1st time boat owner, force 50 motor starting

Hi people!

This is my 2nd post here and I hope this will get some good feedback. I just bought this 89 17' quantum bass boat with a force 50 op motor. Now understand that I know next to nothing about boats and boat motors but I have had to bubble gum and bail wire motors back in my poorer days. with that being said, please think of me as incrediably stupid so make your comments geared so I can understand them please lol.

I would really like to know how to check out the engine to see what kind of shape its in. just a visual check shows that most of the lines look almost new. the old owner said that the motor ran well with no problems the last time he used it about 1 year ago. so he says.

i bought one of those engine flushers today so that i could test it but what do I do first? the boat motor is foriegn to me so im lost. any help would be appreciated. I am affraid of just hooking up the battery turning it over for fear of jacking it up because i failed to do something first.

can you all please guide me?


these are some pics of the motor area. I can take more if you tell me what you need. thanks in advance.

http://1s1kclan.com/cactus/CACTUS/13.jpg
http://1s1kclan.com/cactus/CACTUS/5.jpg
http://1s1kclan.com/cactus/CACTUS/4.jpg

Re: 1st time boat owner, force 50 motor starting

At this point you should have looked the engine over good and tightned any loose wires, bolts, repaired any leaking gas hoses, removed the fuel bowl from the carb, and checked to be certain the carb float and inlet needle aren't stuck and working properly, removed the spark plugs and put an ounce of TCW3 motor oil in each cylinder so as to not get a dry start from the engine setting so long, and checked the compression on each cylinder to get an idea of the medchanical condition of the engine, etc.

Hook up the muffs, turn on the water, pump up the fuel primer ball and check that it stays firm and there are no leaks, check that the little screw on the gas cap is open, connect the lanyard clip to the kill switch, put the engine in neutral, pull the throttle handle out and set the throttle lever to quarter open throttle position, push the key in to choke postion, while holding the key in at choke position start the engine, release the key, adjust the throttle to a comforatable fast idle, do not open the throttle wide open on muffs, lets the engine run free and that's hard on the engine while not under a load, check to be certain there is water coming from the releif holes on the motor leg.
If no water is visible, shut the engine off and find out why before running the motor again.

Does'nt hurt to have a good fire extingusher handy just in case.

Re: 1st time boat owner, force 50 motor starting

thanks, i will try and locate all this stuff and check it all out before I even touch the key. all i have done so far is charge the baterries

Re: 1st time boat owner, force 50 motor starting

You may want to get a large plastic container from walmart to fully submerge the lower unit, up past the water impeller and the cavitation plate. One person said they bought one for 8 bucks. The muffs work on some motors and others not. Why take a chance of hearing the over heat buzzer?

Re: 1st time boat owner, force 50 motor starting

gjm said:

You may want to get a large plastic container from walmart to fully submerge the lower unit, up past the water impeller and the cavitation plate. One person said they bought one for 8 bucks. The muffs work on some motors and others not. Why take a chance of hearing the over heat buzzer?

Click to expand...

thanks, thats a good point. I am sure I can pick something up for a few bucks. I would rather be safe than sorry.

Will keep ya posted.

Re: 1st time boat owner, force 50 motor starting

ok folks,

I pulled the cover off and this is what i saw. I was quite suprised to see it in such good condition. the past owner must have maintained it regularly, no cracks in the hoses. very little gunk if any at all.


sorry about the shadows. i see good hoses here


no frayed wiring


the only gunk area was under the carb and i am assuming its from the oil gas mix.



the float looks good.


needs new gasket but i always replace carb gaskets when i worked on them.


now this was the only thing that made me wonder. when i pulled the float bowl off i expected to see some laquering but all i found was a small pile of reddish brown power. did not look like rust but i dont know much.

Re: 1st time boat owner, force 50 motor starting

That was what was left of your gas and oil after the gas evaporated, looks like you got a good head start there, the motor does look clean.
Don't forget to check the lower unit oil before running the engine.

Re: 1st time boat owner, force 50 motor starting

If you use a trash can(excellent idea) get it right up against the mounting bracket and fill it to the brim and keep it there as you run it. You want the water up the leg like it would be sitting in the water.

Re: 1st time boat owner, force 50 motor starting

steelespike said:

If you use a trash can(excellent idea) get it right up against the mounting bracket and fill it to the brim and keep it there as you run it. You want the water up the leg like it would be sitting in the water.

Click to expand...

i found an smaller trash can i was not using htis afternoon. too funny you suggested that. when i have time later this week after i have checked everything i will attept to fire it up. a force 50 is a 2 stroke needing oil gas mix correct? and how would i go about checking the gas tank? without having to tear it out.

thanks

Re: 1st time boat owner, force 50 motor starting

Yes, it does need fuel and oil mixed, 16oz. of TCW3 outboard motor oil for every 6 gallons of gas.
The stuff in your carb bowl is likely coming from the built in aluminum tank. I have a boat that sat for 12 years and I get the same thing in my carb bowls all the time. I've cleaned the tank time and time again and think it's clean, fill'er up with gas and oil and in a short while the clear filter in the gas line turns the same color as the stuff in your fuel bowl. There's a baffle midway of the tank and it is near impossible to get the old hardened fuel and oil mix out of there flushing the tank in the boat, it will just keep coming over time as the fresh gas breaks it down into the powder you see there in your fuel bowl, so I'm always cleaning the fuel pump filter and changing the inline gas filter.