ignition problem

I finally got my tell-tale to work, but now the motor wont stay running. U think the kill switch is not working, on the throttle box . its a 87 basstacker with a merc engine. I had problems with it yesterday then it started. but today it wont. it sounds like it wants to fire up but then its like something kills it. Do you have any ideals on how to chase down the problem.

Re: ignition problem

Check for spark first. Are you sure you have it? Are you getting fuel to the carbs?

Year of motor and serial number please. Others will be along with more advice I'm sure.

Re: ignition problem

check spark
check fuel

if no spark check emergency stop switch, and grounds on key switch

Re: ignition problem

Eric Kems,
The serial # is 08159797
year 1987
on the front cover its 45 power trim
on the side it says classic fifty
let me tell you how it all started and maybe from there you can tell me maybe what i did wrong. I just bought the boat a month ago used its a 1987 basstracker. I tried starting the second week i got it and it fired up so i never messed with after that. from that time to now i spent redoing the carpet and cleaning all the contacts on the switches and gages on the dash. they were not getting good contact. I talked to a guy at westmarine Thur and he told me to check to see if i had a tell- tale stream coming out, to make sure the water pump was working. Me and my dad tried starting it while the engine was still up and we could not get it to start. after several tries my dad realized he was supposed to lower the engine. we did that still could not get it to start. the next day we try again and finally it started up, no tell-tale stream so we changed the impeller, started it up again and no water. one of the other guys on this forum told me to check the hoses, we did and they were plugged but we could not get the motor to start again.
I left it alone for awhile for say a half hour and now i can get it started but it wont stay running. it stays running for about 5 seconds then just peters out and stops I start it again and it does the same thing only runs less seconds.
Do you think there is something stuck in the carbs, maybe its flooding its self ?
could you please help us on this one cause we are stumped.

Re: ignition problem

rebuild the carbs and replace the old gas

Re: ignition problem

Thanks JUSTINTIME,
I did put fresh gas in it brfore we tried starting it, but i think your right about the carbs, I think i will let a pro rebuild the carbs. Do you know what it would cost to do that, or how hard it would be to rebuild them your self. I tried a couple of times to rebuild carbs for a automobile and didn't have much luck with it.

Re: ignition problem

u are looking at 1.5hr 1st carb and 1 hr each additional carb
1hr diagnosis
1hr test run
going rate is from $65-105hr

so 4 hr at lets say 80 is $320 plus parts

carbs are very easily done, u need a good manual, a can of power tune and around 2 hr of your time

it is up to u what u want to do

Re: ignition problem

Have you tried to pump the fuel bulb once it gets started? If that works, then the fuel pump needs to be rebuilt.
You can rebuild the carbs, get the manual like Justintime said, as well as the fuel pump. Have some faith! (and patentience) and you'll be fine. We all have to learn to do new things, just take your time and use the manual.

It won't start with the engine up because of the mercury switch.

Re: ignition problem

That's what i hate do, is give money away for something I know i can do. I almost took it to a repair shop to fix the problem i was having with no water coming out the tell-tale, but with your guys help i fixed it like that. I have a Seloc repair manual that i have used to replace the impeller. maybe i will study it and tackle the carbs. where would i fiend the fuel pump on this engine? maybe its plugged. I will try the squeezing of the ball to see if it will stay running.thers gas leaking somewhere at the bottom of the boles kiend of like the float is stuck. If i try choking it, forget it wont start at all.
Thanks again for all the help.

Re: ignition problem

fuel pump u will need a mity vac to test it, or a fuel pressure gauge
follow ur gas lines from where it plugs into the motor, u will see it on the block

they are very easy to rebuild

Re: ignition problem

"gas leaking somewhere at the bottom of the boles kiend of like the float is stuck."

You may have answered your own question.

Re: ignition problem

OK, today i tried pumping the bulb why it was running. it still stalled after about five seconds. I disconnected the line from the fuel filter to the carbs, at the filter outlet side. pumped the bulb again and fuel shoots a steady stream out. while the fuel line was still disconnected we put the filter in a bottle to catch the fuel coming out, to see if the pump was pumping, and tried turning over the engine. the engine started and ran, didn't shut off after five seconds. so we connected the lines back up and started it again and it stayed running. Well i guess i couldn't leave things alone at that. i took the top carb's bowl off to see if it had any gummy stuff in it and it was clean, but i had to take it off and put it back on about four time till i could get the bowl to seal. went to start it up again, and it started all over again. it runs for about five seconds then stalls. i tried disconnecting the fuel filter again doing the same thing i did the first time . and still it wont stay running. I noticed when i squeeze the bulb steady stream of fuel comes out and just when the engine starts the pump shoots steady stream then it goes to a fast sputter of fuel all most in tune with the ruff idle. when it was running it would start off with a kinda smooth idle then it would go to a ruff idle is this how a two stroke runs at idle or is there a problem. one more thing how exactly do you test the fuel pump with vacuum gage or the mity vac, cause i have them both.

Re: ignition problem

u need a fuel pressure gauge
one u test before pump for suction
one u test after pump for pressure 3-6 psi

Re: ignition problem

I'm betting that a rebuild of the fuel pump will fix this for you. But you mind as well redo the carbs as well.

Re: ignition problem

I just wanted to thank everybody for trying to help me out I greatly appreciate it. I rebuilt the fuel pump and still the same thing. so i decided to let the shop take care of it. for some reason me and carb rebuilt kits do not get along to good. my luck i will get it running, get to the lake and bamb it starts all over again. I took it to NEWPORT BOATS in Corona, Ca. the guy there said he would try to flush the carbs to see if maybe they just weren't sticking cause the motor sat for two years, before they started taking the carbs off and check to see if it wasn't something simple that i over looked. they called me today and said it was the carbs so i am having them rebuild them and they assure me that it will fix the problem and it will run like a champ again. so I'm sorry if i let you guys down, I know you said it was nothing to rebuild the carbs but i I bought this boat so i could take my mom and dad out fishing on the weekends. instead i spent the whole weekend trying to figure out why it would not keep running. But I did change the impeller and the fuel pump and get to know my motor better, with all of your guy's help, and i thank you for that.

Re: ignition problem

Glad to hear your going to get mom and dad out!

I wouldn't apologize for anything, you did what needed to be done. And you did learn about the motor, so that's a plus.

Good luck to you!