2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Bounty Lane

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A couple of months ago I bought a Suntracker pontoon boat with a 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60 hp. The previous owner said that it didn?t run well and that he thought it was bad gas. It cranked easily when he showed it to me, but it would not accelerate well. It just didn?t seem to have enough power. I suspected that it might need new spark plugs, some fuel treatment and possibly a new fuel filter. After I bought it, I cranked it and let it run for a few minutes. I was going to take it out, but decided to wait until the next day. However the next day it would not crank. About 2 weeks later I replaced the spark plugs and added Sea Foam to the gas tank. The engine cranked right away and I let it run for a few minutes but it was too late in the day to take it out. The next day it would not crank. The following weekend I replaced the larger fuel filter near the gas tank and inspected the small engine fuel filter. It would not crank. I began to pump out some of the gas, thinking it was old or bad gas. I removed a few gallons and then gave it a try. It cranked right away and I let it run for several minutes. Then I noticed water on the deck and found that it was coming from the water pressure hose. I guess the previous owner had disconnected it from the gauge on the dashboard and didn?t put it back. On the previous cranks, I had not let it run long enough to create such a noticeable leak. I had to turn the engine off to put the hose back on the gauge and the engine would not crank again. I have not been able to crank it since. I have removed all the gas and replaced with new gas, inspected all the fuses, made sure the battery was charged, and inspected the fuel hose that runs from the larger filter to the engine, but it still won?t crank. I am totally out of ideas. If anyone gave give me any advice I would greatly appreciate it.
 

MH Hawker

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

I take it you mean it wont start, not cranking is the motor is locked up or the starter is fried. Dose it have fire at the plugs and compression. Thats the first things to test and if it passes that then its the fuel system, and that's the fuel pump and the carb. if it cranks and dont start look at the plugs if their wet then its getting fuel, if their dry then its not getting fuel.
 
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Jeep Man

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

2 stroke or 4 stroke? Carb or fuel injected? You may get more answers if you have your post moved to the Mercury section.
 
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ahicks

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

A motor is cranked only until it's started. Then it's run. Not trying to be critical or put you down in any way, but it's very difficult to follow your note the way it's written.
 

Bounty Lane

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

I take it you mean it wont start, not cranking is the motor is locked up or the starter is fried. Dose it have fire at the plugs and compression. Thats the first things to test and if it passes that then its the fuel system, and that's the fuel pump and the carb. if it cranks and dont start look at the plugs if their wet then its getting fuel, if their dry then its not getting fuel.


Yes, I mean that it won't start. It cranks, but it won't start. I have not looked at the plugs since I replaced them, so I'll check them. I think the motor is fuel injection, not carb. If the plugs are dry, does that mean a possible fuel pump problem and if so do you have any advice about fuel pumps?
 

Bounty Lane

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

A motor is cranked only until it's started. Then it's run. Not trying to be critical or put you down in any way, but it's very difficult to follow your note the way it's written.


Thanks for the help. I am new to boating and proper terminology. The starter works fine. I turn the key, it is cranking, but it won't start.
 

Bounty Lane

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

2 stroke or 4 stroke? Carb or fuel injected? You may get more answers if you have your post moved to the Mercury section.

Thanks. It is 4 stroke. Fuel injected I think. I have posted to Mercury section as well. Any advice you have is greatly appreciated.
 

steelespike

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Thios should be in the mercury repair forum a moderator will probably move it.
I would suspect a problem with fuel supply. Could be all most anything related to getting fuel to the motor.
Are you using a normal cold starting operation? Squeeze primer bulb till firm,set the high idle setting?
Operate the choke while cranking?
Could be as simple as tank vent not open or as bad as the fuel system fouled from dirt, water or old fuel.
Could also be lack of spark.Assuming the motor is sound it needs fuel and spark to run.The tricky part is to figure what is missing and why.
 

Bounty Lane

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Thanks for the advice. I posted my original thread in the Mercury forum too. I figured it couldn't hurt to reach out to pontoon boaters as well. I do squeeze primer bulb until firm, set the high idle setting, and operate the choke while cranking. Several times it feels and sounds like it is almost starting. My next step is to check the spark plugs. Thank you.
 

HarborRat

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

...and operate the choke while cranking. ....


There is no choke on a fuel injected motor, which I think you have. Model# would clear that up. My first step in determining if it's a fuel or spark problem is to spray starter fluid, gas mix or carb cleaner into the intake while cranking. If it tries to start you have spark. Could be a lot of things, need more info.

IF it is fuel injected you have two separate fuel pumps on that motor, high and low pressure.

Edit: saw your SN on your other post...it is fuel injected.
 
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MH Hawker

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Do not spray any thing but gas or pre mix fuel if its a 2 stroke into a motor. Starting fluid is a fast was to fry a motor.
 

HarborRat

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Do not spray any thing but gas or pre mix fuel if its a 2 stroke into a motor. Starting fluid is a fast was to fry a motor.

Not "gas or pre-mix", plain gas alone is no better than starting fluid...it should be pre-mix only for a two stroke for any extended testing. But he has a 4 stroke, otherwise I would have been much more specific ;). Yes, 2 strokes should get a pre-mix...but testing for JUST a second or two with carb cleaner to see if it pops won't hurt a thing, and lets face it...much easier and more convenient. Even with a 4 stroke you don't want to run it too long on the spray stuff as it will wash oil off the cylinder walls.
 
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kmarine

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

not to state the obvious, did You check to see if the teather coard switch has been bumped. I get people bringing the boat to me with this problem. wiggle the red switch by the shifter control. make sure neutral safety switch is working properly too.
 

HarborRat

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

not to state the obvious, did You check to see if the teather coard switch has been bumped. I get people bringing the boat to me with this problem. wiggle the red switch by the shifter control. make sure neutral safety switch is working properly too.

Good idea, sometimes it is the simple things. If he didn't mention it was low on power I'd say it was probably an intermittent connection somewhere, failing switch or wire harness plug....but with the low power problem on top of a starting issue I'd bet the problem lies inside the VST (HP pump maybe)...just a guess. A fuel pressure test while the problem occurs would find out easy enough, but doubt the OP has one of those. It's a relatively simple motor....with more info it should be easy to figure out.
 

Bounty Lane

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Thanks for the tips. I did check the tether cord. You said the problem may lie inside the VST. What does that mean? I am curious about the fuel pressure test you mentioned. I would like to know how to determine if I have a bad fuel pump. Near the fuel pump, there is a small fuel filter with a sight bowl. I've notice that this sight bowl almost goes empty when I am cranking the motor and takes a while to fill back up. Should this be happening or should it stay filled?
 

HarborRat

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Thanks for the tips. I did check the tether cord. You said the problem may lie inside the VST. What does that mean? I am curious about the fuel pressure test you mentioned. I would like to know how to determine if I have a bad fuel pump. Near the fuel pump, there is a small fuel filter with a sight bowl. I've notice that this sight bowl almost goes empty when I am cranking the motor and takes a while to fill back up. Should this be happening or should it stay filled?

VST is the vapor separator tank. Its on the port side of the motor. It is fed by the low pressure fuel pump (back of engine) and has a float valve like a carb. It houses the high pressure pump which feeds the injectors.

That small filter you talk about is before both pumps, so if it is running dry it is probably caused by either a blockage or an air leak between that filter and the gas tank or a blocked vent. Make sure your fuel cap vent is open (and working!) and your hoses are in great shape. If you can get your hands on a portable ~3 gallon tank with hose you can plug that into the motor and see if it makes a difference.

Before thinking it is a fuel problem, verify it with the spray test (starter fluid). It could be anything and the more you can narrow it down the more we can help. If it is a fuel problem a fuel pressure gauge can be bought at any auto parts store for under $30. The test valve looks like a car tire's valve stem on the front of your VST. You should have in the 55-60psi range...if I remember correctly. No pressure could indicate a problem with either pump, but pumping the primer bulb will bypass (rule out or rule in) the low pressure pump, because pumping the bulb will fill the VST like the low pressure pump is supposed to.
 
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Silver Eagle

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Make sure your motor is in neural , It'll crank but won't start if it's not other wise..
 

Bounty Lane

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Thank you. Yes, it is in neutral when I try to start it.
 

Bounty Lane

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Thank you. Testing the fuel pressure is good advice. Thank you. I believe I have found the test valve a the front of the VST. From what I have heard about the spray test, the starter fluid needs to be sprayed into the carb. Is this correct? My motor is no carb, fuel injected.
 

HarborRat

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Re: 2006 Mercury Bigfoot 60hp wont' crank

Thank you. Testing the fuel pressure is good advice. Thank you. I believe I have found the test valve a the front of the VST. From what I have heard about the spray test, the starter fluid needs to be sprayed into the carb. Is this correct? My motor is no carb, fuel injected.

Spray into the intake, as I clearly said above...carb or Fi it doesn't matter. On that motor it is under that big plastic box on the front side. Remove the two (I think) screws to pull that black cover off to get better access to the intake.

If you can't find the intake on a motor......no offence, but you should not be working on it yourself. Pay someone who knows what they are doing.
 
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