88 saltare 454

[69nova454]

I am an auto tech 30yrs .I just bought a saltare from a customer and my problem is it idles ok and will run awsome for a minute then it just dies out like it runs out of fuel,usually will fire right up but wont go over 2k rpm I replaced fuel pump and filters. thought I found the problem ,the push rod fpr pump was seized ,we got it out and freed ,but still tha same? Any Idea's Also rebuilt carb,it wasnt all that dirty though

[agetech]

Still sounds like fuel starvation, clogged fuel line, fuel pump check valve. Try an electric fuel pump for troubleshooting, maybe you have one laying around.
Check the advance weights in the distributer for the acceleration problem.

[wotan2525]

I am an auto tech 30yrs .I just bought a saltare from a customer and my problem is it idles ok and will run awsome for a minute then it just dies out like it runs out of fuel,usually will fire right up but wont go over 2k rpm I replaced fuel pump and filters. thought I found the problem ,the push rod fpr pump was seized ,we got it out and freed ,but still tha same? Any Idea's Also rebuilt carb,it wasnt all that dirty though

I was just wondering this weekend as I had my engine out -- did these engines have a mechanical fuel pump originally? Mine just has a block-off plate on the spot where it should be and an in-line electric fuel pump that seems to work great.

Did you also check/replace the fuel water seperator? Have you tried disconnecting the tank and running it from a fresh (known good) tank of gas? I'm a little suspicious of how the fuel lines were run in mine from the factory and could easily see them being pinched or kinked.

[69nova454]

I have an electric pump I will try this weekend . Also anyone ever remove the flame arresters on the exhaust (I am a child of the 70's and want the big block thunder )

[wotan2525]

I have an electric pump I will try this weekend . Also anyone ever remove the flame arresters on the exhaust (I am a child of the 70's and want the big block thunder )

What flame arrestors? The supertrapps?

[69nova454]

yep supertraps,anyone ever remove them?

[agetech]

Take em off and use some flappers

[wotan2525]

How do the flappers attach? I always heard that this wasn't really a possible conversion to do. The supertrapps bolt onto a bolt in the middle of the exhaust bracket..... I'd switch to pipes/flappers to if it was easy enough to do but it always seemed pretty impossible.

[beast 496]

I recommend you keep the Trapps on. If you want a little more sound, add some more plates. You can buy these at summit. I added I think 4 per side. I pulled out the enemic 454 and installed a 2007 8.1 lt 496 HO What a difference. Concerning your running condition, run the engine on an outboard fuel tank, if the engines starts to bog, sqeeze the primer bulb. If the problems goes away, your fuel pump is the problem. If symtoms are gone using the tank, check the anti-syphon valve on the fuel pick up. Good luck keep us posted. Allan

[rludtke]

It is possible your fuel vent is clogged.

I once earned the free use of a high performance boat for a summer when the owner had spent thousands on shop repair bills. She brought her boat out to the lake I was living on at the time, after getting the it back from a shop after about the third attempt, assured that the shop had repaired it. The boat would start and idle fine, but whould die after only a minute at high power settings. I offered to look at it, and she replied that if I could fix it, I could use it to my hearts content.

I was convinced it was a fuel starvation issue, so I decided to test the tank vent by blowing into the fuel filler. Sure enough, the tank pressurized immediatly, and did not relieve itself out the vent as it should have. So I brought my portable air compressor and spray nozzle, and a pair of pliers out to the dock, and removed the hose from the vent hull fitting, and using the spray nozzle, blew back into the tank (with the filler open) and listened for bubbles or air sounds to come out the filler. Sure enough, the vent hose was obstructed, but the clog eventually passed through the hose and back into the tank. After putting it back togather, the boat ran like a champ.

The cost? Zero dollars, The fealing of besting some of the best shops in the area, and helping a beautiful damsel in distress (who owned a ski boat)? Priceless.

Check your tanks vent system...

[69nova454]

I think I found it ,the points were fried and no gap ,I just replaced them.I already cleaned the vents and replaced the check valve . I have electric fuel pump to try if that not the problem. I think the main prob with this boat was it just sat for 15 yrs but it looks like new so after i get the bugs worked out I should have a hell of a boat

[wotan2525]

I recommend you keep the Trapps on. If you want a little more sound, add some more plates. You can buy these at summit. I added I think 4 per side. I pulled out the enemic 454 and installed a 2007 8.1 lt 496 HO What a difference. Concerning your running condition, run the engine on an outboard fuel tank, if the engines starts to bog, sqeeze the primer bulb. If the problems goes away, your fuel pump is the problem. If symtoms are gone using the tank, check the anti-syphon valve on the fuel pick up. Good luck keep us posted. Allan

Did you add a marine block? Care to share the ballpark cost of doing this and did everything (exhaust manifolds and tranny) bolt right up?

[rludtke]

I was just wondering this weekend as I had my engine out -- did these engines have a mechanical fuel pump originally? Mine just has a block-off plate on the spot where it should be and an in-line electric fuel pump that seems to work great.

Carburated engines do not require high fuel pressures as the float bowl is vented to the atmoshphere (little to no diferential pressure), nor the immediate pressure created by electric pumps (which can be turned on prior to engine start), as they have a bowl full of fuel to draw from when starting. They do need a high volume pump to sustain them at high power settings.

Fuel injection created the requirement for fuel pressure prior to canking the engine for starting, and very high fuel pressures to force the fuel to atomize as it flows out the injectors. Electric fuel pumps solved these issue. Therefore, generally speaking, electric pumps are associated with fuel injection.