E-Tech (40) with light miss

At low cruise w planing skiff my E-Tech 40 misses a bit. It's more than just bareley noticable but not much. If it never changed forever I could live whith it forever but I'd be VERY pleased if I could fix it. Since I never work the engine really hard I could go plugs one notch hotter. Perhaps it's lean enough that it misses 2% of the time. Haven't had the plugs out yet (it's a new engine basically). Any ideas?

Easy Rider

 

This is an update to my post. I remember in the early 80s car manufacturers were so desperate to meet emission standards (and at the least expense) that they got mixture ratios so lean that many cars had driveability problems. It's possible that the E-Tecs were excessively leaned in a desperate effort to compete with 4-strokes in fuel economy. Now I'm wondering if the computer can be tweeked to richen the mixture.

Easy Rider

 

What year is your engine?

 

Quite sure it's 06.

Easy Rider

 

Run the engine with the cover off and see if it still does it.

 

The engine may be under warranty

 

Is there a mixture screw on the throttle body, often covered in a limiter cap?

 

Paul and gonzo,
I gather y'all think it's a mixture problem. Going to see the dealer tonight at a birthday party. I hauled the boat a few days ago and it's January in Alaska so who knows when I'll get it out again. We visit friends down the bay often and usually take the skiff so ???. Dealer says it comes and goes but over long periods of time. Typically 6 mos 6 mos ect.

Easy Rider

 

You need to hook up a computer to the engine to troubleshoot it. Without the proper software you are wasting your time. There is no mix screw or any other manual setting on the fuel injection or timing system. There is a setting on the computer for breakin that puts in more oil and could be a problem.

 

We have that software here Gonz and I don't intend to change the "break in setting" as it just changes from 50-1 to 100-1 oil injection. This whole thing may or probably has nothing to do w mixture. One must "clock" the spark plugs and I assume (yeah I know where that word may get me) the fuel is injected so close to the electrode that it can block the fuel injector spray pattern. Perhaps this is a problem and it never got 100% solved. Since some folks still run outboards at WOT a plug must be speced that won't cause preignition under those conditions and that plug may only be 99% perfect for normal engine loads. Fortunately it's easy to experiment with and I intend to do so but I was interested in other avenues of solution .. hence the post.

Easy Rider

 

engines ( outboards,inboards and diesels) are like PC's these days, you need your guy to plug it into the internet and see if there is a MAP upgrade incase your trying to fix something that has already been fixed.

 

The plugs have to be dialed in. It is very important. You have to make a mark with a sharpie where the electrode is to align it properly. The manual has a picture of how to point them.

 

'indexed'
is the term your looking for

 

Gonzo,
So .. I hear you saying they are really sensitive to that eh? Haven't looked at that yet. Haven't gone through the 1st tankful of lube oil yet either. To be sure I'll redo the plugs and be very fussy about it. In a way I'm not looking fwd to this as it appears to me the crush of the gasket should determine where the plug stops rotationally. Before trying it it looks like one could over torque and possibly strip the threads or leave the plug loose. Regarding inboards I hate that issue w the propeller retaining nut needing to align w the coder pin hole. Who wants a loose propeller and who wants an over torqued propeller as they can be very difficult to get off. Thanks for the input. It is an imperfect world eh?

Easy Rider

 

You index the spark plugs by adding or removing washers under the plug. Don't ever try to overtorque them!

Regards, Andrew.