1996 Evinrude Vindicator 200hp--engine keeps quitting on start-up

[KVH]

Guys, help! My engine starts, runs about 4 seconds and quits. Yesterday at the lake I just had to give up and drive home. Because the boat had been sitting for months, I did use gas conditioner, and I also first drained the carbs through the drain plugs. Curiously, my fuel bulb from the tank to the motor was "mushy" and would never stiffen up until I held the bulb vertical, up and down.

Then, suddenly, I could hear gas making it to the carburetors, and the bulb got really tight and stiff. I'm told that is a known bulb defect of some sort. Well, at one point I got the engine to run a bit longer, maybe 12 seconds, and it shot huge clouds of gray smoke all around the dock. That has been typical of of this engine since new--but when it cut out, I simply could not restart it without the engine quitting again after just about 4 seconds.

I must admit, until I discovered the bulb issue, I used the red-lever to prime the carbs, and I possible flooded the carbs. But waiting 15 minutes made no difference.

I pulled my spark plugs and they were all very wet. I dried them off with a rag and re-installed them, but it made no difference at all. I'm wondering if the plugs were ruined or if my cleaning with a rag wasn't enough. But I'm also wondering if I just flooded the carbs so badly with the priming lever that I needed to wait more like an hour?

Yet another thought--should I have poked a small rod in the drain holes to be more certain the carbs weren't all "gunked" up inside? My fuel pump is VRO.

Is my fuel bulb somehow the problem since I had to aim it up vertically?

Any other ideas?

Thanks for any help, all. Marc

 

[racerone]

The motor should run longer than 4 seconds with carburetors full of fuel.----Are you pushing the key in for cold starting ?----Are you pushing key in as needed when motor falters?----Outline your starting procedure here.----Do you understand what the electric primer does and how it works ?

 

[KVH]

The motor should run longer than 4 seconds with carburetors full of fuel.----Are you pushing the key in for cold starting ?----Are you pushing key in as needed when motor falters?----Outline your starting procedure here.----Do you understand what the electric primer does and how it works ?

I do push in the key when cold starting. The spring seems a little weak, but works. All I know about the key and electric priming is to push in the key while turning the key. I'm assuming that's an electric choke. My procedure is: a) pump up primer bulb; b) push in and turn key. If no start, manually prime using the priming lever and squeezing bulb twice.

Would fogging oil cause my plugs to foul and fail?

Remember, I did eventually start for about 12 seconds and blew a cloud of gray smoke.

It's as if something just isn't catching. My gas is old but has conditioner. Easy to say that's the problem, but it doesn't seem it should be. I'm imagining going the Marina to empty and dispose of 20 gallons, then refilling, and being nowhere ahead, so I'm leaving that to last.

Is there a way to see of the electric choke on the key is performing correctly?

Thanks.

 

[Crosbyman]

electric chokes are electromagnets... they emit a "click" sound when the key is pushed in.

 

[racerone]

The electric primer is a valve.----It opens when key is pushed in.----So remove ( carefully ) one of the small hoses.----Crank engine with key pushed in.----Fuel should pulse out of the small nipple..----Fuel from the primer valve bypasses carburetor metering circuits and goes directly into the engine intake air.----What are the compression values on this motor?----Is there spark at all six leads ?

 

[Faztbullet]

Pull the front air cover and drains carbs. Sounds like they are full of oil from setting.

 

[Chris1956]

Alot of those motors have the quickstart system. Every time the starter is activated the quickstart system kicks on for a few seconds. If the engine is cold, quickstart is supposed to stay on until the motor is warm. You might check the port temp sensor, as it is the one that controls the quickstart system.

Have you tried advancing the throttle when starting the cold engine?

 

[saltchuckmatt]

Pull the front air cover and drains carbs. Sounds like they are full of oil from setting.

That's my guess. Check for 2 stroke oil in carbs.

 

[racerone]

Post #1 says that carburetors were drained !

 

[dingbat]

Had the exact same starting issue with my 96’ Ocean Pro 200 HP a couple years back.

Would “catch”, run for a couple of seconds and shut down. Repeat at least 5-6 times before it would stay running. Once warm, started with the turn of the key.

Problem solved with a new starter. Yesterday, started up (put away wet) on the third try coming off 4 months of down time

 

[saltchuckmatt]

Post #1 says that carburetors were drained !

Needs to check it a second time....imo

Gray smoke is puzzling.

 

[saltchuckmatt]

Another puzzling statement,


"Then, suddenly, I could hear gas making it to the carburetors, and the bulb got really tight and stiff. I'm told that is a known bulb defect of some sort."

 

[KVH]

Well, I read the comments above, and here are my questions: a) if I drained the carbs, and 2 had an ounce or two drain out, but the other 4 showed hardly anything draining, would you suspect the drain holes on the other four were plugged up? b) does it take two people to check spark at all six plugs? Not sure how I'd check by myself, and c) should I try spraying electric parts cleaner into the key hole for the electric choke to be sure it's clean? It really seemed anemic when I pushed in on the key, and I'm wondering if the parts inside are dirty. Thanks again.

 

[Crosbyman]

Well, I read the comments above, and here are my questions to....

you mentionned old fuel My gas is old but has conditioner. just how old is it ?? 6 months or 3 years ?... I winter store my boat 6-7 months fully fueled with conditionner with no issues on my ETEC in 18 years.

"carbs...2 had an ounce or two drain out, but the other 4 showed hardly anything"
how has it been since you serviced the carbs ? the difference in fuel quantity seems to indicate inadequate fuel flow in or... out of the carbs !

would you suspect the drain holes ? possible issue imho but back to the previous point... how long has it been since carbs were serviced ?

does it take two people to check spark at all six plugs? two if you have a friend help out or one if you rig your testing with a remote start at the engine

SPARKS.... Not sure how I'd check by myself, check utubes

should I try spraying electric parts cleaner into the key hole for the electric choke to be sure it's clean? see post 5 and.. search utubes here is one

OMC primer valve repair - Search Videos

www.bing.com

 

[saltchuckmatt]

Electrical parts cleaner in the key slot opening? NO. test primer solenoid. Turn key with cowling off and push it in. Should here click, otherwise jump it at the motor with 12 volts. If it doesn't click keep testing or take it to a shop.

Fuel should be in the carbs. Fill with fuel again, try to start it once and check carb bowls again. Fuel should come out of all the carbs. If not mix some 50 to 1 fuel in a gas grade spray bottle and spray down carb throats while trying to start it. May need wife, son/daughter, girlfriend, neighbor, fishing buddy or dead guy laying in the creek bed to help.

Smoke should be quite blue not gray. What king of oil are you using. Blue should be the color of your face when your brother almost choked you out as a kid. And as some here might describe, "a wonderful smell of not quite combusted gas and two stroke oil" some mechanics love to bathe in fog of it all...benzine is their friend.

One thing to try is unscrew the vro oil tank cap and try to start it. May want to do this last.

Spark test with one person. Easiest if you invest in a good spark jump tester and learn how to jump the starter back at the motor.

"Then, suddenly, I could hear gas making it to the carburetors, and the bulb got really tight and stiff. I'm told that is a known bulb defect of some sort."

No defect, that is how it's supposed to work unless I'm interpreting this incorrectly. Others will tell me if I'm wrong.

One things for sure don't get frustrated just take one step at a time. Check....diagnose, fix....move on. Simple really.

 

[KVH]

Needs to check it a second time....imo

Gray smoke is puzzling.

I'll try draining again, but should I poke a fine rod into the drain holes? I'm puzzled why the top 4 had no drainage, but the bottom 2 had quite a bit. I'm wondering if the drain holes get plugged up somehow.

fyi; my boat is 100 miles away; I need to drive all the way back just to check all this--

 

[saltchuckmatt]

I'll try draining again, but should I poke a fine rod into the drain holes? I'm puzzled why the top 4 had no drainage, but the bottom 2 had quite a bit. I'm wondering if the drain holes get plugged up somehow.

fyi; my boat is 100 miles away; I need to drive all the way back just to check all this--

If you want to gently poke something up there your most likely not going to hurt anything, if it unplugs something you will need to remove the carbs and clean/rebuild or if you do my test it might lead you on to the oil problem.

Check or discover, diagnose, fix....move on. I wish I could describe 6 steps to a perfect motor but it really doesn't work that way.

If lots of 2 stroke oil comes out of the carb bowls (drain plug)
When you drain them remove the oil cap on the vro tank and test again.

 

[dingbat]

Curiously, my fuel bulb from the tank to the motor was "mushy" and would never stiffen up until I held the bulb vertical, up and down.

A primer bulb has 2 check valves in it. Nether will work without the primer bulb being held in the vertical upright position. That’s how they work.

I’ll go back to what I said a while ago… these
motors are sensitive to cranking rpm. They need to crank over 300 rpm to generate enough electrical power for strong spark to start.

As a test, combine your batteries while cranking to see if that improves your cranking speed

 

[flyingscott]

What do you mean you use the red lever to prime the carbs? That primer with the red lever Bypasses the carb. I would replace your fuel ball.

 

[KVH]

What do you mean you use the red lever to prime the carbs? That primer with the red lever Bypasses the carb. I would replace your fuel ball.

Yes, thanks, I meant to bypass the carbs and allow direct fuel. And I'll replace the bulb.

But I'm still unclear on the primer valve solenoid. On the Youtube I watched, I note that the narrator says you can bypass the carbs by opening the red lever, then starting the engine, then turning the lever back down to normal running position. Is that the way it works? When I bought my boat ages ago the mechanic at the shop said to open the valve, squeeze the bulb twice, then return the valve to normal, then start the engine. Can you clarify?

Finally, if my solenoid is bad, how strongly do you feel about getting a new OEM valve for $230 compared to an aftermarket one for $60?

Thanks again for the help.