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New Carburetor for a '94 Echelon LX?


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Hey guys, I just bought my first boat a few months ago, its a 1994 Echelon with the 5.7L 350 Mercruiser. Iv noticed the boat has troubles starting even when it's warmed. Iv found if I pump the throttle a few times before I start it I get the best results, sometimes I have to let it crank for 5 seconds or more before it starts. Anyways iv been talking to a buddy and he said he had a similar issue but bought a new carb and this has solved the issue (he owns a nautique with the 454 big block).

Doing some reading online and it looks like the Edelbrock Marine Carburetor 1409 is fairly popular carb to put on these motors. Dose any one have any experience with this option? 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-1409

Iv also read I may need to buy a new manifold to use this carb/ the linkage and fuel line may be different? Dose anyone have any input on that? 

 

If you have any other ideas or know a better product I would appreciate the input as Im fairly new when it comes to these boats/ motors

Thanks.

 

 

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I have a '93, same motor.  On the front of your carb you'll see a flat shiny spot with a number imprinted.  Helpful if you can get that number and post it here.  

You've obviously got a lot of options but it's likely based on your level of interest in working on the boat as well as experience with carburetors.  I ran through a series of hard-start issues with my own Echelon and gained some experience from it but there are far more knowledgeable folks on upgrading their boats so my solutions all focused on keeping it stock and simple.  

1.  Starting procedures - dig around here a little bit, but you'll find that carb'd boats can require a little bit of prep before firing - a few squirts of fuel when cold, and also a 1/4 throttle start on occasions where priming and choke just isn't quite doing it.  I find that for every 10 degrees under 70 I need one pump of fuel when cold starting...down to about 45 degrees or so.  Below that I'm not really out boating.  Once the motor has been brought to full temp (160) depending on how long its been off I may need to give it one pump before starting it up.  

2.  You might be able to improve starting by tuning up your electrical.  I found that putting in new spark plugs helped a lot, but at one point the boat wasn't starting (or was actually dying) when hot.  Turns out my ignition coil was on its way out.  Good news it that the plugs are cheap and a new ignition coil ran me a whopping $20.  

3.  Fuel.  Quality/purity of fuel has been a real problem for me.  I got bad gas once that had me chasing a rough idle condition - swapping the gas immediately helped. Putting a new fuel/water separator on it ($15) is a good idea, but definitely if you're not sure when it has last been done (or if you'd had bad gas).  The boat does not care if you use regular gas or premium but if you're not running the boat for more than 2-3 weeks its a good idea to drop some marine grade fuel stabilizer in it - I use stabil.  

4.  Carb needing to be cleaned/rebuilt/replaced/upgraded:  You have several options. 

       a.  Do an exchange (call a carb shop, they send you one that is tuned and set to your altitude, you send yours back as a core).  About $300-400

       b.  Rebuild it yourself.  Not too bad, plenty of videos and resources, about $50 all in. 

       c.  Pay someone local to rebuild it.  Usually the same $50 for parts and $100-200 for labor is what I've seen.  Use a marine specific mechanic and have them tune it on the boat with a fake lake is the best bet.

       d.  Replace it/upgrade it.  $400-900.  You'll want to feel confident in the conversion as well as tuning a carb to get it running right.  

 

Good luck!  I plan to rebuild my weber AFB which is numbered "9770S" this fall myself as its about due for a good cleaning.  

Edited by Pra4sno
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Previous post covered it well, doing a carb rebuild on the Weber is pretty easy and straightforward.  Good chance underhood temp is elongating the crank time and there is some dirt in the carb bowls.  Clean that up and starts will be easier and way cheaper than a new carb.

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