Got my boat on plane now. She's running pretty good. The only problem I have now is I HAVE to have my foot on the hotfoot just a hair to keep her idleing. If I take my foot off, she dies. Before I couldn't get her on plane and figured out the primer switch was in the wrong position . Now it is running and getting on plane, just dies without being on the hotfoot a lil. Should I just adjust the idle or hotfoot throttle cable?

This was after putting the primer valve in the up position. When I did this she got on plane great, but will die if I let off the hotfoot at idle. When it's in the down position, she starts and idles, but won't get on plane until you idle around for a few mins or so.

If you have to have the enrichment valve up to get on plane, you have carb or fuel supply problems.

How do I go about diagnosing it? Am I running a chance of messing it up by running it this way(valve in the up position)? My manual I bought says it needs to be in the run position(down), but the carbs look good and fuel lines look good. "Look" being the operative word here. The carb and bowl seem to still have a little seperation like they've been warped, but don't know from what. They don't meet together like it seems it should. Could that be the problem? Doesn't seem like they're leaking though.

Do not run it if you have a lean condition.

Like Tommy says.....that is unless you want to see the pistons. From what your saying, you have carb problems. And by the way, there is no spray cleaner that you can spray in the venturi of a carberator that will clean the carb. Only removal will clean the inside of the carb. No such thing as a mechanic in a can.

That shouldn't be a problem as I ran outta gas the other day right as I got back to the ramp. Didn't have much to begin with so I guess that was a good thing. So I should replace the carbs seeing as they're warped where the top meets the bowls? When I start her, I have to push in the hotfoot as to give her a lil gas while I'm starting her to get her started as well.

I took off the carb cover and there's gas all over the carbs. Should there be? If not then its definitely a leak. I also noticed the top part of the carb does NOT seat flush with the bowl. They look kinda warped. Could this be causing it? Doesn't "look" like gas is leaking from there but could be a good possibility.

I was told you could sand them down so they sit flush again with about 320 grit sandpaper on a piece of glass or something else level. Has anyone else done this and will it work right and fix the problem? This has to be where I'm leaking.

Dont go sanding anything. Take it off and take a look at it.

Not gonna do it. It has a bevel on it that would ruin it more than it already is. Need to find some new carbs since these are warped.

I dont know what engine you have and am only familiar with Evinrude carbs ( or Mikuni and Amal bike carbs)...so forgive me if I'm off track here...but are you saying that someone didnt cross tighten the float bowl screws and warped the bowl ?

It's a 200 HP Johnson gt v6. It seems like the top if the carb is warped a bit. I'll try post pics one later today.

Can't really tell from this pic, but where the tops meet the bowls, there are lil gaps where it doesn't sit flush. Have looked on the Johnson website and I can get the bowls, but the top part is unavailable. On other sites it shows they are obsolete. So what carbs do I put on there???

Have you tried removing the carb, installing a new bowl gasket...AND cross tightening the screws properly? I bet this would solve the problem.