'85 Force 85hp Starting/Acceleration Problems

Hi. I just purchased my first boat - an '85 Bayliner 1600 Capri. It has an 85hp, 2-stroke 3-cylinder Force of the same year. When purchased it started ok for an older engine. I took it out to lake twice and it started fine, but it would not accelerate beyond 1,500 - 2,000 rpm(an estimate, I don't have a tach). The engine sounded good though. So this weekend I decided to check the fuel filter to see whether it was clogged, it turned out to be fine. However now, the boat would not start. I also replaced spark plugs with the same kind several days ago. I've tried to start the boat 20-30 times in the last 2 days and the best I could get is a running engine for 3 seconds. What's up? Before checking up on filter it would start, now it wouldn't...Makes me very sad. Any help greately appreciated.<br />P.S. I bought a new tank, fuel is fresh and is properly mixed w/ oil. Manual rubber pump (right before tank) seems fine. The problem seems to take place after on inside the fuel pump, maybe carbs? One friend advised me to sprinkle some gas into intake to initiate starting, I tried that but it didn't help very much. The engine backfired twice during the whole experience (once I took off the intake cover to sprinkle some gas into carbs, that's when it first backfired). That's all the info I can come up with. Thanks in advance.

Re: '85 Force 85hp Starting/Acceleration Problems

firstboat19, the combination of no engine high speed and now a no start problem might be caused by a weak fuel pump. Try this, squeeze the manual rubber pump several times and see if it goes from flexible to stiff, stiff indicates that the fuel line and carb float bowls are full? If it does the engine should now start, if it doesn't start you have other problems, possibly ignition problems, if it starts and runs for a while and then stops I would suspect the fuel pump. Pump it up again and see if it restarts and runs a while, if yes, the fuel pump is bad.

Re: '85 Force 85hp Starting/Acceleration Problems

SlowlySinking thank you for your reply. The manual pump does get stiff, however the engine wouldn't start. The engine probably goes through 1 or 2 complete cycles, but dies after that (burned gas comes out of exhaust). Plus the engine backfires when I sprinkle fuel into intake. My friend told me since it backfires, there has to be spark (the coild do look like crap but they worked!) So I don't know whether it's the fuel pump or carbs...Fuel pump looks easy to deal with, but my Force has 3 carbs for each cylinder! Does anyone know how to fill carb bowls if they are empty???

Re: '85 Force 85hp Starting/Acceleration Problems

firstboat19, first off, my pleasure and you're welcome. Pumping the manual pump until it's hard verifys that the manual pump works and something is causing back pressure, it's either the carb bowls are full or you have fuel system blockage. To check, loosen the float bowl nut on the bottom of one carb and see if gas leaks out. If you have gas I would suspect the ignition, plug wires, plugs, etc, but if there's no gas at carb bowl then something is blocked. I would then remove the gas tank fuel hose at the filter and see if pumping causes gas to flow from the hose, maybe catch the gas in a small glass jar or can. If gas flows at this point then the blockage is in the filter or fuel pump. This elimination process will lead you to the fuel blockage, if in fact this is your problem.

Re: '85 Force 85hp Starting/Acceleration Problems

those chryslers are bad on coils if they are originals they probably are cracked around the end. try cranking it at night to see if the spark is jumping to ground, from the wires or coils themselves. dont know much about the 85hp chryslers, but i had a 1985 50hp chrysler and i had this problem. i stopped at a outboard repair shop while i was at santee cooper, they hooked me up with two coils for 20 bucks. <br /><br />ps. if your bulb is getting hard, your float bowls are probably full. if not full, the float is stuck up (unlikly).

Re: '85 Force 85hp Starting/Acceleration Problems

Thank you all for your help. Yesterday I checked the top coil and found out that the ground wire was cut almost all the way! I reconnected it and today I am going to check all other connections around coils and CD modules - if it stops raining. I'll put some aluminum foil inside spark plug boots to see if it fires better or at all. Anyway, I called the local shop specializing in Force/Chrysler outboards, and asked them how much it would cost to replace 3 coils and 2 CD modules, their answer was $600!!!<br />Does anyone know an online source or any other source which could offer a better price???<br />I've heard NAPA has some marine parts?<br />Thanx!<br />I won't be able to respond to any replies until Saturday (has surgery to endure) but please respond.

Re: '85 Force 85hp Starting/Acceleration Problems

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