2003 Four Stroke 225 Won't Start

[ReeLove]

Hello, I'm new to iboats coming back to outboards after a number of years as an inboard owner. (Silly me, just after I learned how to work on inboards, I'm trying something new!) I've searched the forum but could not find a thread dealing with my problem so I'm looking for any help you could provide.
I recently bought a 2003 Grady White with a 225 Yamaha 4 stroke with about 350 hours from a dealer in Fla. I had the boat inspected by a surveyor who checked the compression readings and all seemed good. It has been a huge improvement over the inboard as far as turning the key and going, until yesterday. We took the kids tubing for about a half hour, stopped for few minutes to fool with the radio and turned off the engine. Started her up again and began to power up when the engine died and refused to restart although she sputtered a time or two. It will crank, but will not start. Sounds like a fuel issue to me. We have over a half tank of fuel and added two more gallons just in case the fuel gauge is faulty. I've not filled the tank since I bought her in June. We have had her out several times before with no problems. Any ideas? Could this be a bad fuel problem? I really hope not as ethanol ruined my Shamrock. Thanks for any help you can provide.

ReeLove

 

[rodbolt]

Re: 2003 Four Stroke 225 Won't Start

sounds like water in the fuel or no fuel in the VST or no rail pressure.
check the engine filter for water, test rail pressure,drain the VST and see how much fuel is in it.
could be a lift pump or an HP pump or its full of water.

 

[ReeLove]

Re: 2003 Four Stroke 225 Won't Start

Sorry, Rodbolt, I don't know what a VST is or rail pressure.

I just went out and found the fuel line bulb, gave that a couple of squeezes, and she started. But, now I'm not certain whether I still have water in the fuel or she just ran out of fuel.

Is it true that Yamaha fuel gauges are unreliable? The gauge reads over the half way mark. I was told the tank was full when I bought it from the dealer and I've only put 10 hours on her so its hard to believe I've gone through 80 gallons of fuel.

I'll try and find a clear fuel bowl after I figure out how to get the cowling off. Not certain when the Raycor was last replaced. Would adding some gas treatment help?

Thanks!

 

[rib4charter]

Re: 2003 Four Stroke 225 Won't Start

Start simple and save some money.

1. You should treat the fuel with Startron and yamaha ring free as you don't know the condition of the fuel or how long it was there. You could certainly have water in the fuel. http://mystarbrite.com/startron/ .

2. Add a water separator with a clear bowl and drain so you can see if water is in the fuel and getting separated out. You can quickly drain it with the release valve.

3. Get a $10 fuel tester at your boat store. It allows you to see if the fuel you have in your tank is ethanol or 100% gas. If it is ethanol you will be able to see how much ethanol is in the tank and if it is high you are probably absorbing water or may have phase seperation You can pull a sample from your fuel line or from the tank with a siphon. If your fuel is bad, siphon it out of the tank and dispose of properly or burn it up in your car engine which can burn ethanol better.

4. I would recommend adding a moeller clear view fuel filter in between your tank and the water seperator filter as it will pick up any debris in your tank before it clogs the more expensive water seperator filter. It takes 2 minutes to change out these filters and you get 3 for $10. A very cheap investment.
See it here and it is very easy to install.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=10106&subdeptNum=10407&classNum=10410

If you are gettin a lot of debris in your tank showing up in the filter on a regular basis. You may want to have the tank cleaned.

5. Check the fuel filter on the engine itself to make sure it is clean. Easy to check, it is in the front of the engine near the bottom. Clear plastic filter housing about 4 inches long (see vst filter instructions below)>

6. If your fuel is in good shape and the filters are clean, then as rodbolt says you may have a challenge that the vst tank filter is clogged or you have a problem with fuel rail pressure. You can check the vst tank filter by following these steps yourself. It is not hard to do, it just take a bit of time and here are the instrucions: http://www.simyamaha.com/category_s/1993.htm

7. Beyond this, you probably need to go to a yamaha certified mechanic who can check out the fuel rail pressure and the pumps. Try doing some of the work yourself to save some cash.

 

[ReeLove]

Re: 2003 Four Stroke 225 Won't Start

Wow! That was super helpful. I was worried that I'd lose all my online tech help when I moved over from Fish The Classic Shamrock site. You guys are great.
I'll try all this out tomorrow and report back.
Thanks loads! You may have saved my Labor Day weekend now that Earl is blowing by Annapolis.