Saving Old Seagulls

Hello gents

Apologies if this has been asked a number of times but can you help diagnose a problem with my 1973 Forty Plus.

She starts willingly enough but never seems to get up to speed, then slows and almost stalls.

I have changed the fuel but not the plug.
I have rinsed out the tank.
The carb looks ok at a glance and when I pump the nipple thingy fuel comes out of the little hole so i dont think it is a fuel blockage

The prop seems unimpeded.
Water comes through when and if it gets up to decent revs.

I hope it isnt a busted head, but I have not taken it to bits yet in the hope of a miracle cure.

A short youtube video showing the symptoms is here:

[YouTube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T7fT144Hnk[/YouTube]

The aluminium cup on top of the flywheel is the last part of the recoil i removed.
Even though Seagulls (and owners) laugh in the face of excessive health and safety it really is a liability but I have yet to source the appropriate bits.

Thank you

Stu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T7fT144Hnk

I still cant work out how to embed it, but here is the Youtube url so no copy/paste required

Sounds like a tank breather problem. Try it with out the cap on. Also try holding the tickler down to see if revs up again while the revs are dropping. Could be float level. The tickler enables it to start with a full bowl of petroleum and then after using that it is suffering starvation.

Maybe miracle cure: turn it upside down and smack its bottom. Could free up the float.

Hugz wrote:Sounds like a tank breather problem. Try it with out the cap on. Also try holding the tickler down to see if revs up again while the revs are dropping. Could be float level. The tickler enables it to start with a full bowl of petroleum and then after using that it is suffering starvation.

Maybe miracle cure: turn it upside down and smack its bottom. Could free up the float.

Hi

I tried it without the cap on.
Also tried pumping the tickler (is that what it is called) and fuel was coming out of the tiny side hole.
Maybe I need to get into the carb a bit more.
Ill try the miracle cure.
THanks
S

Have you checked that a good supply of fuel is getting to the carb? I would clean the fuel line out and check that fuel is getting through the tap, fuel line and the small filter built into the carb. It could also be that your carb is getting enough fuel to fill the carb float bowl initially, but not enough to keep it going. It's also worth checking the float valve inside the carb is not sticking in the up (closed) position.

A sound thrashing also works well of course

Ok, I checked the pipe feed and it seems fine.
I wasn't sure what constituted a good flow into the carb so i took the float out.
It is clear there is plenty of fuel in there.

But it is still starting well and then slowly dies.

I looked at the needle and carb gubbins and cant see anything that looks suspect.

Why would it start so well and then slowly die.

Should i disconnect the carb from the head?
Should I take the head off?

Thanks all.

Have you checked how much fuel is in the bowl when it dies also have you checked the small filter that slips over the banjo bolt that's at the end of fuel pipe (carb end).

Long shot and thinking out loud is it pumping water..?

cut a bit of the side of the test tank down a bit, I bet the engine is sucking its own smoke into the carb..... try it and see.

OK, got it running.
Thanks for all the suggestions and to John for his OBWan wisdom.
I'm not sure whether it was fiddling with the carb or being more careful with the oil fuel mix but she is going well now.

My long suffering wife would not agree but it brings back great memories to be smelling of petrol and fumes. Takes me back to the days I would escape into the dinghy and go bombing around the moorings while the gown ups yacked in the cockpit. "...as long as you stay in sight..." was the only rule.

Takes me back to the days I would escape into the dinghy and go bombing around the moorings while the gown ups yacked in the cockpit. "...as long as you stay in sight..." was the only rule.

That was the same rule I had as a kid! fun days ..... Still having fun days