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New boat runs horrible


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Hello first time I've been on here I was recommended by a friend, I bought an 05 Malibu iride this weekend from a dealer in nh, on the way home from the dealership we stopped at the lake to find out it runs horrible, the first night the boat could hardly get on plane and it blows a decent amount of  dark smoke out the back at an idle, after fighting with dealer to figure out they wouldn't help me I changed the plugs, cap and rotor, filled the fuel tank and added sea foam, I brought the boat out tonight and right off the bat the boat was ok but still fell on its face when I opened her all the way up, I brought it home and removed a spark plug to find out it's as black as the ones I took out yesterday, any ideas where to look next?

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5 minutes ago, UWSkier said:

have you had a look at the oil?  Is it milky looking?

Also, which engine?

Oil is clean, it has the 5.7

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6 minutes ago, BlindSquirrel said:

Turn around and head back to the dealer!

It's almost three hours away and I was told I'd need to pay for it to be fixed

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yeah, but which?  Indmar or Mercruiser?  If Indmar, is it the Monsoon?  LCR?  Should say on the engine shroud.

Clean oil is good.  Black plugs indicate rich condition.

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Just now, UWSkier said:

yeah, but which?  Indmar or Mercruiser?  If Indmar, is it the Monsoon?  LCR?  Should say on the engine shroud.

Clean oil is good.  Black plugs indicate rich condition.

Indmar but I can see any other writing

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it'd have a chrome oval badge on it that said Monsoon 340 or Hammerhead 383 if it was one of those.  Probably the LCR which means throttle body injection.  If it's running crappy and dumping a ton of extra fuel, it could just be a matter of needing some sensors replaced.

If it runs all lumpy and you're getting black plugs though, first thing I'd check is that all the spark plugs wires are on the proper plugs.

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4 minutes ago, UWSkier said:

it'd have a chrome oval badge on it that said Monsoon 340 or Hammerhead 383 if it was one of those.  Probably the LCR which means throttle body injection.  If it's running crappy and dumping a ton of extra fuel, it could just be a matter of needing some sensors replaced.

If it runs all lumpy and you're getting black plugs though, first thing I'd check is that all the spark plugs wires are on the proper plugs.

How do I tell if the plug wires are on correct?

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10 minutes ago, UWSkier said:

it'd have a chrome oval badge on it that said Monsoon 340 or Hammerhead 383 if it was one of those.  Probably the LCR which means throttle body injection.  If it's running crappy and dumping a ton of extra fuel, it could just be a matter of needing some sensors replaced.

If it runs all lumpy and you're getting black plugs though, first thing I'd check is that all the spark plugs wires are on the proper plugs.

If plug wires were wrong wouldn't it run crappy all the time, sometimes its smooth

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5 minutes ago, Skyski1986 said:

How do I tell if the plug wires are on correct?

1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 is the firing order.

Should be numbers on the spark plug wires back by the distributor.  Follow the wires one-at-a-time and ensure they're in the correct spots.

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If it's smooth sometimes, I'd look to replace the Ignition Control Module.  Go to the local auto parts store and ask for an ICM from a 1997 Chevy Suburban 350.  It sits at the base of your distributor cap and has two wiring harnesses attached to it.  When you put on the new one, install it with plenty of the heat-transfer goop that should come with it.

Common part to fail, and only about 35 bucks or so to fix.

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2 minutes ago, UWSkier said:

If it's smooth sometimes, I'd look to replace the Ignition Control Module.  Go to the local auto parts store and ask for an ICM from a 1997 Chevy Suburban 350.  It sits at the base of your distributor cap and has two wiring harnesses attached to it.  When you put on the new one, install it with plenty of the heat-transfer goop that should come with it.

Common part to fail, and only about 35 bucks or so to fix.

Ok thanks 

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Just now, Skyski1986 said:

Ok thanks 

shouldn't matter, but some on here say 1999 Suburban actually.  If you want to take yours for reference, it's easy to take off.  Couple screws hold down the disty cap.  Take that off.  ICM will be at the base of that stuck to a plate with a couple screws holding it down.  Make sure to make note of wire locations.

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1 minute ago, UWSkier said:

shouldn't matter, but some on here say 1999 Suburban actually.  If you want to take yours for reference, it's easy to take off.  Couple screws hold down the disty cap.  Take that off.  ICM will be at the base of that stuck to a plate with a couple screws holding it down.  Make sure to make note of wire locations.

Your saying keep track of the two plugs that clip into it?

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44 minutes ago, Skyski1986 said:

It's almost three hours away and I was told I'd need to pay for it to be fixed

Did it run fine during the lake test prior to purchase?

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1 minute ago, tbullard said:

Did it run fine during the lake test prior to purchase?

When we got there he said we weren't taking it on the lake and he ran it off the hose with no load on it, he lied to us, I figured for the size dealership they wouldn't screw me

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2 hours ago, Skyski1986 said:

When we got there he said we weren't taking it on the lake and he ran it off the hose with no load on it, he lied to us, I figured for the size dealership they wouldn't screw me

Red flag.  I'd start looking into what protections you have on a dealer purchase in your state and get that thing returned.  

I have never heard of a legit dealer refusing a lake test, particularly on an inboard. 

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Assuming you bought the boat in massachusetts, what day specifically did you pick up the boat? The used vehicle lemon law could provide you some recourse, but you will need a lawyer in Massachusetts to help you. If you got it from their NH dealer its going to be near impossible to return.

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Please post a few photos of the engine with the flame arrestor and decorative covers removed.  Include the throttle body, and maybe a view down the throat with the throttle open.

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Well I drained the fuel tank today and put fresh fuel in and cleaned yesterday's new plugs I put in, same issue today smokes and runs ok off and on, the longer it runs the worse it gets

8 hours ago, justgary said:

Please post a few photos of the engine with the flame arrestor and decorative covers removed.  Include the throttle body, and maybe a view down the throat with the throttle open.

 

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