BuddyB77
Cadet
- Joined
- May 22, 2020
- Messages
- 9
Hi Guys - new member first time poster here (be gentle!)
I'm sure you've heard this one before.
Have a Merc Alpha One Sterndrive (I think 1989, will get the serial number if needed), ran great last season, winterized (out of water for 6 months) and now it won't start.
I'm not overly technical but here is what I know.
Lots of crank on the engine, belts move but won't start up. All accessories are working properly.
Checked the carb - its dry with only faint smell of gas.
I do not hear the fuel pump at all when I turn the key.
Voltages are 12.3vdc at the battery and the circuit breaker. Solenoid, ignition switch and all other test points I could find are showing 8vdc.
If I had to make an ignorant guess I'd say the issue is with the fuel pump but the 8vdc puzzles me, I would understand if it was showing 0 (bad wire, short or part failure?) but I don't know why 8vdc and whether or not it can operate at that lower voltage.
For full disclosure - when I removed it from the water last season about 1/4 tank of gas left. I put the fuel stabilizer in but was not able to run it through the engine, filled it to the top with fresh gas as few days ago. I was told to see if I could smell "varnish" which would indicate the fuel had gone bad but I didn't get a varnish smell at all.
Normally I would take it into service but my job is gone due to covid so hoping its a minor problem.
Thank you in advance for any help!
Bud
I'm sure you've heard this one before.
Have a Merc Alpha One Sterndrive (I think 1989, will get the serial number if needed), ran great last season, winterized (out of water for 6 months) and now it won't start.
I'm not overly technical but here is what I know.
Lots of crank on the engine, belts move but won't start up. All accessories are working properly.
Checked the carb - its dry with only faint smell of gas.
I do not hear the fuel pump at all when I turn the key.
Voltages are 12.3vdc at the battery and the circuit breaker. Solenoid, ignition switch and all other test points I could find are showing 8vdc.
If I had to make an ignorant guess I'd say the issue is with the fuel pump but the 8vdc puzzles me, I would understand if it was showing 0 (bad wire, short or part failure?) but I don't know why 8vdc and whether or not it can operate at that lower voltage.
For full disclosure - when I removed it from the water last season about 1/4 tank of gas left. I put the fuel stabilizer in but was not able to run it through the engine, filled it to the top with fresh gas as few days ago. I was told to see if I could smell "varnish" which would indicate the fuel had gone bad but I didn't get a varnish smell at all.
Normally I would take it into service but my job is gone due to covid so hoping its a minor problem.
Thank you in advance for any help!
Bud