LACK OF POWER
Atomic 4 revs up fine when not in gear, has a nice idle and starts just fine, no hesitation. However, when under load it will not be able to pick it up: accelerating is of no use, after the first 1/4 of throttle, it doesn't make any difference, it just stays there, no increase of rpms. Have checked the propeller and I can turn it by hand, so nothing wrong on that end. The engine is fine.
The prop is clean and the fuel filter is new. The exhaust was cleaned (wire and everything) at the beginning of the season. The throttle works fine when on neutral and gets the engine to rev up nicely. It's only when gear is engaged that it almost stalls.
SOME PROVEN SOLUTIONS
Chris Dowling, 266, WYLLY
First place you should look is the fuel filter. It may let a little fuel through for you to idle but not enough for higher rpms. If that is good check to see if you don't have the granddaddy of all barnacles on your propeller. That will undoubtedly keep you from being able to rev up.
Mark Petrush
I would first check the throttle and fuel as suggested. If there is still no power, check the exhaust for blockage - this can give you all sorts of headaches, especially the "no power" symptom you describe.
Our neighbor had loss of power with his Atomic Four, and went through his carb, timing and ignition and then even pulled his engine for a valve job- and after all of that work he still had no improvement. It was the exhaust! We removed it in sections from the boat, and flushed out all sorts of carbon using the hose and some stiff wire. When we put it all back together, the engine ran like a champ. And of course you would expect no less from a freshly tuned and rebuilt A4.
Bill Bell, #41, KIALOA
Ignition, ignition and ignition, I would go through the whole drill and replace plugs, points, condenser, rotor and cap and the high tension wiring if yours is over 2 years old. If you had poor low speed performance, I would be worried about low speed jet cleanliness in the carb - but you don't have a problem there. Don't sweat timing; you don't run up enough rpm to worry in that area. You might check that you have a "generous" amount of fuel on the output side of the fuel pump and no blockage between the pump and the carb, but I really think your problem is ignition, ignition or, maybe, ignition. Last week, my own small outboard would not go. The plugs sparked OK - out of the engine, just lying on the head. Put them into the engine and No Go. Throw in a new set and Varooom! The whole business of ignition is really built on smoke and mirrors. Please try ignition.
A. J. Matthews, Ay Mon #605
You might want to check two things.
First, check to make sure your prop is not fouled. The lack of cupping on the prop caused by barnacles or marine growth will surely cause your engine top labor.
Second, Check to make sure you distributor cap and/or your distributor is on correctly. If you caused your cap or distributor to be 180 degrees out of alignment, your engine will run, it will idle, but it won't rev with a load on the shaft. Make sure you are at TDC with cylinder/piston number one and retime your engine.
Hal, #18 Yawl
Exact same thing happened to me about 3 weeks ago. I discovered it was that two cylinders were not firing for lack of compression. A friend showed me how to remove the head and clean tons of carbon from the valves. I ordered two head gaskets ($35) from Moyers supplier, and then put the head back on. You need a torque wrench to do this. I had never seen one before, but my friend loaned me his and to my amazment I (not a mechanic and never wanted to be one) got the head back on by myself. The damn engine started first time and had twice as much power!!!!! It's been fine ever since.