89 Seadrive 140hp - stiff flywheel

[seabird89]

Hi guys, thanks in advance for any help.

The boat has been sitting for about 8 years, it was running 8 years ago.

The starter wouldn't turn over the engine. It engages the flywheel, but does not move it. I have not purchased a battery, but I was jumping it from my SUV with the SUV running. The battery in the SUV is new and is rated for 880 CCA.

With the plugs out, the starter turns the flywheel with no problem.

With the plugs in, the starter would not move it. I can turn the flywheel by hand (both hands), but it is difficult and gets really stiff on the compression strokes.

I replaced the starter, hoping it was just a weak starter. Now it moves the flywheel about 3 inches and then stops.

The wires on my jumper cables got so hot, it melted the rubber next to the clamp.

Any ideas?

P.S. I also tried some Marvel Mystery oil in each cylinder and let it sit over night. Did not seem to make a difference though.

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome aboard.

Heck, 8 years ago I was in better health too. :joyous:

Take the plugs out, squirt some TC-W3 two stroke oil in the plug holes and crank it over with the plugs out. You can squirt some of the TC-W3 in the carbs too. You could have dry cylinder walls and bearings. Hopefully, the rings and wall aren't rusted. Also do a compression test.

 

[seabird89]

Aint that the truth!

Thanks for the suggestions. How much TCW should I put in? The reason I ask, is because I already put some in, but maybe not enough. According to my turkey baster I added 1/4 oz of TCW and 1/2 oz of MMO to each cylinder. Then I tilted her up overnight to soak in, but it did not seem to make much difference in the stiffness.

Also just to clarify, when I was jumping the boat, I was connecting directly to to the starter and and ground so I think I am getting plenty of juice to the starter.

 

[Speak]

Sounds like poop electrical connections. Check them at the block specifically your ground connections. Clean them up and re try

 

[seabird89]

I was jumping the positive to the big bolt on the starter and the negative side to what I think is the ground bolt at the block, below the starter (has a big black cable connected to it).

Hopefully that was the ground bolt...

 

[GA_Boater]

I don't measure the oil. Most of it will shoot out the plug holes. What you want to do is oil the cylinder walls. With the motor tilted up, you might put a rag over the plug holes so it doesn't get too messy.

 

[seabird89]

Oh, maybe I missed a step (wishful thinking). I put the plugs in while letting her soak overnight so no morning dew would leak into the cylinder. Should I have removed the plugs and cranked her until she stopped spitting oil and then put the plugs back and try cranking again, or am I just grasping at straws?

 

[GA_Boater]

Yep - Leave the plugs out until it stops spitting the oil.

It's a little difficult to do long range troubleshooting over the Interweb, so I'm throwing out the things that I would try. Others may have better ideas.

 

[seabird89]

I appreciate your help and I hope you're right. I'll guide that a try. Anything else that would cause stiffness? Clogged exhaust maybe?

 

[ondarvr]

Jumper cables aren't the best for trying start a motor, as you found out, they tend to get hot, which means they don't conduct well enough for full power when needed during starting. Use a battery like you normally would.

Excess oil in the cylinders will make it hard to turn over with the plugs in, so let it pump out before putting them back in.

 

[GA_Boater]

One more thing to be careful about is frying some ignition parts when plug wires are disconnected. When I'm not using the key to turn the motor over, I leave the key in the OFF position so the ignition isn't energized and use a jumper wire on the solenoid to spin the starter.

 

[seabird89]

Well, I went ahead and bought a new battery today and I got her started!!!! :clap2:

I think the TCW may have helped a little, but I think the main thing was having enough juice to turn the starter. Basically, I'm and idiot for not buying a battery first and it cost me a new starter. Luckily I got it off of Amazon so it was only $70.

How long should I let her run before I see her peeing? I ran her for a couple minutes with muffs but only saw a slow drip. Also, I have an infrared thermometer that I was using to monitor the head temp, how hot can I let her get while waiting for her to pee?

 

[GA_Boater]

It's often the simple things.

Not sure at all. but a Seadrive may have a thermostat. Also some motors just don't pee well on muff for some reason and pee fine in the water.

On the temp, 160-170 would be the max for me. If it has a thermostat, it should be open long before reaching those temps.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Seadrive?? Isn't that an outboard?
​Do a compression test. Just for fun??

 

[seabird89]

Jerry, the compression test starting at the top left and going counter-clockwise:

135
135
130
125

I wish the last one was 130, but not too bad for an 89 I guess.

 

[boobie]

Seeing it's been sitting so long it would be a good idea to replace the water pump.

 

[seabird89]

I actually did that today. Also replaced the plugs after the compression test.

Next I am going to tackle the carbs, I have fuel leaking out of the intake cover so something is wrong there.

 

[racerone]

The seadrives used outboard powerheads.----They do have thermostats when the left the factory.---When an outboard has sat for 8 years it needs a new impeller !

 

[seabird89]

I replaced the impeller, wear plate gasket and orings.