15HP 93 2 Stroke Evinrude Won’t Start Warm

marleralex

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Jan 10, 2023
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6
Hey guys, i have a 93 2 stroke Evinrude 15HP I’m having problems with. Motor will start pretty easily when cold (within 3-5 pulls). Usually after a couple pulls it sounds good so I take the choke off and it’ll fire right up. I can run it on the lake pretty hard but if I come to idle it will die and no matter what I can’t get it to start. No combination of choke/gas/starter fluid will get it going. Just rebuilt carb and changed spark plugs and not seeing an improvements.

I changed the water pump thinking it wasn’t supplying enough water and I was over heating which was causing issues. The cheap Amazon impeller gave out and it over heated pretty bad. Changed it again and I’m having a good water flow from tall tale now. Experiencing some vapor coming from pee hole before water comes out. Don’t know if that’s connected to this “won’t start warm” issue.
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marleralex

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Joined
Jan 10, 2023
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6
Post compression values.----Did you check head bolt torque ?
Did 5 tests. Averaged 76 on top and 67.6 on bottom. Want to get it running again and test after a warm up with a second tester. I do suspect a leaky head gasket. Have not messed with the head at all yet.
 

racerone

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Dec 28, 2013
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Some will argue.----Remove cylinder head and inspect cylinder walls.----This sounds expensive.
 

oldboat1

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" I can run it on the lake pretty hard...." Is the motor overheating after a run like that? Top of the head too hot to touch?

best to use an infrared tester to check operating temp. 160F is an overheat.
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
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Some simple trouble shooting will quickly determine the issue.----But it can be difficult to convince folks that this is the money / time saving approach.
 

saltchuckmatt

Commander
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Jul 19, 2019
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You say your Amazon impeller gave out.....did it come apart?

If so, it may have gone up inside and plugged up stuff.
Just because the tell tale is pumping doesn't mean the engine is getting cooling water.
 

909

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Jul 19, 2021
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537
Buy OEM parts. Steam means your impeller is trash.
 

racerone

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" overheated pretty bad "----Means what ?----Wires melted ?----Time to do a compression test and a proper inspection !!
 

marleralex

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Jan 10, 2023
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So I changed the impeller and got it running. Ran real nice again with water coming out tall tale. Then couldn’t get motor going again no matter what. Troubleshooting all day yesterday with the carb and can’t figure it out. I have good compression good spark but something with the fuel supply is off. Seems like it’s flooding but yet also won’t stay on now if I magically do get it to run for 1-10 seconds. I don’t think the carb is leaking out the needle, pumped and pumped and pumped with no signs of gas leaking out. Sparks don’t look over saturated either so it may not be getting enough gas to stay on? Could it be fuel pump? I’m at a loss..
 

marleralex

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Jan 10, 2023
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Have you pulled the head for inspection yet?
Your compression is low in my opinion.
I have not. After looking at it there’s quite a bit of stuff in the way and honestly I feel like I’ll just break something trying to investigate it. I trust the compression I got, it’s not great, but seems “good enough”
 

airshot

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Jul 22, 2008
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5,081
I have not. After looking at it there’s quite a bit of stuff in the way and honestly I feel like I’ll just break something trying to investigate it. I trust the compression I got, it’s not great, but seems “good enough”
Right there is part of your problem !! If it is good enough then go run with it....when it stops completely....buy a new motor !! " good enough" never solved a problem !!
 

marleralex

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Joined
Jan 10, 2023
Messages
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Right there is part of your problem !! If it is good enough then go run with it....when it stops completely....buy a new motor !! " good enough" never solved a problem !!
Yeah I can’t argue that. Felt like a noob even writing it. It surely feels like a carb or maybe somehow a spark problem though. If I thought it was compression I’d mess with it, and once I give up on carb and spark I guess I will have to start going down the compression path.
 

tphoyt

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Sometimes trouble shooting means doing something that you find didn’t need to be done and the only thing you accomplished was checking it off the list and moving forward.
Best
 

oldboat1

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Apr 3, 2002
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9,612
Given the overheating episode, tighten the headbolts and see if compression improves. The t.stat on your motor is at at the top of the head cover, which is an improvement over earlier models. It would be a good idea to check a parts diagram (marineengine if you don't have a manual), and at least remove and inspect thermostat parts. You might want to just replace the assembly.

You will probably need a box wrench to get at the lower headbolts.
 

James R

Commander
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Feb 1, 2007
Messages
2,678
Strange you might say. The overheat may have damaged the plugs. Have you replaced them?
 
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