low idle adjustment
- Thread starter Joker2
- Start date
reelapeelin
God
Glad you asked, Joker..I havin' the same thing w/my newly acquired 89 looper...hope one of the resident techs comes along on this one...
RidgeRunner
God
Sounds like a throttle cable adjustment at the motor. Loosten the strap that holds the adjusters and turn it (the adjustment wheel) a revolution or two, tighten it back up and give it a try. On the hose they run more RPM so the final adjustment should be made in the water. Nothing worse than a dock crasher. Just be careful not to over-do. Makes it hard to pull out of gear and awful hard crashing into gear. Recommended RPM is around 600 at idle in gear. If she is down at 400 in gear now she must be tuned just about perfect. 
reelapeelin
God
Sounds like a throttle cable adjustment at the motor. Loosten the strap that holds the adjusters and turn it (the adjustment wheel) a revolution or two, tighten it back up and give it a try. On the hose they run more RPM so the final adjustment should be made in the water. Nothing worse than a dock crasher. Just be careful not to over-do. Makes it hard to pull out of gear and awful hard crashing into gear. Recommended RPM is around 600 at idle in gear. If she is down at 400 in gear now she must be tuned just about perfect.
Turn adj wheel clockwise or counter?...
Joker2
Junior Member
Thanks for that response, yeah adjusting the cable makes sense to me being that when my old mechanic had it for a repair the prop was not turning when in nuetral when I went to pick the boat up from him, so he just started turning the thumb nut until it turned freely in nuetral and also went into both forward and reverse. I never felt comfortable that the adjustments were correct. The boat shifts very easily (almost to easy) into gear. Maybe this will fix it, thanks.
Sounds like a throttle cable adjustment at the motor. Loosten the strap that holds the adjusters and turn it (the adjustment wheel) a revolution or two, tighten it back up and give it a try. On the hose they run more RPM so the final adjustment should be made in the water. Nothing worse than a dock crasher. Just be careful not to over-do. Makes it hard to pull out of gear and awful hard crashing into gear. Recommended RPM is around 600 at idle in gear. If she is down at 400 in gear now she must be tuned just about perfect.
Kracker Jack
God
Im not a professional outboard mechanic but you should be able to make these adjustments while engine is running (just keep an eye on that flywheel). I adjusted mine actually in the water so backpressure was at at a norm. you should turn it clock wise facing the transom to advance the motor idle from what i can remember. but she will let ya know if your turning the throttle adjust the wrong way.
THEFERMANATOR
God
The throttle cable should be adjusted so that is against the stop with the throttle all the way down in neutral. You do not adjust the butterfly's to change the idle speed on a late model OMC, it is done via the timing. For the 150 60 degree loopers it is done by adjusting the timing sensor base, and for REEL it is done via a small screw on the port side of the engine under the flywheel. The link and sync MUST be done FIRST before making any idle changes, and you really should have a timing light connected to verify that everything is within range. Also keep in mind that ethanol fuels idle ALOT differently than non ethanol blends do in a 2 stroke, and I have found taht almost evry engine I have worked on since E-10 came out requires rejetting to make them idle correctly(most will idle fine in gear and then idle way to high in neutral which is due to a lean mixture). Pretty much every engine I've worked on in the last 2 years has required me going down 2-4 sizes for the idle air bleed.
RidgeRunner
God
I tried to post earlier that I wanted someone to back me up because I got to doubting my thinking. Can't argue about link & sink, Ferm is 100% right. Opening the throttle plates by adjusting the throttle cable to increase rpm is not the prescribed method. I don't think any motors manufacturers want the idle adjustment dependent on the throttle cable.
Very Sorry if I led you two astray. I will shut up now.
Very Sorry if I led you two astray. I will shut up now.
Kracker Jack
God
I also apoligize for any misleading. I adjusted mine one day while on the hook because of low idle. It was a quick fix in a pinch. I stand corrected Im by far not an OB mechanic.