Member fox river rat's Avatar
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    Took the recoil apart last night and, with help from google, got it back together and working better than before. Now just need to bolt it back on and try and figure out why this engine is starting hard and not reving high, when it was before. Same gas, same everything. I am hoping that having the engine sit for 2 years before I got a hull didn't cause damage to the rings or bearings. After running it out for 1/2 hour or so it started acting up.

    Going to check for spark on both cylinders first. Check the new plugs for symptoms. Go over all the jets, clean the carb, maybe replace the fuel lines that came with the boat.

    You know, this is sort of fun if you don't expect to ever get in the water.

  8. #8
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    If it has been setting for two years I would check the carb first because of this funkier gas we have now.
    Steve

  9. #9
    Member fox river rat's Avatar
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    Hi Steve,
    The engine sat for two years before I mounting into an airboat. After I mounted it, it was all new gas, cleaned carb, cleaned out tank, filter in line was new and clean, fuel pump was filling bowl, and it "ran like a champ" just 2 weeks ago when I was setting the prop pitch. I was worried that corrosion might have had an affect that didn't show up until I started running it. It DID run good.

    Then it only sat for 2 weeks before I went to take it for maiden voyage. I stopped at my son's house to take him along. Decided to start it again before heading the few blocks down to the river. It started OK, was hesitant on reving a little, then opened up to around 4500 sounding smooth. However, this engine should rev to 6800 (short intervals only) and maintain top speed at 6500 with a 1-2.58 drive. While at 4500 rpm, I noticed that the one cylinder wasn't warming up. The gauge is brand new, installed by me, and I started 2nd guessing if I might have a loose wire on it.

    Then I took it over and had some sport pilots from the airport that knew the rotax 2 cyl. engines, ultralight guys, go over the basics. Checking float bowl, jets and settings. They had me shorten up all my fuel lines and thought it had to do with the pump not pumping enough fuel to hit the hi revs. The thing that didn't make sense to me though was it WAS running like a banshee two weeks before. The lines were all long, no jets changed, fuel pump pumped fine. That's why I thought I should start looking at plugs, etc.

    I hear you on the carb though and will pull it back apart. Thanks for listening everyone and thanks for suggestions. It will make a better boater out of me.

  10. #10
    Could be simply a fouled plug? The symptoms you describe certainly fit. Happens from time to time on our 2 stroke sleds up here in MN. The plugs look perfect but one just fouls with the oil and gas and suddenly, no spark!. We just pull them out and install a new set. I hesitate to suggest it because it's so basic, but you make no mention of trying new ones......

    Flathead

  11. #11
    Member fox river rat's Avatar
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    Thanks Steve,
    Never too basic This is like me not checking to see if something is plugged in properly before I dismantle it all over the floor.

    I did forgot to mention that I had installed a properly gapped pair of plugs before I started the engine.

    I'm back into my work week and will need to look for some time to get outside and play with this more.

  12. #12
    Member fox river rat's Avatar
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    Just thought I'd circle back to you guys since I'm up and running, at least on the trailer. I resorted to the expert and had the engine gone through completely. The rebuilder told me he didn't need to test start it so don't bring the exhaust. He said it would start on the 1st pull. Well I filled the float bowl to give him the benefit of the doubt before pulling the new recoil and dang, it started on the 1st pull!

    When I was picking up the engine he told me to make sure the enricher cable wasn't too tight. It would flood the engine. My plugs were fouled when I took it in. Double dang, I knew then and there that that dang enricher was the last thing I added before it started messing up on me. I guess I could have saved the rebuild fee, but at least I know the engine is good for several hundred hours now.

    I wanted to write this in case some other newbie is having issues with their Rotax.

  13. #13
    Member fox river rat's Avatar
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    Oh, and thanks for all the words of encouragement.

  14. #14
    Senior Geezer buster's Avatar
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    Hey, What'er friends fur anyway? Glad ya' got it running good finally. Now go have fun
    IF YOU WON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS, THEN JUST STAND IN FRONT OF THEM!

  15. #15
    Administrator Papee's Avatar
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    We'll need photos too!
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  16. #16
    Member fox river rat's Avatar
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    Finally got the mini 105 in to the water. The 447 starts on first pull, sounds good, revs good...but doesn't push me past a fast walk. No getting on plane. Have a 3 blade ivo I bought through Chuck. This rotax is rated at 39.5 HP. What gives?

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    Last edited by fox river rat; 07-02-2012 at 03:25 PM.

  17. #17
    Member fox river rat's Avatar
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    Pappee, what's the quick way to post picts to this thread? I tried to just drag a 200kb jpg into thread box but doesn't work.

    Figured it out. That picture above makes it look like it's going pretty fast. It isn't.
    Last edited by fox river rat; 07-02-2012 at 03:26 PM.

  18. #18

    Re: Chomping at the bit for maiden voyage

    Ya mounted the propeller on backwards ! Simple mistake. Easy to fix !

  19. #19
    Member fox river rat's Avatar
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    Re: Chomping at the bit for maiden voyage

    Nope, prop was on properly. But you did make me look.

    Life has been hectic for several years and I finally got this boat out of storage to try again. I'm going to slap on a new carb. Switch the ivo 3 to 2 blade.

    I hope everyone here has been healthy and having fun out on the water.

    More news to come...

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