1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

[Syyd98]

Hi all,


I have a 1994 sea rayder with the 90 sport jet.

It had been sitting unused since late spring. Went to start it and wouldn't start. I put the cut off switch key in, turned the key and it sounded like it wanted to turn over, but wouldn't. As I kept trying, it wanted to turn over less and less till I got nothing.

My first thought was a dead battery, but the bilge blower turned right on when I turned the switch. I don't know if that rules out a dead battery or not. I didn't try and jump it.

My second thought is that I flooded the engine somehow. I didn't wait to try it again.

Well anyways, I panicked and brought it to the nearest marina to have a mechanic look at it and haven't heard back yet (weekend).

I'm just wondering (and hoping) if it is something simple as a dead battery or flooding of the engine and what to expect to hear back from the mechanic. I'm new to boats (obviously) and am looking for some guidance here.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[Syyd98]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Anyone want to take a stab at it?

 

[lugster84]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

probably dead battery, the fan draws alot less than a starter. You should go buy a battery charger and charge it overnight. Alot of them have built in battery tests to show if battery still good. A friend of mine had a ski that would turn over and not start, the battery was bad and did not have enough amperage to fire the engine though it still turned over.

 

[Syyd98]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

probably dead battery, the fan draws alot less than a starter. You should go buy a battery charger and charge it overnight. Alot of them have built in battery tests to show if battery still good. A friend of mine had a ski that would turn over and not start, the battery was bad and did not have enough amperage to fire the engine though it still turned over.

I hope it is just the battery. I wish I would have tried to jump it.

It was just the fact that the fan still ran just as strong after it wouldn't turn over at all after I tried a few times as before I tried the first time.

 

[Syyd98]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Anyone else?

 

[Anders67]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Hi.

It worked when put away for season ?.

Easy .

It can be the battery, and the fuel ore lack of fuel. It need to be a little rpm when turning over to give spark.

Let them try that first.

 

[aksor]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Best thing is to get a load tester and test the battery. The blower runs on a couple of hundred miliamps the starter needs 10's of amps

 

[Syyd98]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Thanks for the replies guys. I will make sure they test the battery.

Anders,

I was thinking about the lack of fuel as well. I will let them know about that.

Thanks for the help.

 

[aksor]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Pull fuel hose off bottom carb place it in a jar have someone crank the engine look at fuel flow, pulsing no good, steady flow is good.

If its pulsing then replace diaphragm in fuel pump and associated gaskets, ensure that your fuel filter screen is clean not full of black powdery gunk else replace your fuel line as its deteriorating, when reassembling fuel pump use putty knife to hold spring compressed between the two halves it makes it a lot easier to put back together.

Also clean your vent elbows and lines on the carbs they get clogged.

 

[Syyd98]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Alright guys,

So lately I've actually been getting her to start. However, it usually takes about a half hour or more of cranking, giving it rpms, choking and so on to get it to start.

I've come to the conclusion that it's actually me that's doing something wrong when starting it. I think I'm actually flooding the engine.

My process for starting the engine is: kill switch button pressed in, turn key and press in to choke, lift up on the ring on the top of the throttle lever (I believe this is used to get it out of neutral, but I'm not sure as i am able to move the throttle lever with out doing this), then I move the throttle lever forward to supply rpms.

It usually starts by cranking for as long as turn the key but won't turn over. Eventually it will crank less and less till not at all. When it does (if I haven't given up) finally start it smokes bad for a while, but eventually runs great. This is why i think Im flooding it.

Am I missing something here? Am I doing something wrong?

I really appreciate the help guys.

 

[Syyd98]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Also, am I frying my starter doing this?

 

[Anders67]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Hi. Sound like it flooding. If it runs all ok. when you, at last, get it running.

You shall not turn it over for a, to looong, time. You can kill the starter, ore battrey. And it shall not be nessesary, it is some problem.

You should check one time before starting to cranking. Take out upper spark plug. Ground it well and turn it over. Do you have spark right up?. If ok.


What kind of remote control du you have?. Do you have a crome button sittnig in lower right corner loooking on the control?.


Fuel.

Reeds ok?. They close and not broken?.

Do your engine have manual choke?.

 

[Yamahaha1]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Hope you have it resolved. My only thought was to add a blast of starting fluid to carb directly....If it starts right up.. I would think there may be water in your fuel ( as stated in above post- drain it to a clear glass container and let sit and if there is separation You have water in fuel. If starting fluid works might help diagnosing this also. Good Luck and let us know what you find.

 

[Syyd98]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Hi. Sound like it flooding. If it runs all ok. when you, at last, get it running.

You shall not turn it over for a, to looong, time. You can kill the starter, ore battrey. And it shall not be nessesary, it is some problem.

You should check one time before starting to cranking. Take out upper spark plug. Ground it well and turn it over. Do you have spark right up?. If ok.


What kind of remote control du you have?. Do you have a crome button sittnig in lower right corner loooking on the control?.


Fuel.

Reeds ok?. They close and not broken?.

Do your engine have manual choke?.

Yes it runs ok when I eventually get it started. It also starts right up when warm.

Really hope I didn't fry the starter this last time...

I have the little chrome cylindrical button that I make sure is out when I'm starting.

The choke is the push key choke. This I am not sure about. I don't know if I'm supposed to keep it held in while turning over, or just pushing once. This is what I think may be flooding the engine because I believe it's actually a primer and not actually a choke. Is this correct?

 

[Syyd98]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Hope you have it resolved. My only thought was to add a blast of starting fluid to carb directly....If it starts right up.. I would think there may be water in your fuel ( as stated in above post- drain it to a clear glass container and let sit and if there is separation You have water in fuel. If starting fluid works might help diagnosing this also. Good Luck and let us know what you find.

What kind of starting fluid do you suggest? I have never actually used it because ive always thought it just covered up the real problem, but I agree it could help diagnose the issue.

I assume most starting fluid is the same?

How would water be getting in the fuel? Wouldn't I notice it when it's running?

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Yamahaha1]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Water Gets into fuel from simple evaporation and temp changes. Especially from sitting for a period. Also Fuel when it goes bad smells like old varnish and not gasoline.

On the starting fluid Most is the same, and You only need a short blast of it for diagnostics.

You may or may not notice it while running. Most likely you would have a stumble upon acceleration, or what would seem like a misfire. But since the engine is generating more rpms.. Contaminated fuel may not be noticeable while cruising.

Just an Idea for trouble shooting.

BTW In your post ( and I will double check on this for you) You should Hold button , in, while attempting start. But I will check my manual to make sure.

 

[Anders67]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Yes it runs ok when I eventually get it started. It also starts right up when warm.

Really hope I didn't fry the starter this last time...

I have the little chrome cylindrical button that I make sure is out when I'm starting.

The choke is the push key choke. This I am not sure about. I don't know if I'm supposed to keep it held in while turning over, or just pushing once. This is what I think may be flooding the engine because I believe it's actually a primer and not actually a choke. Is this correct?

It?s sound like the choke system don?t work properly. I?m not familiary with your choke system on this one. When i look on schematics i see that you have old fashion typ of choke on the carbs. But i don?t see what makes it go on ore of when engine hot.

You should be able to see on right side of carbs if the choke link is opening and closeing the choke shaft. Don?t see if it?s electrical operated ( like you say pushing in the key) ore in some other way.


Someone else here knows??.


If it?s problem whit the choke. Just as the other says . Spray gasoline ore starting gas into carbs and turn it over. And see if it starts right up.

The crome buttom work like this. Put hadle in middle right up. When you pull out the buttom you are able to throttle the engine a little up and down without the cable to the jet pump works. You can also turn it over in more than 12 o klock position of the handle.

 

[Syyd98]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Alright guys, here are the developments from today,


Took it out today, tried to start it, got nothing at all this time. Put her back on the trailer and drove to autozone as I suspected the battery was shot.

Well it turns out it was completely shot. So that raises other questions. Did the previous battery have just enough juice to turn it over last time? I know it's wishful thinking that it was the battery this whole time, but maybe.

Anyways, I had a new battery with more cold cranking amps put in. I didnt have time to make it back to the lake as its kind of a drive and, to be honest, just ready to be done with the damn thing for the weekend as I've wasted two days and a lot of gas with no actual boat time..

I will be trying again Friday. Would really love to have her run for the holiday weekend..

 

[Syyd98]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

I will be trying the starting fluid as you guys have suggested.

Really appreciate the help!

 

[ranman6]

Re: 1994 sea rayder not starting (yes another one)

Becareful using starting fluid on a 2 stroke it could burn the pistons. I use a mix of 2 cycle oil and gasoline in a spray bottle, works real well. Also you might check your starter, mine did the same things and I pulled the starter and it was junk inside.


Good luck