Starting issues

8

81_chapparel194

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Took the boat out yesterday to the gulf of Mexico it's a 90 hp evinrude 1981 year and after anchoring down and fishing for a while started up to change location I had to run the fast idle for a few minutes before I could take off with out dying. It would die everrime I throttled out of neutral. But after fast idle a few min it would run pretty good even at WOT but same thing after stopping again. Then after loading back on trailer i removed the engine cowl and noticed a white chalky substance around the starboard side cylinder head possibly dried salt ? Maybe a head gasket leak? But would that cause the starting issue?
 
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Daviet

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Re: Starting issues

Couple of thoughts.
You could have some water leakage into the cylinders, causing it to run rough until the water is cleared out.
You could have a carb problem, needle/seat leaking fuel into the carb when the engine is shut down, causing a slight flooding problem and it clears the excess fuel after running a few minutes.
 
fireman57

fireman57

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Re: Starting issues

I'm with Daviet. Water in a cylinder. Not a bad enough leak to not run but enough to ruin an engine.
 
fireman57

fireman57

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Re: Starting issues

If you determine that is where the water is coming in from you definitely need to change it. Make sure you torque the head properly and in the correct sequence. If the water is coming in there you will see where the gasket failed. If it isn't coming in from there you will need to determine where it is entering the system from.
 
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boobie

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Re: Starting issues

Do a compression test on it first and go from there.
 
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81_chapparel194

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Re: Starting issues

Ok did compression test today this is the numbers
Top port side 100
Bottom port side 100
Top starboard 110
Bottom stbd 105
Removed all spark plugs before compression test so no feed back. And checked engine hot and cold no difference in numbers
 
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81_chapparel194

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Re: Starting issues

i am thinking its going to be fuel leaking into the cylinders. because while doing the cpompression test today all the spinning the engine over i noticed that there was way more gas accumulated around the bottom 2 spark plug holes than the top 2. so that is telling me that the bottom carb is flooding. (just my guessing and i am by no means a pro at this. maybe not even worthy of rookie status..)
 
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81_chapparel194

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Re: Starting issues

Daviet said:
Couple of thoughts.
You could have some water leakage into the cylinders, causing it to run rough until the water is cleared out.
You could have a carb problem, needle/seat leaking fuel into the carb when the engine is shut down, causing a slight flooding problem and it clears the excess fuel after running a few minutes.
Click to expand...
compression test results are in.
 
fireman57

fireman57

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Re: Starting issues

Your compression is fine because they are within 10% of each other. Now you just have to find your water leak and fix it.
 
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81_chapparel194

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Re: Starting issues

fireman57 said:
Your compression is fine because they are within 10% of each other. Now you just have to find your water leak and fix it.
Click to expand...
I'm not 100 percent sure it's water in cylinder. Could it be excess fuel leaking past needle valve? Just curious. Or where else could water enter the cylinder?
 
fireman57

fireman57

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Re: Starting issues

Exhaust side is a possibility but usually more prevalent on older motors. when you pulled the spark plugs did any of them look real clean or have milky residue on them? If not then we don't know where the chalky residue would have come from unless it is just outside corrosion from not getting cleaned well. If you crank your engine with the plugs out and the fuel hooked up you can let it spray the mist from the holes on some cardboard and see it there is water on any of the spots where it hits the cardboard. It will take longer for water to dry than fuel so if you do have any you will know what cylinder it is from. If there is no water you may have a float stuck in a carb that is allowing it to flood into a cylinder. Hopefully this is the case. We got on the water issue from assuming that the white chalky stuff is new.
 
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81_chapparel194

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Messages
341
Re: Starting issues

fireman57 said:
Exhaust side is a possibility but usually more prevalent on older motors. when you pulled the spark plugs did any of them look real clean or have milky residue on them? If not then we don't know where the chalky residue would have come from unless it is just outside corrosion from not getting cleaned well. If you crank your engine with the plugs out and the fuel hooked up you can let it spray the mist from the holes on some cardboard and see it there is water on any of the spots where it hits the cardboard. It will take longer for water to dry than fuel so if you do have any you will know what cylinder it is from. If there is no water you may have a float stuck in a carb that is allowing it to flood into a cylinder. Hopefully this is the case. We got on the water issue from assuming that the white chalky stuff is new.
Click to expand...
ok so after a few test and some great help from a local boat shop (which dont know me from adam) the cylinders are flooding with gas not water. so carb kits ordered. the head temp difference is solved.. lots of crud below thermostats restricting flow.. flushed that out and now equal head temps.. YES so i believe i have figured out all my problems and should be back on the water this weekend providing my carb kits are here by friday as promised by my new boat shop... the owner/mechanic knew in advance i would be attempting the repairs first my self.. yet he still helped me and gave me test to check different stuff... even had his young lady at front desk to call him while he was in miami today to give him compression test results.... great folks at this place i have found my boat mechanic for any future needs that i cant handle... and definitely go there first for parts maybe pay a few bucks more but for their customer service its worth it.... so thank you all for your suggestions and help.. this is why i check these forums and give advice when ever possible...
 
fireman57

fireman57

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Re: Starting issues

Sounds like a great dealer. From what I have been reading they are getting rarer. Get all the parts you can from him and give him referrals especially if you do the work yourself. You might just need to adjust the floats and clean the needle valve seats to stop your flooding issue but this way you know that it will all be done. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
8

81_chapparel194

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Aug 7, 2012
Messages
341
Re: Starting issues

fireman57 said:
Sounds like a great dealer. From what I have been reading they are getting rarer. Get all the parts you can from him and give him referrals especially if you do the work yourself. You might just need to adjust the floats and clean the needle valve seats to stop your flooding issue but this way you know that it will all be done. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...

I was thinking same thing about adjusting float. I took the carbs off about a month ago and cleaned them. Didn't mess with float adjustment just pulled the pin out and removed the float and needle and seat along with jets. So how do you know floats are adjusted properly? Is there a rule of thumb or certain clearance settings?
 
fireman57

fireman57

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Re: Starting issues

rule of thumb is that when turned upside down the part of the float farthest from the hinge is barely above level with the carb body.
 
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