Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

[Family Cruiser]

I have this old Evinrude that is hard to start when its cold. I pump the bulb to its hard, give it full choke and crank it. It cranks but does not even sound like it wants to start for the first 2/3 times cranking. Then it will sound like a backfire or something, and then it will usually start 2/3 cranks later. After it starts it will start usually easy the rest of the day. But it takes 5/10 minutes to get started from the cold position. The plugs are new, and the engine runs fine when it warms up. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. THANKS- Dennis (FAMILY CRUISER)

 

[JB]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

Howdy, Cruiser. That engine must just be cold natured. My slip neighbor in Ft. Lauderdale back in the early 80s had one of those on a big Mako and used some very colorful language on it to no avail. His girlfriend filled a windex bottle with premix, gave each carb a healthy dose and she fired right up. After warming her a bit, they put the cover back on and motored off down the canal. That became the routine and I never saw it fail.<br /><br />Worth a try?<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB

 

[ICEMAN]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

Hi Family Cruiser, I would check to make sure the choke plates all close completely when you activate the choke, there are linkages to adjust. Also, there were some models that did not have a choke plate on one of the carburetors from the factory, I think it was the upper carb. If you have that carb,the motor did get hard to start after it got some age on it. If this is the case, let me know.

 

[Family Cruiser]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

Thanks J.B., other than hard starting it runs fine for a '78. I'll give your idea a try. Thanks for the quick reply. Dennis- {FAMILY CRUISER}

 

[Family Cruiser]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

ICEMAN- Thanks for this info I'll check and advise.Have a great day. Dennis {FAMILY CRUISER}

 

[krosemond]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

I have a 79 Johnson that is missing the choke flap (by design) on the top carb. It is hard to get going on the first start of the day, but runs like a beast the rest of the day. Lately I have been pumping the bulb til it gets hard, then I pump it about 15 more times. That has improved the situation, but she is still cold natured. It is worese when I have had the motor tilted in the full "up" position. I figured the gas runs out of the carbs.<br /><br />My kids laugh at me, but they know my "#1" rule of boating. Never release that dock line, or pull that anchor until she is running!

 

[Family Cruiser]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

Krosemond- "NEVER RELEASE THE DOCK LINE OR PULL THE ANCHOR UNTIL SHE IS RUNNING", WORDS WELL SPOKEN. SAME RULE AT OUR HOUSE. THE KIDS CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT OF THE CANAL, OR TO A BETTER FISHING SPOT.THANKS FOR THE INFO. AT $8000 TO $10000 FOR ANOTHER ENGINE, WE CAN WAIT A FEW EXTRA MINUTES FOR HER TO START AND WARMUP. HAPPY BOATING DENNIS {FAMILY CRUISER}

 

[krosemond]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

Dennis,<br /><br />I am with you, I adopted this boat from my Dad about 4 years ago (after a Rip Van Winkle sleep) and each year I say: Is this the year we repower? But since I started really paying attention to the engine and giving her proper TLC, it keeps running better and better. I switched to 87 octane this year, try to keep the freshest gas possible in there, decarbed twice already and got the prop pitched right so I can get to 5200 and she is running great and less of a pain to get going, but still not a one touch start the first time of the day. At what it costs to repower, as long as this ol' seahorse keeps galloping, I can't justify it in my mind. Of course, she will probably just freeze up one day, and I am sure it will be at the worst possible time, but I would rather have that happen than to take her out back and shoot her. This engine doesn't owe me a thing, and I will say great things about her at the funeral!! Until then, Giddy up, girl!!

 

[Kent]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

The 78 235 omc does not have choke plates. It has a enrichment solonoid. With the engine off and key on you should be able to hear the solonoid make a clicking noise when you push the key in for choke. Push it a couple of times before you crank it over, and then pump it in and out while cranking.<br />This will get you going. <br />Kent

 

[Family Cruiser]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

KENT- Thanks for the info on my engine. I don't think that I have tried the choke without the engine cranking, I'll give that a try. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again, and Happy Boating! Dennis {FAMILY CRUISER

 

[sony2001]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

Family Cruiser premix sprayed down the throat of my carbs with the throttle valves wide open is standard proceedure on an 88. It saves the battery,starter and and many red faces. I think the cause is a failed antisyphon valve in the gas pump.

 

[Family Cruiser]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

Just want to say that I am new to this forum, and I really appreciate the quick responses.A special thanks to JB,Iceman, Krosemond and Kent for your time and appreciated advice. Dennis {FAMILY CRUISER}

 

[Family Cruiser]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

SONY2001- Thanks for your advice. Just have a question, how do you spray the premix down the carbs with the silencer cover in the way.Those 10 bolts can drive you crazy.What I did for fogging out in the fall, is I drilled 6 small holes in the silencer cover. One hole for each carb. throat, so I can spray the fogging oil in, using the red nozzle extension provided with the can.This hole works well for fogging but is too small to spray the premix in, any suggestions. Thanks, Dennis {FAMILY CRUISER}

 

[slalom]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

I'm also new here. On July 17 2001, we bought a second boat for our cottage. A Starcraft Jetstar with a 70 Johnson VRO. Unfortunately we don't know much about this motor, except that its insanely hard to start when cold. Of course it runs amazing once it gets going and starts on the first cranking when its warm. I've heard great things about these motors. Anyhow, I squeeze the bulb until its hard, and crank it. Nothing gives. I open the throttle fullly and crank more. Nothing gives. I close the throttle and crank more. About 5 minutes later it spits liquid gas out the exhaust, followed by the big blue cloud of smoke. After sitting another minute or two waiting for the plugs to dry I crank it again and presto. Good thing I have a good battery. In all honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Where's the choke, and how should I go about doing this?<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Dylan

 

[sony2001]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

I have the same deflectors with a 1/4" hole drilled. A spray or stream of premix is good enough. Two shots per carb and I use the choke until its running. Throttle well cracked, and no complications.

 

[Fouled Plug]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

Family Cruiser, maybe the holes for the fogging oil would work well for WD-40 as a starting fluid. A good burst in each cylinder should fire it up!

 

[Family Cruiser]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

THANKS SONY2001 & FOULED PLUG- I'll be out this weekend weather permitting, and I'll give the premix a try one day and the WD-40 the next. Thanks for your response & I'll keep you posted. Dennis {FAMILY CRUISER}

 

[Family Cruiser]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

235 EVINRUDE 1978 HARD STARTING COLD UPDATE:Went out this w/e on the boat and drilled the holes in the deflectors a little bigger to 1/4 ". Tried premix spray in each carb. on Sat.The engine fired up the second try, EXCELLENT!!!!On Sunday tried WD40 instead of premix. Same thing happened, second try, fired right up, EXCELLENT!!!! Thanks, JB CORNWELL,ICEMAN,FOULED PLUG,KROSEMOND,SONY2001 & KENT for your help and advice. THE NEIGHBORS ON THE CANAL, WHERE THE BOAT IS, ALSO APPRECIATE THIS. THEY DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO: YING/YING/YING/YING/YING/YING/YING/YING/YING.................FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES EVERY TIME I START THE ENGINE COLD. THANKS AGAIN, DENNIS {FAMILY CRUISER}

 

[Fouled Plug]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

Glad to hear it's firing up easier for you. Your starter, wiring, and battery should last a lot longer without all that prolonged cranking. Congrats, and happy boating!

 

[krosemond]

Re: Old Evinrude 1978 235 HP Hard To Start Cold

FC,<br /><br />I will have to give that one a try. I thought about this thread when I was cranking up yesterday morning at 6am, and thought I would wake all of Morehead up. And then I thought about you again when my 10 year old son cast the port bow mooring line up on the dock with 20 kts of wind and me away from the helm. The engine was running, but before I could get underway, we were blown all askew in the the slip. I guess we should change the number one rule of boating, never cast the line or pull the anchor until Dad is at the helm and "says so"! I felt so bad for him when he looked at me and said "I feel so stupid" and my only response was "if that is the stupidest thing you ever do on a boat, consider yourself lucky, because I have that one beat at least 100 times". The trick is to never make the same mistake twice. Someone famous once said: "I have learned from my mistakes, and now I am sure I can repeat them perfectly".<br /><br />Sorry to get off the subject. I hope this was the cure for what ails her! <br /><br />If not a cure, then at least an effective treatment.