Reply To: Backfire/misfire thru carb

[Don]

OK, well those white plastic connectors are fairly flimsy even when in good shape. But, this one has probably been worn out trying to move that jammed mag plate, I would definitely replace the ball/socket assembly.
The water flows out of the cylinders down through the hoses to the thermostats. So, is this the only leak you have?? If so, perhaps the big adapter is not freeze damaged. Perhaps one of the hoses is leaking, or one of the thermostat cover gaskets is NG. This set up is a pain in the butt at best, but near impossible to service with the bubble back exhaust. I have spent many hours trying to wrestle the little springs/seals back together while the powerhead was in place. In the end, it probably would have been easier and taken less time to just pull the powerhead. But, I would try to pinpoint the actual leak prior to pulling the powerhead so you can be sure it is actually fixed after reassembly. The last thing you want is to complete the job only to have the leak persist. I’m not sure if there is some way to run water through the system without running the engine, which might make it less difficult (and safer) to find the actual leak.
Good luck…