hard starting

have a 1989 3.0 mercruiser turn the key and crank and crank and crank then just when I start to release the key it starts. Don't know why??? also is it worth it to convert to electronic ignition and how much does it cost.

Re: hard starting

when was the last time ya did a tune up on it? plugs, cap, rotor, points condenser, dwell and time it. fuel filter(s) plug wires ok? clean flame arrestor, good fuel? compression?
ya didn't say if it was a cold or hot start problem. if cold. does the choke shut? if warm, does it open?

if a cold start. are ya giving it one full sweep of the throttle to set the choke + one more full stoke of the throttle to insert extra fuel for the cold start. leaving the throttle at 1/8 open round abouts for the cold start?

myself. i got points. and it starts right up. if it didn't these are some of the first places i'd be looking at.

Re: hard starting

new tune up beginning of season and new carb kit very confused on river yesterday and cranked at least a minute or two and finally had to put throttle wide open cold start and then had to start hot again yesterday on river and had to open throttle all the way. then couldn't keep it idleing
hooked up today in yard with ear muffs and it started cold with no adjustment to throttle choke works fine and then I turned it off and looked down the carb and it looked like there was a river flowing.(fuel) what to do?

Re: hard starting

a further comment.....

it takes three things to make an engine run. fuel, spark(ign.) and compression.

see if there's fuel present by looking down the carb venturi while actuationg the throttle. there should be a stream of fuel coming out the accelerator pump nozzles.

check ign. sys. remove coil wire from tower on dist. cap. hold near ground and check for spark while cranking eng. repeat with ea. sparkplug wire. causion should be observed during this test. be sure to run blower and have a sniff prior to creating a spark. ya don't wanna go boom. or get a spark plug tester..... (after reading about your excessive fuel present. ya may wanna get that corrected prior to making any sparks at all. i'd worry about creating a spark with that much fuel present)

do compression test...

I turned it off and looked down the carb and it looked like there was a river flowing.(fuel)

Click to expand...

sounds like ya've narrowed it down to over rich to me.

a few items to check might be.... right outa the book....

warm engine carb percolation (fuel boils out of the float bowl when shut off and warm, floods intake manifold)

clogged fa

auto choke not opening

float adj.

float leaks or is saturated w/fuel

needle and seat leaking

carb. gasket leak

excessive fuel pump pressure (would unseat needle and seat)

cracked or porous carb body....



still ya might check the dwell and timing. i had to reset mine mid season. my dwell had moved for some reason.....