OK, I've read enough about other folks having their engines stall when docking... now I guess it's MY turn!! ;(

1983 Crusaders 454ci 350hp with stock carbs and mechanical fuel pumps. Upgraded to Presolite electronic distributors about 15 years ago.

A couple weeks ago I was coming back to the marina after a cruise and decided to stop at the gas dock for some fuel and a pump-out. Got all the way into the marina and right in front of the slip and went to pivot and turn in... and no pivot!! WTH!! Look down and realize that the port engine stalled. As I'm now drifting into the opposite fairway and headed the wrong direction, I use the stbd engine to straighten up the boat. Once stabilized, I restart the port engine and it just stalls again. Restart again and give it a little throttle and it runs OK, so I drop it down to idle and it stalls again. Start it up and hold it to 800rpm and it's OK... so I pull into the slip.

NEVER had an engine stall like that before. Have had to come in on one engine a few times for various reasons but haven't had it stall like that. I've owned the boat for ~25 years.

Not too long before that trip, I had felt that the idle was a bit too high, as running through the marina on both engine just at idle would kick up a little more wake than I liked. So I lowered the idle just a bit (1/8 turn maybe). OK, maybe that was too much, so I went to the engine compartment and put them back. Thought everything might be OK.

Today took a cruise across the lake. Got to the lunch location and, just as I'm maneuvering around to tie up, the port engine dies again!! ARRRRGH! Took a couple times to start it, but it eventually started. Got tied up and had lunch. Headed back to our marina and now I'm wondering if it might be a heat-related issue in the distributors, as it's almost like someone shuts the key off. So on the way back, well before we hit the 'no-wake' buoys outside the marina, I come off plane and just run on the stbd engine for a good 20 min... leaving the port engine idling about 800 in neutral. figure that would let it cool down. Get all the way into the marina and into my fairway and the port engine just stalls. I could not restart it, so I just docked with the stbd engine. Could not start port even after I docked.

Did some checking on the engine. Looks like spark is fine. Checked both at the coil output and on one of the plugs and don't see anything wrong there. I put a 'stick' in the carb vent where you check the float level and compared it to the stbd engine (stock Rochesters). Both seemed the same. Then I pushed the accelerator pump a couple times... port is pumping air but stbd pumps gas like it should. Hmmmm... maybe a float stuck CLOSED? Enough troubleshooting for today... had to head home but will be back there next week and will probably take the lid off the carbs to see what's up.