Mariner 40 Magnum 4Cyl: HELP!

[stan_deezy]

Please, please, please help a balding man (I'm ripping my hair out!)<br /><br />Mariner Magnum 4Cylinder 2 stroke oil injection model 1990 vintage.<br /><br />Just sold the boat, engine trailer package and am due to deliver it in the next 24 hours.<br /><br />Engine well maintained and regularly serviced. Ran one month ago as part of it's routine whilst lying ashore: no problems with it at all at that time. <br /><br />Filled up the test tank this morning and wanted to run the engine to check that I wasn't selling a lemon and it won't start!<br /><br />New fuel in tank, primer bulb going firm on pumping, new spark plugs fitted just in case, 20 amp fuse replaced, just in case there was high resistance but all to no avail.<br /><br />Electric choke is working, no settings have been altered, everything is as it should be.<br /><br />The only thing that I can recall happening after last run is that I swapped to a new (good, known) battery and reversed the polarity by mistake. I knew instantly that I'd done it and the engine wasn't started, the key wasn't turned etc, so I would suspect that no damage could have been done......or could it?<br /><br />I'm working alone so if anyone has advice on how to check for a spark whilst standing five feet from the keys or the engine I'd be grateful....<br /><br />Any help or suggestions gratefully received.<br /><br />Finally just a quick question: If you were buying a boat and the seller phoned and said; "I can't get the engine started so I'm having to delay delivery until a workshop can look at it and sort out the problem" would you be happy or angry and would you withdraw from the sale?

 

[AMD Rules]

Re: Mariner 40 Magnum 4Cyl: HELP!

Reversing the battery polarity likely caused damage to the voltage rectifier/regulator. If it still won't start with the rectifier disconnected, the switchbox may have been damaged as well.

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: Mariner 40 Magnum 4Cyl: HELP!

Thanks for that: forgive this really stupid question, but what you are saying is that I can disconnect the rectifier and try starting the engine?

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: Mariner 40 Magnum 4Cyl: HELP!

More clues now available: "significant other" arrived home and this allowed me to check the sparks: I have four spark plugs all giving off nice flashes.<br />When taken out of the engine they are wet with fuel.<br />Fuel is also dripping from the lower carb, not the gasket but from the carb itself.<br /><br />Any ideas?

 

[north40]

Re: Mariner 40 Magnum 4Cyl: HELP!

Sounds like you have a stuck float in carb.

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: Mariner 40 Magnum 4Cyl: HELP!

Thanks North40: I am taking it into the dealers today to get them to look at it. My preferred territory is four stroke car engines. <br />With my luck if I stripped down the carbs I'd break something!<br />I just feel very releived that the momentary reverse of polarity didn't fry anything on the engine after all.<br /><br />Many thanks again for all advice offered: the buyer is happy to wait for a working engine that has been tested by professionals

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: Mariner 40 Magnum 4Cyl: HELP!

Just a quick update on this for future readers/searchers........<br /><br />The engine is at the workshop now and I've just received a call to say that the low speed coil has failed: it's putting out 20volts instead of 200volts so that the sparks I saw were weak and useless (it was twilight, so I guess I would have seen them brighter than they really were!).<br /><br />£120+Tax for a new coil plus the labour etc <br /><br />Still, at least I'm selling an engine that I know will run and that saves my conscience