1995 Evinrude 130hp will not start. No spark on 1 cylinder

dtclements · #1 February 4th, 2007, 10:27 PM

Just bought a 1995 Stratos FS278 with an Evinrude 130hp. It was freezing when I bought it so I took his word it ran well. You know the rest. It will not start. Here is what happened.
Engine last ran in summer 2006 (or 2005 he said both). Tank was empty so I put in about 6 gallons of fresh gas. Its oil injected. Engine would crank put immediately shut off. Would run about 2-3 seconds. I replaced the plugs, then would not start at all. Put old plugs back in, started but only ran a few seconds again. Then stopped starting all together. I replaced fuel filter, replaced bulb. replaced plugs. Check compression, cold of course because it won't run. all cylinders between 130 and 134. Checked for spark, 1 cylinder is not firing. I see spark on the other three. Tried several plugs on that cylinder, no change. switched plug wires, no change.
I don't know much about boat motors. Please help. Wife is not happy I bought a non-running boat. LOL

any ideas?

Walker · #2 February 4th, 2007, 11:26 PM

I suspect the carbs are fouled and need overhauled with a thorough cleaning. As fas as your spark issue goes, you really need a shop manual to trouble shoot it. You could swap two of the ignition coils and see if the problem moves to a different cylinder.

JB · #3 February 4th, 2007, 11:55 PM

Howdy, DT.

Welcome to iboats.

If 3 are firing it should start.

Go to the Engine FAQs. Do the troubleshooting in "Outboard won't start".

Let us know what you find.

Good luck.

OBJ · #4 February 5th, 2007, 12:15 AM

What's the starting procedure your using DT? Pumping the primer bulb up prior to starting? Hold the key in to choke?

dtclements · #5 February 5th, 2007, 12:36 AM

Thanks for the help.

Yes pumping the primer bulb each time. It stays firm. I have tried choking and not choking. The few times it did start I was choking it. But would immediately cut off. Now it will not start at all.

dtclements · #6 February 5th, 2007, 11:33 AM

Talked with a local mechanic last night, he said he can take a look at it later in the week. He said it sounds like the power pack because its only 1 cylinder not firing and because it doesn't start. He also said it should start on 3 cylinders.
I know it difficult to trouble shoot over the net, especially with someone who is not a mechanic, but do you guys think its sounds like the power pack? If so, I can order one online and install it myself. I suggested the coil since it was one cylinder, but he said they hardly ever go bad.

ideas?

thanks for all the help.

reeldutch · #7 February 5th, 2007, 11:56 AM

i wouldnt order new components until you figured out what the problem is.

it could be the ignition coil, just swap them and you will know.
dont forget the spark plugs either and the high tension wire.
also make shure the coils grounds are good and clean.
sometimes the primairy wires gets bad to, specialy the conectors that conect to the coil.

but we all agree that it should fire up on 3 cylinders.
so maybe someting else is going on.

what plugs do you have in and did you gap them?
how did you verify you have good spark on the other 3 cylinders? and no spark one 1?
how do the old plugs look like?

its not so hard for your mechanic to run some tests and verify wich component (S) is/are the problem.
before that dont buy anything nobody refunds powerpacks.

reeldutch

dtclements · #8 February 5th, 2007, 12:10 PM

Thanks. I will swap the coils tonight.

I checked for lose wires and made sure all connections were secure, I did not disconnect any wires to inspect the connectors, except for the spark plug wires.

Old and new plugs are Champion QL78YC. I gapped the new plugs at .03. I did not adjust the old ones. Old plugs were pretty dirty, completely black with carbon.

I verified spark the old fashion way, just by sight. I removed one plug at a time and had my son turn the engine over. Had blue fire on 3, nothing on last cylinder. (bottom cylinder on starboard side). I tried several plugs, both old and new, and swapped the plug wire from top cylinder. still no spark on that cylinder.

I think since it didn't fire on 3, the mechanic figured it was the power pack. Again, this was all over the phone.

allymoss · #9 February 5th, 2007, 02:48 PM

Hi,

I suggest clean carbs as well. I have had trouble with dirty carbs like this.

reeldutch · #10 February 5th, 2007, 04:02 PM

clean all the connecters and grounds.
thats your best bet.
the plugs do get dirty overtime.
i would clean all of the coil grounds and connectors even on the coils that do have spark.

i suspect the other coils are firing but dont get the full load because of dirty connecters grounds.
thats why it doesnt realy want to start.

its a shot in the dark but right know without a mech testing it the best thing you can do.

and when you got your ignition back i would clean the carbs out to.

JB · #11 February 5th, 2007, 07:13 PM

At the risk of being redundant.

Do the troubleshooting and quit guessing.

dtclements · #12 February 7th, 2007, 04:23 PM

Still have no spark on lower starboard cylinder. However, I can spray gas/oil mixture into the carbs and it fires up. cuts off after about 2-3 seconds. spray again and it starts up again.
I have tried 2 bulbs and a new fuel filter. I see fuel in the filter. bulb stays firm.

While choking the engine, I cannot hear the click I hear on my old boat. with that one, I hear the click and see the butterfly close. on this one, the butterflies appear already closed and I don't see any difference if I push the choke. Should I?

thanks for all the help!

Walker · #13 February 7th, 2007, 04:47 PM

Your choke doesn't work like that. The butterflies you see are the throttle butterflies. Your choke is a small black canister with a solenoid activated valve. When you squeeze the bulb up tight the fuel line downstream of the bulb is pressurized all the way thru the fuel pump to the carbs. A small line tee's from it between the fuel pump and the carbs and goes to the choke solenoid. When you hit the choke button/key the valve opens and a small amount of fuel get released into the small hoses from the solenoid to the intake behind the carbs. Once the pressure in the fuel line equalizes no more fuel will go thru unless you pump the bulb again or the motor fire up and the fuel pump is pressurizing the line.
There is a red lever on top of the solenoid and normal run position is with the lever parallel with the solenoid body. If you need to manually choke the motor first squeeze the bulb up tight, rotate the red lever 90degrees and squeeze the bulb again. Turn the lever back and try to start.

dtclements · #14 February 7th, 2007, 05:49 PM

Thanks for the explanation of the choke. This is only the second boat I have ever owned. other had a 89 force 50hp. having issues with that too. it will not cut off, I posted in other forum. .

Okay, engine is running! I kept spraying gas/oil into the carbs. it would crank, run a couple seconds and stop. finally after about 20 times it kept running and ran until I turned it off. about 5 minutes. seems to be running now. tried several times and cranked up.

Now, I have a question about the water. I had a garden hose hooked up and turned on about half pressure. shouldn't there be water coming out of the back of the engine? Isn't that a flushing port on the back directly below the cowling? nothing was coming out. small stream was coming out from outlet on starboard side of engine, heading downward. I believe 2 streams coming out from lower unit. nothing coming directly out of back.
should there be?

guys, please don't be frustrated with me, we were all newbies at some point. lol

thanks for all the help

Walker · #15 February 7th, 2007, 06:33 PM

What you saw was correct.