Thread: Updating and Upgrading My Skeeter F-80 Strada

The one critical group of parts in a 3 cylinder 2 stroke Outboard engine is the carburetors. Not only must they be fed clean fuel but be kept clean & timed or synchronized for a smooth idling, power building engine is such a small package. A 1986 Skeeter was made in a time when it was inconceivable that the weights of 4 stroke engines of today, would ever be made much less a boat owner would buy one. At 249 pounds these engines produce 90+ prop horsepower. Add a milled head and rejet the carbs an you top 100HP. For right now I just need to make sure the idle circuits are spotless.



You remove the Carbs as a group. A couple of hoses & wires disconnected and the whole group can be carried over to the bench for cleaning.



I'm using a Harbor Freight Ultrasonic Cleaner with a 50/50 mix of original Pine-Sol & water. This little cleaner is a heated unit so in 20 minutes cooks out and gunk & micro particles in the fuel passages. The Yamaha OEM bowl & air bleed chamber seals are not damaged by this cleaning solution.



I pull the floats & seat needles out as well as the Cold Start Valve & Diaphragms. You can see the Carb on the left is much cleaner than the one on the right. As soon as they come out of the cleaning solution I first blow off with air then rinse with Carb Cleaner and blow again. Finally a wash in WD40 followed by one last shot of compressed air and I'm ready for reassembly.



I pulled the boat out to the hose to crank up the engine to find all the old fuel hoses leaking now that I disturbed them. Hoses are hardened to the point they must be replaced. So I will order those today.