Working to extract the very small fuel filter from deep under the engine
Matanchen Bay is just a couple of miles around the corner from San Blas, which in turn is home to a well-known right point break called Stoner’s. Combined with good anchoring conditions in the middle of the bay, this was enough to attract Madrone as a first stop in mainland Mexico.
The passage from San Jose del Cabo was almost 200 miles and required an overnight. So, the crew slept in to catch up on some sleep, enjoyed coffee in the cockpit looking out at the palm tree-ringed beach, and finally motivated to launch the dinghy to check the surf.
Checking that the plug gap is within spec
The crew piled into the boat, and Mike pulled the starter. The engine didn’t start, but it often takes a second pull after not running for a few days. But it wasn’t until the seventh or eighth pull that the engine rumbled to life, belching black smoke and vibrating way too much for a smooth four-stroke outboard. The engine wouldn’t push the dinghy at more than a couple of knots, instead of the usual effortless planing with just the two of us aboard.
Our outboard is a 2006 Nissan 9.8HP (which is actually made by Tohatsu), and it’s been a super-reliable workhorse. We bought it used four or five years ago, but it looked like it hadn’t really been used before we found it. We change the oil and lube once a year or so, and generally ignore it other than that. Until now, it had rarely given us any trouble.
No surf, but a cold beer on a warm beach is an OK consolation prize…
We’re no experts when it comes to engines, so we pulled out the service manual and started ticking items off the list. Running funny maybe means a fuel problem, so we pulled out the filter on the engine – that looked clean. Ditto for the fuel filter at the bottom of the pickup tube in the tank. The bulb on the fuel line pushed gas, so the line itself wasn’t clogged.
After a couple of hours of checking this and checking that, we decided to have a look at the spark plugs. Sure enough, while one looked good and clean the second was clearly fouled with unburnt fuel. We luckily had a couple spares on board – after swapping them out the engine roared to life on the first pull and settled into it’s normal whisper-quiet idle.
…and the ceviche tostadas were not only delicious, but less than $1 each.
Problem solved, but by this point the afternoon wind started to blow, spoiling any chance of surf at Stoner’s with the swell predicted to die by the end of the day. Some days are better than others, but if this counts as a bad one we’ll take it!
