Hard Starting Suzuki

[jclark4]

I have a very cold-blooded 87 Suzuki 115. It starts easy at home with the muffs, but take it to the lake and it takes me 30 minutes of cranking before this baby will fire up. I've recently cleaned the carbs, installed a new fuel primer bulb and fuel filter. It may just be my imagination, but it seems to start better at certain boat ramps - maybe the angle? Can anyone offer any Suzuki-specific suggestions to try and get her started easier?

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: Hard Starting Suzuki

Is the electric choke working? When you push the key in and turn it to the right to the on position, you should see the choke butterflies shut. (with the cover off) They should remain closed during the starter motor cranking untill the key is allowed to come back outward from the choke position.

 

[sirlespat]

Re: Hard Starting Suzuki

For a laugh read boat is afraid of water in stupid human tricks. Then i would get a large container to make a test tank to run the motor in ,the deeper the better. Its real hard to fix something that only occurs on ramp. If you think the angle matters maybe try the fuel pump, get a friend to put a little pressure on the primer bulb when cranking. Also check that the fuel pump diaphram isn't broken ,then it leaks fuel in the crankcase.. I ve never done this but to test without dissasembling i would use some clear fuel tube going up from the pump input about 8 inches. Block off the pump exit. Fill the clear tube with petrol and watch to see if it lowers over 30 mins. Of course dont start the motor. If it drops you have a leak. It would be unusual to lose compression intermittntly so that leaves spark and fuel. Can you smell fuel after first few cranks. If it is flooding the initial problem may be minor but then compounded by flooding. Use exactly the bame idle-up and choke technique for starting ramp and home. Let us know how you get on.

 

[jclark4]

Re: Hard Starting Suzuki

I took the silencer off tonight to check the electric choke. It seems to be working fine. The butterflies close when the key is pushed in. I cleaned the plugs (they were pretty black) and regapped them. I then hooked up the muffs, pumped the primer bulb and held in the choke for about 5 seconds. Lifted the idle lever and the engine turned over first try. I'm hoping that I was just doing something wrong. Instead of holding in on the choke, I was pushing the key in and out...would that be my problem? I've got a fuel pump diaphragm on the way - I figured it wouldn't hurt to replace it. I'll be going back to the lake this Friday and I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: Hard Starting Suzuki

Yea ya gotta keep pushing the key as long as you want choke. Mine really is much happier if I just tilt it down when I get to the ramp and hook up the fuel line and starting it without the bulb pumping.

 

[jclark4]

Re: Hard Starting Suzuki

I took the boat out to the lake yesterday morning. I even started it on the muffs before we left. Got to the lake and hit the key...the engine turned over and then died. It would start and then die. It would not start and run with the engine in the water. I trimmed the engine all the way out of the water and hit the key. Fired right up and I trimmed it into the water. There is something about being in the water that my engine does not like. It just won't start for the first time in the water. Whats the problem?

 

[DJ]

Re: Hard Starting Suzuki

Jclarck,<br /><br />My experience with the DT 140, same basic engine, that I owned was that the engine started much better when it was in the full down (trimmed under) position. I also had to reprime after the engine was in this position.<br /><br />I also found that I had to use judicious amounts of warm up lever. It WOULD NOT start in the idle position cold. You have probably noticed that the engine idles fairly high on the muffs. If it does not, the idle speed may be set too low or the Microlink ignition is not advancing the timing.

 

[MEM]

Re: Hard Starting Suzuki

i had the exact same problem with my suzuki! at home on the muffs just look at the key and it would start,at the lake it took two people and lots of ether to get it going.check your timing, mine was retarded almost 10 deg.i also cleaned every ground i could find on the engine.don't know which fixed it but it ran great until last weekend when it wouldn't restart after running awhile but this time it was due to bad bearing on the big end of the rod.ouch!