OMC '89 5.8 will turn over but not start-it will fire with starting fluid

vpolick

Cadet
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
7
Okay---- Here is my story. I have a 1989 Four Winns Candia with a 5.8 351w, Holley 4. I was rushing around and hooked up the battery backwards and killed the boat. I traced it back to a blown 50A fuse. I replaced the fuse and she fired right up........ for a moment. It ran for a minute or two and then would not restart. It would turn over, and even start now and then for a minute at idle then die. I took it to the &#^#%$$ who winterized it to take a look at it. He jumps in without giving me an estimate first (do I have any recourse for that?) and replaces the pick up line and the antisiphon valve. He breaks the old valve while trying to remove it and ends up drilling it out. He epoxies a new one in. Charges me $350.:eek: Boat starts fine. I watched him start it. Get it home, spend a couple weeks sprucing up the interior, go to start it up and we are back to the original problem. It will turn over but not hold a start. I think it is a fuel problem still. I try and get the pump to pull fuel from an external can and nothing. I put a primer ball on the line to the external tank and she fires right up and idles. I can not get it to throttle up, but I figure that is because I am flooding it by manually pumping. I figure at this point it is the fuel pump. Replaced the pump last night and still nothing. I put a cheap in-line filter before the water-separator to see if fuel is moving and it is only about 1/4 full. The carb looks dry. It just does not look like fuel is moving. I plan to look at the fuel filter and the carb and see if the new pump can draw fuel from an external can. I am not an engine guy or a carb guy for that matter, but I will try anthing once.

I have filled the gas tank and put 2-cans of sea foam in. Any thoughts? Engine tuner? Can I some how test/clear my new pick up with is conveniently epoxied in place?

Your thoughts are appreciated......... :confused:
 

HT32BSX115

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
10,083
Re: OMC '89 5.8 will turn over but not start-it will fire with starting fluid

Howdy,


You clearly have a fuel delivery problem. Start at the fuel pick-up in the tank and work your way to the carburetor.

You either have a plugged pick-up screen, stuck anti-siphon valve, plugged filter , failed pump, plugged carb etc. Or somewhere along the line, a leak and the system is sucking air.
 

vpolick

Cadet
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
7
Re: OMC '89 5.8 will turn over but not start-it will fire with starting fluid

Ok. worked my way up. Bought a Carb rework kit and cleaned up the front bowl and jets, replaced the front bowl gasket and diaphram. It will start, but is having trouble idling. Let it run at the dock for a while and took it for a run, still would not idle. It runs solid above idle. After running for a while it finally would "rest" at idle. I would even shift smoothly from forward to reverse and back again. Keep in mind I have 2 cans of Seafoam in a full tank of gas. I let it run at the dock for a couple hours at about 1500 rpm. I turned it off for a couple hours to let it cool down. It started right up but again is having trouble at idle. I figure I should change the plugs. Any other suggestions?
 

indybleck

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 29, 2011
Messages
136
Re: OMC '89 5.8 will turn over but not start-it will fire with starting fluid

Same thing happened to me. Did a complete tune up and it now runs like a top. Last week I got 42 mph, not bad for 260 hp on a 22.5 Four Winns. The tune up was plugs, points and condenser set points with dwell meter, set timing, then idle. Here is the link to the thread:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=547200
 
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