Engine will not come up to speed

[Tanah-Keeta]

My starboard engine was running fine on the way home from the Bahamas until I stopped for fuel in Beaufort, SC. After idling thru the Lady's Island bridge, I pushed the throttles up and the port engine came up to speed (2600 RPMs) but the starboard would only do 2400. I completed the trip home and now am looking for the problem. The prop is clear. Next will be the fuel filter...and I guess next is to have the injectors looked at.

Any other suggestions??

[Gadzooks!]

Sounds like primary fuel filters. If you run the other engine at WOT, you will most likely find it down in RPMs as well. I've had this problem and have installed little indicator devices from West Marine for 50 bucks or so. Made by Racor. They screw onto an unused port in the filter housing, and provide a reading of vacuum. The indicator locks at the max vacuum it experiences, and is resetable, So the engines do not have to be running to check. You do, of course, have to remove the engine front cover to see the indicator. Periodic checking will reveal increasing vacuum before fuel starvation sets in.

Another owner I know install a vacuum gauge on his dashboard and an air tube to the filters. Thus he has a real-time indication of vacuum.


--WG