1990 Force 90 Problems

[daspin]

So I just bought a 1990 Bayliner with a 90 Force on the back of it. This is My first boat and I am completely clueless about it all. Was all excited to get going and have some fun, but alas, she isnt running right.

First off, it takes a very long time to get it started. I use choke on ignition, prime bulb, pull out lever to disengage gears.. I try everything.. When it finally does start up, it has whats best described as a sneeze every so often..

The second major issue is that when I get it started, and it is idling, the stalls out the second i put it into gear.

I have changed the plugs and it changes nothing.

From browsing these forums with cases that may be similar, I have seen things like adjust the idle, change the Switch box Assembly etc, but I am not sure these cases were the exact as mine, so I was hoping to get a little help of my own.

At the moment it is at the marina, where the mechanic is going to take a look at it.. Funny thing is that the mechanic has taken the boat out twice when he did the spring startup on it, and said it worked fine besides the "sneeze". Yet when I go there, it just won't go into gear without stalling out.

Any help would be appreciated.. Thanks so much!

 

[john from md]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

I suggest that you put a new fuel pump diaphram and rebuild the carbs. Then you can adjust your timing and adjust your mixture. That will probably cure the lean running condition that you have.

Assuming that no one has done it recently, I would also change the lower oil and water pump and also a decarb. You would be amazed how well they run when they are properly maintained.

Oh, and buy a Clymer manual.

Regards,

John

 

[daspin]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

Thanks John.. I will definitely look into those things. As for the Clymer Manual. I think I'll wait to see if this engine gets going again before that. I may end up needing a new engine..Who knows..

Thanks again

If this thing gets going again, I'll post the results.

 

[chicknwing]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

This is My first boat and I am completely clueless about it all.

As for the Clymer Manual. I think I'll wait to see if this engine gets going again before that. I may end up needing a new engine..

You can never go wrong if you have the manual. Trying to get by without one could lead to big bucks. I personally would spend the money on a book before I worked on something I was "clueless" about or as you said you may end up needing a new motor.

TC

 

[daspin]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

So the mechanic just got back to me.. He says the Powerhead is a big problem.. Something about leaking air into it, which is causing the "sneeze" Says the previous owner must have known about it because there is silicone all gunked up around it, trying to seal it.. Says I could be into about 7-8 hours more labour repairing that plus parts obviously.. I'm going over to see him in about an hour and will know more. He mentioned nothing about what is causing the stalling out when put into gear at this point..

 

[RRitt]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

get a second opinion. There is an very large chance that mechanic doesn't have a clue. Force engines cold sneeze by nature and are hard to start whenever last years gas evaporates and builds up heavy winter residue in the jets. He could be selling you a $500 fix when all you need is a morning in the garage with a pack of pipe cleaners.

 

[daspin]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

Brought the boat back home. Driving it home was fine. To my surprise, it runs PERFECT at higher RPMS.. This problem is obviously all about idling speed.. At higher speed, there is no sneezing at all, and no stalling.. But bring the RPMs down and it will stall out..Not fun for docking, especially today with such high winds and rough water.

Also, I found that I can stop it from stalling out going into gear if I push the lever down far enough rather quickly. Its when I try and put it into gear slowly that it stalls out. Weird.

Did find one other issue though. Seems when I turn the key to start it it won't tun over sometimes until I play with the controls. Any advice on that?
Became an issue when it stalled out bringing it in to dock. Stalled out then wouldnt start as I drifted towards rocks..

 

[john from md]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

What your mechanic may have been trying to tell you is that the engine was running lean from a leak at the carb plate gasket. If there is any kind of intake leak, the engine will run lean. It is less noticeable at higher rpm and that is where the damage occurs.

Look around the plate that the carbs are mounted on and see if there is a glob of RTV sealant. If there is, then the previous owner suspected a gasket leaking and tried to stop the leak without replacing the gasket. Sometimes you can get away with this for awhile but a lean running engine is always a catastrophe waiting to happen.

As to the engine not wanting to turn unless you jiggled the handle, your neutral start switch may not be rigged correctly. There is a switch on the engine that is activated by a step on the throttle cable. If this adjustment is not correct, the switch will not be made and the engine will not turn over.

I suggest that you do a basic rigging of the carb/timing linkage.

John

 

[daspin]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

What your mechanic may have been trying to tell you is that the engine was running lean from a leak at the carb plate gasket. If there is any kind of intake leak, the engine will run lean. It is less noticeable at higher rpm and that is where the damage occurs.

Look around the plate that the carbs are mounted on and see if there is a glob of RTV sealant. If there is, then the previous owner suspected a gasket leaking and tried to stop the leak without replacing the gasket. Sometimes you can get away with this for awhile but a lean running engine is always a catastrophe waiting to happen.

As to the engine not wanting to turn unless you jiggled the handle, your neutral start switch may not be rigged correctly. There is a switch on the engine that is activated by a step on the throttle cable. If this adjustment is not correct, the switch will not be made and the engine will not turn over.

I suggest that you do a basic rigging of the carb/timing linkage.

John

thanks John.. There is globs of sealant at the bottom of the back of the powerhead. That's where it is suspected to be leaking from. Short of tearing the entire engine apart to get to that part to replace, I'm not sure what to do there.

 

[john from md]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

Well, you can try to strip off the old rtv, clean well with acetone and recoat with marine grade clear rtv. It may get you by a season.

I would make sure your overtemp sensor is working and not run at WOT if you can help it.

John

 

[daspin]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

thanks again. I'll try that this weekend and let ya know how it works

 

[daspin]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

This problem may have been as simple as the idling screw. I assumed given I had a professional mechanic look at it, this was something he would have obviously taken care of, but upon inpsection of the idling screw I saw that it was all the way out.. Loose in fact, without being tightened by the nut. Was as low as it could possible be.. I tightened it back and and increased the idle on the engine, and ran it on idle for a bit with no"sneezing" or stalling. Seems at first glance to be alot better, but I won't know for sure until I take it off the dock and head out on the lake.

Could it be as simple as an idling screw loosened all the way at lowest idle that the mechanic failed to even look at or am I getting too optimistic here?

 

[RRitt]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

for whatever it's worth, my force engines always ran poorly until I stopped taking them to factory authorized mercury mechanics.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

If the idle stop screw is set so the engine idles below 700 RPM in forward gear in the water, it will almost always stall----simple. If you have a tach, set the idle to 700-750 in gear. Do not try to ease it into gear. move the handle briskly. It SHOULD "clunk" when gears are engaged.

At 700-750, the boat will move a bit so when docking you need to develop the skill of putting it in and out of gear on approach to control the speed. Remember: Boats don't have brakes and relying on reverse is just begging to hit the dock and put on a show for the watchers. If your significant other is fending off, she will likely get hurt. Never approach the dock faster than you want to hit it.

 

[daspin]

Re: 1990 Force 90 Problems

yeah, as a newbie, docking isnt easy, especially since my lake has good currents pusing boat away from the dock.. 'll get the hang of it..Thanks for the advice!!

I need to get a tach so that I can see what the RPMs are.. Looking into tiny tach