Carver 3607: port engine stumbling/missing

Agreed, the load on the engine will make the ignition heat up to what it normally runs at. When I had the same issues, we did the same thing at first. Then I got smart and told the first mechanic that I wouldn't take his word until I took it out.

By the way, I went through 3 mechanics to figure my issue out. I went down the road of the fuel ideas. Basically going from the tank to the carb and everything in between. It wasn't until the third mechanic got on board and we spent a day on the water just running the heck out of it until he figured it out. He had put something on the distributors to read the output and was able to determine I was losing spark when things heated up. He replaced the coils thinking that would do the trick. Worked for an extra hour, but then it came back. We went with the full electronic distributor replacements and I haven't had an issue since.

Based on your description above, its exactly the same intermittent issues I was experiencing. I would bet the new distributors do the trick. Not to mention, you will notice they run smoother too.
 
Yeah, I figured there was a very high likelihood that i would need load on the engine to know if this fixed it or not. Didn't have time to do it last time, as there were frequent thunderstorm cells passing through and I didn't want to get caught in bad weather with an engine that was misbehaving.
The new distributor replacements arrived this week. I'll likely install them later this week/weekend.
 
Like spaceman suggested, even those claiming to be mechanics don't always know the possible causes to a particular problem.

It's even harder to diagnosis without being there to observe.

You gave good symptom descriptions so I suggested only one possible cause. Run the boat to check the capacitor/condensor before doing the dist replacement.

Get someone who has done a number of the Voyager conversions. There are a couple different instructions on how to set them up. Both being diametrically opposite and both claim to burn out the EMC if not done the right way. I looked up the instructions online and got both instructions and finally went with the one that came with my (used) kit. It was wrong and I burned up the ECM. SOOOO... as I said, get someone that has successfully done a number of these conversions.
 
Installed the port EST dist on Friday.
The end result was fantastic, but the job didn't go as I expected.
Having never done a distributor change before, I was VERY nervous about removing the old distributor assembly and installing the new one.
What I found was that BY FAR the quickest and easiest part.

Nothing about this was really difficult. I found that routing the new plug wires was the most time consuming and challenging part of the job, as I am not a contortionist. :)

I chose to use the existing ring terminals on the purple wires and attached them to a spare bus bar, rather than use butt splices. I figured this would be a good option in case there is ever a problem and I need to reinstall the old distributor... the connectors are all still there. Well, except for the gray tach lead... that got butt spliced.

I had eyeballed the rotor and #1 locations on the old dist and marked them on the intake before removal. So, it was close enough to run when I started it the first time. Warmed it up. Once base timing was set, at zero throttle it was idling a bit over 1k RPM. It had been about 550 RPM with the old distributor. Dialed back the idle speed to about 600 RPM.
With the timing plug removed from the distributor I found it is about 30-31 degrees advance at 4k RPM.

I let it idle at the dock for 20 min with no issues. The next day, idled for another 20 min, then drove to a cove about a 2 miles from the marina at about 1200 RPM. After anchoring for a couple of hours, took some friends on a tour of our section of the lake, cruising at about 2k RPM much of the time. The port engine ran flawlessly the whole time. Prior to the capacitor change, and then distributor change I could only run above 1500 RPM for a couple of minutes before it started stumbling.

Sadly, it was too windy on Friday to take the boat out and test it under load before changing the distributor. So I still don't know for certain that the capacitor was the root cause of the original problem.

Oh, and jtybt15 mentioned multiple sets of instructions on the net for installing this distributor. It would have been VERY helpful if a link to the correct instructions would have been provided... or at least to the WRONG ones so I would know what NOT to do. Saying that there are 2 ways to do it, and I did it the wrong way... but not saying which way that was... well, it was likely well meaning, but not helpful. Suffice it to say, it stressed me out considerably as I scoured the net for confirmed good instructions, wanting to avoid burning up my new unit.

I have the original Crusader manual and was able to match up these instructions: http://bpi.ebasicpower.com/downloads/BPIESTGMV8instructions.pdf with the engine wiring diagram in the Crusader manual.
I bought the distributors from marinepowerusa.com. Before installing I sent George at Marine Power the above installation instructions link, which he confirmed was the correct instructions.

So far, I couldn't be happier.
Well. Not entirely true. I still have to install the starboard distributor. I will be happier when that is done and my throttle levers line up again. The EST distributor is giving me so much more RPM at any given throttle setting that my throttle levers are now woefully mismatched when the engines are in sync. :)
 
Many, many thanks to all that contributed to this thread.
Not having experience with distributors before this, I'm certain that the resolution would have involved handing a HUGE stack of cash to a mechanic and waiting for months (mechanics are REALLY backlogged here) to get it diagnosed and fixed.
 
Good to hear you think you got it! I would like to hear once you get it up to 3k+ rpm's how they handle. Based on everything to date though, I think this was your issue.

With the throttles, I had the same thing, they are still a little off, but not much (1/4 inch difference). Mine were way off too when I started the process. Once both distributors are dialed in, they will be back to normal. I, too, noticed a lot more power and I am able to get to full WOT per the manual on both engines now. Never had that before I switched.

Glad you got yours fixed within a season! Took me almost 4 seasons to figure it out. Lots of part replacing and going down the fuel path. Electric side of things is so fickle and intermittent depending on load and heat, made it hard to figure out.
 
I am a bit late to this thread, but I did the conversion to the Delco EST ignition several years ago, and have not had any issues.

Here is a link to the 2011 thread. It has more info on the distributor options available.
 
quote:
Originally posted by mariner36

I am a bit late to this thread, but I did the conversion to the Delco EST ignition several years ago, and have not had any issues.

Here is a link to the 2011 thread. It has more info on the distributor options available.

Click to expand...


Where is the link?
 
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