What happens when an engine gets flooded? Generally this happens to carbureted cars but could happen to fuel injected cars if there is a problem with it. Every engine needs a specific amount of air and fuel to work correctly. If there is too little fuel the engine is lean if the engine has too much fuel it is rich. Flooding can occur when the ignition system is weak and does not start the engine quickly. If the carburetor (gas petal) is pumped too much before starting the engine can become excessively rich to the point where it can’t ignite the fuel. As you continue to rotate the engine, more fuel is added to the already excessive amount of fuel. There are a few methods to start the vehicle first, just let the vehicle sit, the fuel will evaporate out after 20 or 30 minutes. Remove the spark plug which may be fouled out with black carbon any ways. Slightly fouled plugs can be wiped off, severe cases can be burned off with a propane torch. Severe fouled plugs will need to be replaced, make sure the plug is original and hot enough heat range. After the spark plug is out stick it back in the spark plug wire, lay it on a metal part on the engine, spin the engine and verify the plug is firing. This also helps to get air in the engine and excessive fuel out. The third option is to hold the throttle wide open. In a carbureted vehicle, the air moving through the carb won’t suck fuel when held WOT if the engine is not running. In fuel injected vehicles the ecm, ecu, computer won’t send any fuel through the injectors if the gas petal is held wide open. If the ignition is o.k. and the vehicle floods continuously, then the carburetor idle circuit may be too rich.
The basic outboard marine boat motor is of two stroke design. This is due to the weight of the motor being less. The power of a two stroke motor is also higher versus a comparable weight four stroke motor. As emissions became tighter direct injection two stroke engines have been produced. They still have low weight and alot of power but are very complex. Direct injection two stroke outboards are actually very clean motors and get excellent fuel economy similar to four strokes. As the technology of four strokes evolve, they have become much lighter and have flooded their way into the market. Although pricy four strokes are very popular and are getting closer to the weight and power of two strokes. Outboard motors started as two strokes with lower weight found on much smaller boats than boats produced today. Today it is not uncommon to see a 250 horsepower motor on the back of a bass boat! Many offshore boats may have twin 250 hp or 225 hp outboard motors on the back! Most mid sized ski boats generally use 115 or 150 horsepower outboards. Small john boats generally use 5,15 or 25 hp motors. Small skiffs use anything between 25, 40 and up to 115 hp outboards.
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Testing trouble codes is easy. This is a basic how to, on checking trouble codes. All codes supplied here are for pre OBD-2 cars (1996), newer cars can be checked at autozone for free! First turn key forward but don’t start. If you know where the diagnostic plug is, you can use a paperclip to check the codes by jumping the top right (usually) two wires in the plug. GM-bottom of dash. Turn your ignition key forward, codes will flash on the check/ service engine soon light. The code will come up three times then alternate to the next error code, don’t worry about the first code 12. The car ignition is off = 12. A code of 13 will look like this 0 = flashes 0_000, 0_000, 0_000 (larger pause) then will alternate to the next code. Dodge, turn the ignition switch on and off twice, then turn forward (do not start engine) and keep it there. Check engine light will also be used for Dodge vehicles. Dodge codes work same as GM. Ford-under hood and find diagnostic plug labeled EEC Test. Use a jumper wire to connect the single external plug to jump to the main 6 prong plug. Look at the plug with the row of four at the bottom, next look at the next row of two on top.
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Rotary engines have the ability to make large power gains through tuning. One of the most important aspects of rotary tuning is rotary exhaust. Rotary engines produce very strong hot pulses of air. The strong exhaust pulses can be used in a manner similar to two stroke exhaust tuning. The exhaust can be tuned to scavenge the intake air into the engine causing a filling of air into the intake side. The intake air is trying to fill the vacuum of where the exhaust has left. Racing headers from companies like racing beat and mazdaspeed can bring large improvements in power. Muffler and larger tubing mandrel bent exhausts can also largely improve the power of a rotary engine. Rotary exhausts should not be cheap normal exhausts. The increased temperatures and pressures of the rotary exhaust will quickly break or destroy a normal exhaust. The preferred exhaust systems will be larger gauge (thicker) and best made of stainless steel. Even the mufflers are made thicker and welded better. Horsepower gains will vary on regular and turbocharged cars but will be substantial on both types of vehicles. Some rotaries may experience over 10% power increases! This is the first place to look for performance in a rotary powered vehicle.
Small engines are very touchy with their tuning. EPA regulations have made small engines run much leaner than they have had to in the past. This will make the engines run cleaner and be more fuel efficient, but generally don’t run as well. Also if the carburetor has any build up in it the engine will be too lean and will surge. To compound the problem most new carburetors are non adjustable due to EPA regulations. Most small engine carbs have a high speed and low speed circuit to control the fuel. When you hear an lawn related engine surging it is almost always lean. If the engine is older, the carb screws on it’s side may be adjustable. You need to locate the main circuit or high speed screw that usually has the letter H along side it. This screw is a fuel control screw that will have a spring under it. As you turn the screw out it delivers more fuel to the engine. Don’t turn the screw more than 1/8 of a turn at a time then wait a few minutes before changing again. The engine should smooth out and the setting should stay there.
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