Engine won't idel

[seneca32]

After running at 2400 rpm for an hour starboard engine will not idle and worse will not start - BUT it will start and run fine about an hour later. Fuel pump?, carb? coil?
(fyi - new points (yes still running points!), new set of plugs and new fuel filter)
Any thoughts out there?

[Coralkong]

Stuck choke?

[seneca32]

Nope - checked that too.

[jav]

Since it starts an hour later, that rules out a serious mechanical issue like timing or compression. When it fails to start, check whats missing- fuel, spark or both.

[obeejr]

Had a very similar problem several years ago when they started putting ethanol in gas. The junk loosened up by the ethanol was clogging my gas filters. Seems like, when the engines sat a while, the junk settled in the filter and let me run the engine again.

[seneca32]

Thank you for all the tips. Will check those as well.
I would have checked for spark & fuel on that engine,but at the time we were running several miles ahead of a T-storm trying to make it back to shelter. We still had visions of getting caught in a wind shear as we did several years ago - that doesn't leave your memory to soon!

[Paul]

I've had a similar problem with two of the boats I've owned over the years and both times it was due to fuel restriction. The first time it was in my Doral, the galvanized fuel tank was rusty inside and debris would clog the tip of the pick up tube. The engine would die and it would not re-start. The vacuum created in the fuel line between the pump and tank would hold the debris firmly on the end of the pick up tube for a good half hour or so. Once the vacuum was gone the debris fell away. Then the engine would start up again and away we'd go.

The second time this happened was in my Trojan. Same problem, different location. This time the restriction was in the anti-syphon valve at the top of the fuel tank.

[etpence]

Check for a crack in your distributor cap also, this will make it act like that too
todd 30' trojan MioMio