Won't make power
 

This is going to sound crazy for this forum, but this question is on a boat engine.

I am hoping someone can help me here!!!

I have a SBC installed in my boat. Just bought it last year and it had a problem when I bought it. Thought it was just a loose plug wire.

When I get up to about 3200RPM the engine develops a miss.
I replaced the fuel pump, carb, dist cap, rotor, plugs and wires. Even tried another ignition module with no help.

I later discovered that when this problem occurs I was loosing the #3 cylinder by shorting out the plug wires at the distributor.

I finally removed the heads and it looked as though I was ingesting coolant and thought I either had a cracked head or a bad head gasket. I replaced the head and intake manifold with Vortec style and was hoping I fixed my problem and gained a few HP.

Well this year I put the boat into the water and I have the same problem except now it looks as though I am loosing #2 cylinder!

When the problem occurs it seems like the fuel is not being sucked into the carb. There is almost a faint spray of fuel above the carb.

If I rev it in neutral a few times, open and close the throttle rapidly it will sputter out of the carb. Not backfire, just sputter.

Any ideas here? Could really use some help.

Thanks.............

sounds like a valve timing problem but I really dont know without seeing and hearing the problem just a wild guess I would check the valves for binding and make sure they are adjusted correctly

Never got a chance to reply here.........

It was actually the fact that the valves were adjusted too tight. Good call!!!

How Big Is The Cam You Are Running. If There Is Too Much Overlap It Will Actually Suck Water Into The Engine Through The Exhaust At Idle If I Am Not Mistaken

Possible Lifter Problem
 

I had the readjust the valves on one side this year.........

I noticed that the lifter aren't pumping that much oil............is this a sign there may be a problem?