Sea_Ray_Seattle
New Member
I purchased a '96 270 Sundancer a few weeks ago and it has a 7.4L motor in it with low hours (about 300 original hours). I'm curious to hear your feedback on these two questions:
(a) What is the "proper" start-up procedure for a big ol' carbureted V8 with electronic ignition?
(b) How long should it take to get the engine fired-up after having sat for a day or week?
The previous owner (and his shady mechanic) swore up and down that the following is the proper start-up procedure and how long it *should* take.
1. Full throttle down pump to open up choke
2. A couple 1/4 pumps
3. Then turn over engine while doing lots of 1/4 pumps
4. Let engine warm up around 1,500 RPM
It takes me about 20-30 seconds of solid starter motor to get some garbled starts out of the motor when doing the above. I do this 3 times and it finally starts-up, dies, and then finally stays on.
Is this normal? Any insight, tips, tricks are appreciated.
I've called a number of mechanics (albeit over the phone) they have said: Carburetor might need tuning, bad gas (gas is 6 months old), or carb needs a complete rebuild. The engine had a "tune up" when I bought it, but it was really just replacing spark plugs and changing filters and oil from what I can tell.
Last question - when under way, at 5 mph, I can sense very slight hesitations with the motor. Motor will run clean and smooth for a minute or so, then very subtle hesitations and RPM will dip from 1,100 down to 900. Is this normal? At cruising speed it's hard to notice it.
(a) What is the "proper" start-up procedure for a big ol' carbureted V8 with electronic ignition?
(b) How long should it take to get the engine fired-up after having sat for a day or week?
The previous owner (and his shady mechanic) swore up and down that the following is the proper start-up procedure and how long it *should* take.
1. Full throttle down pump to open up choke
2. A couple 1/4 pumps
3. Then turn over engine while doing lots of 1/4 pumps
4. Let engine warm up around 1,500 RPM
It takes me about 20-30 seconds of solid starter motor to get some garbled starts out of the motor when doing the above. I do this 3 times and it finally starts-up, dies, and then finally stays on.
Is this normal? Any insight, tips, tricks are appreciated.
I've called a number of mechanics (albeit over the phone) they have said: Carburetor might need tuning, bad gas (gas is 6 months old), or carb needs a complete rebuild. The engine had a "tune up" when I bought it, but it was really just replacing spark plugs and changing filters and oil from what I can tell.
Last question - when under way, at 5 mph, I can sense very slight hesitations with the motor. Motor will run clean and smooth for a minute or so, then very subtle hesitations and RPM will dip from 1,100 down to 900. Is this normal? At cruising speed it's hard to notice it.