Engine Dies When Lowered

WrenchHead

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Feb 15, 2009
Messages
120
60 HP 2005 Merc 4-stroke EFI -- Starts immediately, idles great, take off across the water and start lowering motor and it stalls and warning sounds. It starts and quits. Starts and quits. I raise the motor and it starts and runs fine. I take off and lower the motor just an inch at a time. This time it keeps running and the problem doesn't happen again that day. Next time I take the boat out I go through the same experience. It sounds like when I lower the motor it cuts off the gas. Any suggestions on a fix? Any idea on why the warning sound?
 

joeanna

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 5, 2016
Messages
108
have you checked that a wire is not being pinched, pulled or stretched? I had a wire that would shut down sometimes when turning left, it was rubbed bare when touching a metal edge, so small it took a while to find it,
 

WrenchHead

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Feb 15, 2009
Messages
120
Is your fuel line being pinched by the motor lowering?

​No, the fuel line is not pinched. I would think if it was then it would do it all the time. It seems once the motor is warmed up I don't have the problem.
 

WrenchHead

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Feb 15, 2009
Messages
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have you checked that a wire is not being pinched, pulled or stretched? I had a wire that would shut down sometimes when turning left, it was rubbed bare when touching a metal edge, so small it took a while to find it,

​That would make sense but I only have the problem when leaving the boat ramp. Once I run a ways with the motor up then I can lower the motor without it shutting down.
 

Pusher

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Sep 2, 2014
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1,273
Doesn't sound like it could be flooding on cold since it's injected... :-/ ?
 

Pusher

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Your fuel line doesn't suck air at the connector when you tilt down quickly does it?
 

WrenchHead

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Feb 15, 2009
Messages
120
Your fuel line doesn't suck air at the connector when you tilt down quickly does it?

​Good suggestion. That Is where I keep looking. I once had a problem with the engine shutting down at half throttle when I was running across the lake. I could pump the primer bulb and away I would go. I finally traced it to the snap-in connector for the gas line. I gave the connector a light coating with grease and that worked for about 6 months. Then I changed the connector. Then later I had the same problem so out came the grease. That again worked for about 6 months. I think the sloppy connection is because the motor was made in Mexico and the connector was made in China. But once the motor warms up I can run it at half throttle and work the tilt up and down and no problem. I seem to only have the problem when I first leave the dock and lower the motor.
 

Pusher

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Sep 2, 2014
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1,273
All those connectors are poorly designed. I wish they'd upgrade half a century.

Since you said it, I'll ask... Have you tried the trim at high speed?
Also are you trying to recreate it at beutral fully tilted up when the motors warm or are you just moving it around under motion?

Hope you work it out!
 

WrenchHead

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
120
All those connectors are poorly designed. I wish they'd upgrade half a century.

Since you said it, I'll ask... Have you tried the trim at high speed?
Also are you trying to recreate it at beutral fully tilted up when the motors warm or are you just moving it around under motion?

Hope you work it out!

I only get the problem when leaving the dock. Once the motor warms up the problem disappears.
 

WrenchHead

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
120
Today I went fishing. I launched the boat from the trailer and before starting the motor I lowered the motor to full down tilt. Then I started the motor. It started right up and idled like new. I put it in forward gear and idled out about 50 feet to the river channel and slowly gave it throttle. The motor never stumbled or shut off. I'll continue to do this and hope the problem never re-appears.
 
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