What you are describing sounds more like a fuel supply issue.

Sound advice.

Just remember “chicks dig scars” just make the story good 

So..............you're thinking right, 20 mph lightly loaded, just cruising, they're closed and will be till probably somewhere in the 3500 ish range depending on boat weight and loading and the strength of the spring in the chamber.

 

I blew air into the intake lines on the fuel bowls and operated the needle with the float. The primary seemed good, but the secondary had restricted flow even with the float all of the way down touching the bottom of the fuel bowl. Ah ha! My carb was a rebuilt purchase. One of the needles had a really hard rubber tip and was not sealing well. So I had rebuilt the carb. I used the gaskets that came with my rebuild kit that perfectly fit on the needle seat to fuel bowl body. That was my mistake. The added depth on the needle seat kept the needle/fuel float assembly from fully opening. Thus restricted flow. When I got up to speed I was draining the fuel bowl faster than it was filling. The fuel bowl levels were right and I never thought to check that they were fully opening. I removed the gaskets and re installed the needle seats without a gasket. Blew into the assembly and didn't have any leaks. Engine has full power now. Not sure what the gaskets were actually for. But the kit had some other parts that weren't applicable to my carb. I had tested the carb in the driveway and the no load results fooled me into thinking everything was good to go. Only had this boat in the water in no wake zones recently. It ran fine for that! So I thought the stumbling and lack of power had to be something else. Oh well. I guess examining whatever I did last should have been the first thing on my list.  The replies here and other posts I have read on CCF got me squared away. Thank you.

Feel free to verify my guess

Like any other gasket they're there to form a leak tight seal.

I suppose that if you cram the brass seat into the pot metal body hard enough it won't leak..........maybe.

I'm a little confused about your description of issues at 20 mph on the primaries being resolved by playing with the secondaries which won't be open at that speed/load

But.........you were there, you fixed it, hope it stays "fixed"

Did you take out the front gasket too? I can't decide from what's written.

It sounds like a case of some mismatched parts.

Meanwhile, it's working, so why mess with success  

Alternator vs Larry, see link below

http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=47175&KW=alternator&title=alternator-vs-larry" rel="nofollow - link

The meat eating alternator on Larry's engine 

The bottom ones are like yours and the gasket is packaged with the needle and seat.

The gasket is 0.031 inches thick.

I have some extras and could send you a couple, but you'd probably be better off buying a couple of Holley needle and seat assemblies with the gaskets if you run into issues with your setup you have right now.

Send a PM with your address if you want them

It would be interesting to know what the fuel pressure is going to the carb. I've had to use a pressure regulator once since the pressure was high enough to push past the needle. 

They're metal with a pretty hard black coating on both sides

Do you still have just the secondary side having an issue?

Should have probably been happy with the gasket less set up that did run, but it might have been a bad idea. Of course, I am trying to leave and go someplace! Don't all boat flails involve imminent departures? A lack of immediately available parts?

I spent all day sucking gas fumes. Hmmm, just a little crabby? Tried every variation of float tab and arm position. With a non adjustable set up it is a pain in the ass every time you want to make an adjustment. When I blow through the needle valve it does shut off. But who knows. I may be exerting more pressure by hand than the float is when floating in gas. It is an older needle/seat. I have another needle seat set arriving tomorrow. So maybe that will be the obvious/normal solution. Might be too smart for my own good thinking the needle tip is good because I can operate it manually. I did replace the other one. I could only get one locally. The boat starts great, runs awesome and then the j tube pukes on my day (and kills the stoke). It is now clearly a primary issue I'm chasing. 

Killed a couple of transfer tube o rings while I was having fun with the carb. No more at Ace locally. Will have to road trip. 

I did not whip out a lighter and flambe my boat... but thought about it.

I know it will all be good. This Ski Nautique has led me down the Protec conversion, it lost the TBI, this rebuilt carb lasted 8 years before acting up and after replacing my shaft, strut, rear engine mounts and prop it is super smooth... when it runs, which is most of the time until now.

Hope everyone is having a great evening. I am fortunate to live in San Diego, so I will get the boat running and I will ride all year. I am being optimistic right at the moment :)

Yo right back at ya............if you're confusing me with Pete, you've obviously been inhaling too many gas fumes and need a break.  

Since you're only overflowing one bowl right now,I think your new needle and seat for that bowl is a good approach

Did I say it was my boat? NO! Did I say I rebuilt the pump? NO! 

Here's a little trip down memory lane for you Pete.

Your 312, your pump rebuild, your fuel pressure regulator.

I won't bother yelling in CAPS  

I do agree in this boat, the pump was not changed and had worked for years so the pressure that worked a month ago should still work and a new needle and seat should solve the issue.

No reason to beat on Pete, he only tried to help.   He is a continuous source of help on this forum.

KENO wrote: I guess you could say that we have a difference of opinion about some of that "help"

If you want to never ever kill a fuel transfer tube O ring again, then get Holley part number 26-115. 

it's their newer style tube and end seal setup for a 4160.

http://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/carburetor_components/fittings_fuel_lines_and_gauges/fuel_lines/parts/26-115" rel="nofollow - link

They're almost people proof.

PS ........some of those hardware store O rings aren't gas resistant and might work for a little while before they decide to leak.

The old needle didn't appear different than the new one. The viton tip felt flexible and didn't have any ridges or worn areas. But, obviously, it wasn't easily sealing on the seat. 

When I installed the new needle and seat it was easy to set the float height and the fuel bowl level was right on with no overflowing j tubes. I should have just been patient and replaced the offending parts when I couldn't adjust them to function properly rather than trying to find some sweet spot in the set up. Boat fires right up and runs great. Secondaries kick in under load and were never the problem. Restricted flow to the primaries was the issue.