Gamefisher died - won't restart

[moloch16]

Took my 9.9 1996 Gamefisher out on Saturday (first time this season) and she started like a dream, ran us up the river and then died when I took her to idling speed. After that she wouldn't restart. I pulled and pulled with out so much as a sputter until finally it became really difficult to pull the starter cord. I can pull it slowly but it's hard to pull, definitely can't pull it like I need to start the engine.

I started her once a month between November and now just to keep things lubricated and she started fine whenever I did this. Had her sitting in a cooler full of water. I use Stabil in the fuel.

Also had a good amount of what looks like unburnt oil coming out of the lower unit after she died. Doesn't look like lower unit lubricant but I plan to drain the lower unit to check for water.

My biggest concern now is that I can't seem to pull the starter cord. Even if I replace the fuel with fresh fuel, replace the spark plugs, etc if I can't pull the cord how will she start?

Any ideas on what causes this thing to bind like this and how to make it free up?

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Gamefisher died - won't restart

First things first. Pull the spark plugs and try to turn it over. If it's still locked up, then you probably overheated the engine and may have serious damage. If water comes out of the plug holes, then you have at least a bad head gasket.

Make sure the thing's in neutral when you do this test.

Do that, then get back to us.

 

[moloch16]

Re: Gamefisher died - won't restart

Ok I just checked the lower unit lube and it's perfectly fine.

After removing the spark plugs the starter cord pulled easy as pie. No sign of water, oil/gas mixture came out. This sound about right?

Also, what indicates a flooded carb. When she wouldn't start I kept hitting the priming button, maybe she flooded.

Thanks for your help CATransplant!

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Gamefisher died - won't restart

You probably did flood the engine, although it's hard for me to imagine that you did enough to fill a cylinder, causing hydraulic lockup. It's possible, though. If that's the case, then the crankcase will be full of fuel mix. Try pulling the rope a bunch of times with the spark plugs out and see if you get stuff coming out of the plugs.

While the plugs are out, do a spark check on both cylinders. It's also possible that the fuel pump on the engine has gone bad, allowing fuel mix to get through the pump and into the crankcase.

Air, fuel, spark. Find out which one's the problem, and you'll get your outboard running again.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Gamefisher died - won't restart

That probably has a kill switch on the tiller is the lanyard key still attached?

 

[moloch16]

Re: Gamefisher died - won't restart

Yeah I checked the kill switch it's has the key. I did a spark check and I get spark on both plugs. This weekend I plan to put fresh gas in the tank and see if she'll crank. If not I'll have to dive in deeper, start checking things like the fuel pump.

Thanks!