Manually starting

puddlesplasher · Oct 4, 2010

Hi All,

How do I manually start my Johnson 30hp electric start outboard?

I know it sounds stupid as its electric but there was a problem with the batteries at sea and the engine wouldn't start.

I took off the engine cover and wrapped some cord clockwise around the flywheel after inserting the knot into the groove.

Then I moved a little red lever at the front of engine from inline to across the pipe (thats as much as I recall the mechanic telling me to do)

Ignition on and then tried to start the O/B by pulling.

No joy so I need to know if I was doing something wrong. I was advised that this procedure will work on a reasonably hot outboard. This one had not been run in about 1 hour.

Thanks.

ps. the auxilliary O/B got us home.

eclark53520 · Oct 4, 2010

Re: Manually starting

Not sure what the 'little red lever' is but the engine should be in the same state as when you attempt to start it via the electric starter.

I practice this on my outboard from time to time just to make sure, should i run out of battery power out on the water i can get home.

GatorMike · Oct 4, 2010

Re: Manually starting

The red lever he is talking about is the primer. Don't know the proceedure on his motor but assuming it is the same as on my 115 he was correct.

There is a trick I have used and I don't think this is part of the proceedure but it has helped me a time or two. I have pulled the cord and at the same time had a helper hit the ignition switch. My pull on the rope started the flywheel spinning and the battery & starter had just enough juice to keep it moving long enough for it to fire.

wilde1j · Oct 4, 2010

Re: Manually starting

Did you use the choke or primer? Might be needed if it sat for an hour. You ought to get an owner's manual if you don't have one. It would tell you how to rope start it.

Chinewalker · Oct 4, 2010

Re: Manually starting

Personally, if the motor is "cold" I would leave the primer alone and simply jam a rag in the carb to choke it. Pull start it with throttle setting as you would when starting with battery. Chokes works on outboards for 100 years - why they went to those silly primer things is beyond me...

puddlesplasher · Oct 5, 2010

Re: Manually starting

Chinewalker said:
Personally, if the motor is "cold" I would leave the primer alone and simply jam a rag in the carb to choke it. Pull start it with throttle setting as you would when starting with battery. Chokes works on outboards for 100 years - why they went to those silly primer things is beyond me...

I am confused

Are you refering to the red lever as being the primer? I believed that was to extract any air in the system as air cannot be compressed and will cause a blockage.

Blocking the carb. stops air getting in and makes a rich mixture, I believe. Is that what ultimately I am looking for?

The throttle? Are you refering to the lever that sits to the side of the gear lever? If not then what as do you mean? I cannot engage the throttle and accelerate until I put the engine in gear and throttle up the revs.

Perhaps the black lever that increases revs in neutral is what you are refwering to as the throttle?

Call me stupid for not knowing what some of you guys mean but ask me the technical details of putting out a fire and I can supply you with all that knowledge

Gary H NC · Oct 5, 2010

Re: Manually starting

The red lever is the primer.

I have never tried to start my 175 with the rope and hope to God i never have to..

F_R · Oct 5, 2010

Re: Manually starting

If it had been run within the last hour, it probably doesn't need the choke/primer/rag or whatever. At least try it without.

The primer enrichens the mixture for a COLD start. So does a rag, hand, or whatever. Jam a rag in there too far and it may block the main nozzle, no fuel flow. And it may try to swallow the dang thing. It is ok if you know what you are doing, as chinewalker does.

Turn ignition on.
If it has a kill switch lanyard, make sure it is attached.
Control in neutral, Set fast idle lever up a bit (the "black" lever, I presume)
Give it a pull. It should start right up.

If it doesn't, go through the priming procedure.

puddlesplasher · Oct 6, 2010

Re: Manually starting

Now thats why I call laymans terms ^^^

I tried and it failed.

Ultimately this method of hand starting requires some knowledge and I am delighted that as forum members we are are actively discussing the issue.

Any bets or guarantees that others have never thought about the procedure and probably even less knew they could hand start the O/B when batteries fail?

For me I believe I used the correct procedure but didn't have the correct length of rope.

Someone previously mentioned getting a manual. I agree but for me that doesn't understand the mechanics of it all then it is best left alone where possible and just ensure that the batteries are fully charged.

mucduc · Oct 6, 2010

Re: Manually starting

im having the same trouble with my 50hp. my battery aint dead but im having my starter rebuilt right now and have been trying to pull start it with no luck either. you said you may not have the correct length of rope, how long is it. im using pretty thin cord and only able to get about 2 wraps before it slips off.

puddlesplasher said:
Call me stupid for not knowing what some of you guys mean but ask me the technical details of putting out a fire and I can supply you with all that knowledge

are you a firefighter?

eclark53520 · Oct 6, 2010

Re: Manually starting

mucduc said:
im having the same trouble with my 50hp. my battery aint dead but im having my starter rebuilt right now and have been trying to pull start it with no luck either. you said you may not have the correct length of rope, how long is it. im using pretty thin cord and only able to get about 2 wraps before it slips off.

are you a firefighter?

I still have the stock pull cord for my 77, and it only wraps around once.

Put the knot in the slot towards the carbs, then it wraps around clockwise till it comes back towards the front. Thats it, give it a good yank and she fires right off.

I'd be worried about the engine firing before getting all that cord off the flywheel and getting yourself pulled into a running motor. Be careful using that much rope.

HybridMX6 · Oct 6, 2010

Re: Manually starting

I have a manual start 55hp Johnson, and give it a few pulls and it fires right up.
So, since you are obviously back at the dock, so to speak, have you tried starting it with the electric starter since the issue on the water? If so, did it start? If it did, then something in your procedure is not working.
If you have no tried the electric starter since, I'd give that a shot as soon as you can to see if the motor is indeed firing. If it has not started since the main issue on the water, there could be a larger problem at hand going on here.
Oh, and as for the primer (little red lever you referred to), if you do move that little lever, make sure you put it back to the original position. If you try the manual start and flip the lever as the mechanic said, you need to flip it back as soon as it starts or I believe it's going to flood the motor with gas and stall, then making it a lot more difficult to start than normal.

GatorMike · Oct 6, 2010

Re: Manually starting

puddlesplasher said:
Now thats why I call laymans terms ^^^

I tried and it failed.

Ultimately this method of hand starting requires some knowledge and I am delighted that as forum members we are are actively discussing the issue.

Any bets or guarantees that others have never thought about the procedure and probably even less knew they could hand start the O/B when batteries fail?

For me I believe I used the correct procedure but didn't have the correct length of rope.

Someone previously mentioned getting a manual. I agree but for me that doesn't understand the mechanics of it all then it is best left alone where possible and just ensure that the batteries are fully charged.

Sometimes the way the outboard sits on your particular boat has a lot to do with how easy or difficult it is to hand start. I had a 115 on the back of my old Proline and it was no problem to hand crank because you were pulling at about waist high. I have a 115 on my current boat, a Wellcraft that is mounted so low below the floor of the boat that you are pulling up on the pull rope and it is almost impossible to hand crank.

puddlesplasher · Oct 6, 2010

Re: Manually starting

mucduc said:
im having the same trouble with my 50hp. my battery aint dead but im having my starter rebuilt right now and have been trying to pull start it with no luck either. you said you may not have the correct length of rope, how long is it.

Sorry, nope, that's what I'm asking

mucduc said:
Are you a firefighter?

Nope! A Fireman yes

eclark53520 said:
I'd be worried about the engine firing before getting all that cord off the flywheel and getting yourself pulled into a running motor. Be careful using that much rope.

Too right, that's why I was asking. Isolation of an engine by strangling is acceptable on an old truck but with my hand??

HybridMX6 said:
have you tried starting it with the electric starter since the issue on the water? If so, did it start? If it did, then something in your procedure is not working.

Oh, and as for the primer (little red lever you referred to), if you do move that little lever, make sure you put it back to the original position.

I tried it on the muffs at home with the electric start and it started afetr a 48 hour recharge of both batteries, first time.

I think my incorrect procedure was the rope as nothing has changed other than the battery recharge.

The wee red lever was returned to normal and the ignition key turned on *pheew, wiping my brow x3*

GatorMike said:
I have a 115 on my current boat, a Wellcraft that is mounted so low below the floor of the boat that you are pulling up on the pull rope and it is almost impossible to hand crank.

Around waist height in a lumpy sea with my mate puking his guts beside me hahahahhahahaha

mucduc · Oct 7, 2010

Re: Manually starting

puddlesplasher said:
Sorry, nope, that's what I'm asking

Nope! A Fireman yes

me too. Im actually on shift right now and working another shift tomorrow. where about do you work

Haffiman · Oct 7, 2010

Re: Manually starting

Back to topic:
Turn the red lever 90 degree, squeeze the bulb, turn the lever back.
1/2 lift the idle lever on remote and pull!
If correctly adjusted cables etc, this will normally give max timing advance, but carb not open.(roller on mark).
This will do the same as using the pump-primer on the manual starts once, which is normally enough.

puddlesplasher · Oct 8, 2010

Re: Manually starting

mucduc said:
me too. Im actually on shift right now and working another shift tomorrow. where about do you work

Saturday dayshift with Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, Scotland, UK.

Haffiman said:
Back to topic:
Turn the red lever 90 degree, squeeze the bulb, turn the lever back.
1/2 lift the idle lever on remote and pull!
If correctly adjusted cables etc, this will normally give max timing advance, but carb not open.(roller on mark).
This will do the same as using the pump-primer on the manual starts once, which is normally enough.

Excellent, now I am making my stay short.

Off to try it out.

Skagit Hunter · Oct 26, 2010

Re: Manually starting

On my rude pushing in the key activates the prime/enricher Even if there is not enough power for the starter it still works. pump the ball rock hard. turn key on and push in a couple times, And pull like hell....fires every time

Manually starting

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