91' Yamaha C115 V-4<br /><br />I've read many of the Starting topics and have some clues but I need to narrow down a bit more. Symptoms are generally very difficult to start after it has set for awhile. Crank, crank, crank, flooded, pull the plugs, clean them up and try again.<br /><br />The other day while doing this I checked for spark. While grounding the plug on the engine and cranking there was no spark. Did this for about 8-10 seconds with no spark. But then a little spark jumped across the electrode and the same time the engine fired. I put the one plug back in and it cranked right up. Once it starts and run to the bay (about 10 minutes) it will start instantly and run great the rest of the day with many subsequent starts by just a brief touch on the starter.<br /><br />Today before I left the house I tried cranking it. It popped a time or two but would not start. After a few attempts it would not fire at all. Flooded. Pull plugs and clean. I check for spark but get none on all 4 plugs. Went to the boat ramp anyway. When I tried to crank no fire. I tried with several different choke and throttle settings. Nada. Except one. I had not tried FWOT. So I pushed the throttle all the way down with choke and tried. It popped once but no more. So I got this idea and pulled the cover. While cranking I had my son tap the powerpak with a knife handle. He barely got the second tap on it when it roared to life.<br /><br />So we take off but dont get more than 1/2 minute from the dock running fast when it just dies, like the key turned off. Crank, crank, nothing. Pull the cover and crank while tapping the powerpak. Its firing but not starting. Push the throttle all the way down, crank while tapping and it starts. We continue to the bay. It runs fine for the next 4 hours. The engine would be off for periods of as much as a half hour but would start up with no hesitation at the touch of the key. Did this probably 7-8 times.<br /><br />This problem has gotten progressively worse over the past year or so. My thoughts are something to do with the powerpak, coils, stator, or rectifier. It would seem that maybe there's a short and the tapping triggered it or it may have had something to do with pushing the throttle all the way. I notice that moves some linkage underneath the flywheel around the stator area. Just dont know. There's too many possibilities in the electrical system . I even read where kill switch or bad grounds can do it.<br /><br />If there's some simple troubleshooting steps I can do to isolate would like to try before dragging it down to Yamaha shop. Thanks in advance for any help.<br /><br />K-Man<br />Seabrook TX
