Chrysler 140 Not Starting

JGKoenig · May 5, 2004

This is a strange one. I noticed that the piece of fuel hose that goes between the 2 carbs (feed hose) was very hard last season. When I replaced the hose, the motor would not start. I put the old hose back on and it was fine. I thought I was going crazy. This year I decided to try it again. I started the motor first and it was fine. I replaced the hose and it would not start. I checked the carbs to see if they were getting fuel and noticed that the motor was flooded. I drained the bowls and sprayed a little starting fluid and it kicked. I then leened out the carbs (from 1.25 turns out to 2 turns) and it started. I have not yet taken it for a spin. Could this be why I was missing RPMs? Any ideas as to why this happened. I just put new Boyesen reeds on the motor. How leen does it need to be?

JGKoenig · May 6, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

Anyone!! Could my lost RPMs be caused by the fuel reserculating system? That is the only part of the motor that I have not yet messed with. Maybe timing?

eurolarva · May 6, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

by adjusting the mixture adjust from 1 1/4 to 2 turns out you are actually making it run richer instead of leaner. When you pump the primer bulb will it get firm or does it just keep squirting gas in or around the carbs? There is a procedure in the manual about adjusting the carbs for correct lean. The only thing I can think of with the stiff hose is that it is somhow restricted and by using a new hose you have increased fuel flow and it is flooding out the motor. If primer bulb is not getting hard one of your carb float needles may not be setting. Might want to rebuild the fuel pump and see if that helps. You will have to readjust the carbs as well.

JGKoenig · May 6, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

Thanks for the suggestion. I already rebuilt the fuel pump thinking that could be the problem. It did not help. The primer bulb does get hard. I realized that I made the motor richer when I took a look in the manual. Don't know what I was thinking. <br /><br />Any idea what the fuel reserc system does. The owners manual said that it could cause the motor not to get up to full RPMs. My shop manual meantions nothing about it at all.

scotiany · May 6, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

I'm wondering if there's a check valve inside the old hose. I had valve in my old 1970 55 hp which I found by accident.

JGKoenig · May 6, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

I can see all the way through the hose. What would a check valve look like? Maybe I should split the hose.

eurolarva · May 6, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

I believe a check valve only allows gas to flow in one direction. If you can see through it I doubt it has a check valve. If your carbs are set at 2 turns out for mixture I would say your carbs are good. YOu may be right on suspecting the reeds. I have never had them apart so hopefully someone who has will come around and help you with that. Good luck

JGKoenig · May 8, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

I may have found my problem. There was some paper and plastic (maybe 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch) that had been sucked into the top carb and lodged in the reeds. I recently installed boyesen reeds and I was going to change back to the stock reeds when I saw the garbage. I am still changing back to the stcok reeds. The boyesen reeds seem to run very rich at high speed. Should be back on the water tommarow.

scotiany · May 9, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

Maybe I'm wrong but, I don't see where reeds have anything to do with how rich or lean an engine runs.

JGKoenig · May 9, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

According to Boyesen, the reeds tend to cause a rich condition due to the increased vacuum they create. They recommend adjustng the high and low speed mixtures. There is no high spped adjustment on my carbs. <br /><br />I really just wanted to go back to all the same stuff I had before I started having problmes and trouble shoot from there. Putting the stock reeds back on did make it run better, but it still appears to flooding. I am going to try rebuilding the carbs.

eurolarva · May 9, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

If you buy the rebuild kits from NAPA use the spec on the float adjustment they give. If you you use the 13/32 inch spec the needle valve will not or barely shut flow of fuel off. The new spec is 1/2 inch inverted and 7/8 inch drop when up right.

scotiany · May 9, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

Well, JG I stand corrected and I just learned something new. CPO eurolarva has good advice and I'm going to readjust my float accordingly.

JGKoenig · May 9, 2004

Re: Chrysler 140 Not Starting

After all the troubleshooting and changes made, I beleive the problem is solved. Just for sh*ts and giggles, I decide that I would try to replace the fuel line again with some that I had from a different project (purchased from a different place). It worked!! Not sure why, but my motor now lives again. After I got it running I went out for a ride and noticed that the top carb was leaking a little from the top of the bowl. I took it off and did a quick rebuild on it. It still only gets about 4500 RPMs, but I think I may have the timing a little retarded. I will adjust it a little at a time to see if I get squeeze out a few more RPMs.

Chrysler 140 Not Starting

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