This is weird....

[zoedogg1]

I have an '03 225 4stroke and I pulled the plugs out the other day to clean them. I did it because I had a slightly rough idle and already made all the other usual checks. I also swapped out to a new 4 blade aluminum prop. Fits great with no problems and turns what looks to be balanced. Anyhow I was out yesterday and it ran like crap. It felt like it was missing. Sputtering and was barely able to get on plane. Is it possible one of the plug fouled up? I scrubbed them with a wire brush and WD-4'd them and wiped clean. I also regapped them. Its the only thing I can think of. Any ideas would be great. I even torqued them on to spec. I noticed alot of vibration as well, but again dont feel its the new prop.
Wait! I did forget to put the plug in my boat. I took on water but managed to get it on the trailer before any real problems. But, Im sure that water may have got into the upper exhuast/ breather or what ever that is. It didn't however reach the cowling. Go ahead and laugh...get it out...everyones done that at least once, or will.

[zoedogg1]

Well guys....at least now I know what can make a motor run so bad. That would be running a 6 cylinder motor on 5 cylinders. I took a look at it tonight and realized the one of the plug boots had come off somehow. Im so happy to know that it was nothing serious. I know I put them all on when I cleaned them so I must have knocked it off when putting the cover back on or didnt lock the boot onto the plug all the way. I triple checked all of the this time and pressed them all on with a little more umph! At least I also know what it would run like with a dead plug as well. Good learning experience. Plan to take it out tommorrow to see how it runs now.