40 HP Evinrude Wont Start

I bought a 1989 Bass Buggy Pontoon two weeks ago. I took it straight to water and it ran great. Started easily, ran strong. Ran the boat for 3 days with absolutely great performance. The next week I took it out and the battery was dead. I charged the battery and it hasnt started since.<br />What I have done so far:<br />-Checked the plugs, they are getting nice blue fire (bought new ones anyway, set gap at .30???)<br />-There is fuel reaching the plugs, maybe too much??<br />-Charger battery back to 13.7 volts<br />-Compression on both cylinders is right at 125 psi.<br />-it is oil injected and the tank for the 2 stroke oil is full<br />-When I crank it it will occasionally backfire through the exhaust<br />-One thing to note is that the area I bought the boat had a different fuel being sold, my area of Virginia sells gas with a 10% blend of ethanol, the area the boat came from did not have ethanol.<br />-when I pumped up the bulb for the gas I could not get it to tighten and fuel came from the bottom plug hole, I tapped on both carbs figuring a stuck float and the bulb tightened<br /><br />I have drained the battrery a dozen times trying to figure out what is going on and figure I will need a new starter before this is over....HELP!

Re: 40 HP Evinrude Wont Start

Welcome Jammer!<br /><br />Check the spark first. Most times when an engine dies like this, it's ignition related. Make sure the spark at each cylinder will jump a 1/2" gap with a hot lighting like spark. Seeing a little spark at the spark plug really doesn't say a lot about the ignition system.

Re: 40 HP Evinrude Wont Start

Check you flywheel for a sheared key, Jammer.<br /><br />Welcome to iboats.

Re: 40 HP Evinrude Wont Start

Thanks for the recomendations, questions:<br />-I can do the spark test easily enough but what will I be looking for when I check the flywheel?<br /><br />I have ordered a manual for the motor but it wont be here for a couple of days.<br /><br />Thanks again and I look forward to your advice.

Re: 40 HP Evinrude Wont Start

Should have asked, will a timing light tell me if it has jumped time, can you give me a quick tutorial on how to check it on this motor

Re: 40 HP Evinrude Wont Start

The flywheel is keyed into place with a key....some call them woodruff keys. On occasion, the key can shear, for instance if the flywheel is not properly torqued. This will throw the engine out of time. <br /><br />You will need to pull the flywheel to check the key and it will be readily apparent if the key is sheared.<br /><br />It's really much easier to just pull the flywheel and check the key than to use the timing light.

Re: 40 HP Evinrude Wont Start

Ahhh, sometimes life is a beautiful thing. Pulled the flywheel, gave me a little trouble but I read up on it in these forums, bought a puller, pulled the threads off the bolts that came with it, read that I should have bought #8 bolts and went and got them, hit it with the impact unti it tightened, took my 5 lb rubber mallet to the fly wheel and when it popped off, a tiny sliver of metal fell, the other half stayed in the shaft. You guys are great! The key was sheared in half, thank you, thankyou, thank you, thank you, the "I told you so's" were about to begin with the better half, you saved me heartburn and heartache, I sure woulda missed having the wife around.....

Re: 40 HP Evinrude Wont Start

Shoot, I forgot to mention a couple of things. The nut holding the flywheel on was little more than finger tight, surprised it didnt leave me on the lake weekend before last. <br /><br />Question, what should the torque be for this flywheel? Can I purchase a new key easily? Can I get it online?<br /><br />Thanks Again, first toast on the boat will be to the iboat Guru's........

Re: 40 HP Evinrude Wont Start

johnny/rude dealers should have the key, get the model # off the engine so you get the correct one. not positive but i believe the torque should be 105 lbs. hopefully OBJ can verify.

Re: 40 HP Evinrude Wont Start

Always great to know the outcome.<br />Thanks for posting the solution!!<br /><br />iBoats is the best!!!