Beaubeau

Joe, Try replacing the fuel filter. When you get the old one out, see if it clogged.

Flot, It is a good idea to run a stabilezer for any vehicle that sits for long periods of time. Even with stabilizer, over time it will turn to varnish. Lets say you stabilized a boat or car's fuel and let it sit for 2 years. Then decide to wake it up. Even drain as much nasty fuel out as you can. Add fuel that has 10% ethanol in it and starts up like a champ. But not long after you run it a bit, Major fuel contaminants start showing itself. Eventually after a number of filters and flushes you'll get all out. Major pain. What happens is that when fuel breaks down and dries to the side of a fuel tank, then add new fuel with eth. The ethanol will clean the inside of fuel systems and eliminates any use of fuel line antifreeze for us northaners. When we went from MTBE to eth, any crude in your tank,(car/boat)it got loosened up and caused running problems until you ran enough fuel to get all the contaminants out. In retrospect, Its best to run as much fuel out as possible when putting an engine to rest for long peroids of time(1+years). Joe's boat, You can get away with it over the winter. Its been about 4months since people around here started their mowers up. Thats around twice as long as what is recomended. The first thing that happens is that fuel loses octane. A small engine isn't going to be affected as much. Its just that their isn't an exact science to when it will cause havac. But eventually it will.

I just downloaded ms resizer and added an avatar. It works great, thank you all.

I'm glad that we all agree that carbon is an issue and will have to be delt with at some point. Carbon itself cannot be broken down anymore than it already is. All that can be done is to break its bond that holds it together. Two types of carbon exsist in an engine, hard and soft. Their are several ways and techniuqes to remove it. But before I get intuit, I would like to point out a few variables. Like who you are you getting the fuel from(are you buying the cheapest fuel you can find?), what are the conditions and how do you drive the vehicle. Yes, water will remove carbon with almost instant results. Thats fine if you have enough tolerance for huge chunks of carbon to pass through and out of the engine. But if their are tighter tolerances like any new or failry new engine, esp with emission devices. You are looking for trouble. When you are in a situation where large chunks are too risky, its better to remove it slowly. Meaning if it takes 60k miles to get evil gunk in your engine, it will take more than one tank full of fuel to clean it out. You can either not allow carbon to build up in the first place, or let it build up and then knock it down.

I'll check 'em out. Thank you.

This most likely has been asked, but. I was wondering what is the best picture resizing downoad. Free of course.

Flot, Techron and BG are much the same, just different concentrations. They do work, because I have seen the before and after with a bore scope. As far as adding more cost to an already exspensive activity. Its like anything else, pay now or pay later. Like, do you use a stabilizer? Contemporary fuel goes bad in 60 days. Unless you use your boat alot, you risk having endless problems. Like a severe drop in octane and tarnish. I perfer to avoid potential problems and not take calculated risks. Especially on the water.

Don't mind if I do emudryj, If you have a new engine you can put additives in the fuel such as techron, everytime you fuel up and it doesn't hurt every once every now and then to run a more severe decarbon. Either something that you spray into each cyl and let sit, or even easier, run a remote tank or tanks with a product from BG called 44k. One can treats 14 gallons and will remove carbon in a hurry. If it is a 2 stroke, once you knock it down you can mantain carbon control by using 2 stroke oil from BG that has the decarbonizing agent in the oil(it also flows @-30 deg). Its about $30 a gallon, but worth it. Just a side note, 44K breaks down the binders that hold carbon together, causing the carbon to almost melt away. Not having big chuncks looking for a way out of your engine. I don't work for BG, I'm just a true believer in all their products.

Welder makes a good point and I think he might be on to something in an earlier comment about carbon. Carbon is the enemy for any engine. 2 and 4 strokes, especially direct injection. Many people don't relize any harm is being done until it is too late. I put mega hours on all the outboards that I own. Due to the products that I use to control carbon deposits. Their are several ways and products to use to keep your rings, combustion chamber, and valves(if you have them)clean as a whistle.

Tooreel, The diameter isn't as severe as the pitch. You probably won't notice anything different. I went from a ss to a al prop(same p+d) on a 21' proline and gained 3mph at cruise. So the weight, pitch,# and shape of the blades is what affects performance the most.

Hi Amaruq, I'm a newbie too. As far as matching the color of your gelcoat, Good luck. You can buy the factory color by the make and hin#. That will get you in the ballpark. To get an exact match you will need a Jedi Gelcoat Master. Ive learned to live with slight discolorations. And again goood luck.