Should I pull the drain plug and let it sink?

[matthewwatts]

I'm feeling hopeful. I ordered what I think is the correct base gasket. The jack hole before me ripped the tag off of the carb so I have no idea what the model number is other than it's a Rochester Double Barrel with electric choke. The part I ordered is a Sierra Marine 18-0994. Anyway, the part will be here first thing tomorrow AM which is great because I'm planning on diving into it in the morning. Wish me luck!

 

[matthewwatts]

Good evening friends. I did all the work I couldn't do and guess what... It worked! Now worked is the key word. Now there's another issue. I've been running it all day. Had the wife, the daughter, sis in law and the mother in law all on. We ran it for about an hour or so. I came in to get fuel, turned the boat off. Went to turn it back on... Click. Doesn't try to turn over. Just click. A guy down from my slip came over, he got the starter to spin but it isn't engaging. I have a brand new starter. Someone mentioned a solenoid right above the starter and that might be the problem. Thoughts?

 

[wrench 3]

The solenoid directly attached to the top of the starter should have come with the new starter. The smaller square relay solenoid is the most likely problem, but I can't remember were it's located on your engine. You really need to test it. Of the two larger terminals, one should have battery power all the time and the other should have power when the key is turned to start. If the solenoid clicks but the second terminal does not have power, then the solenoid is bad.

 

[matthewwatts]

I replaced the slave solenoid, still didn't work. Pulled it out of the water (lucky have some nice slip neighbors who have lamented with me over this all weekend) and took it to the mechanic today. He said the solenoid on the starter itself is bad. Then told me they may not warranty it just because we tried to arc it to get it to run. FML

 

[philipp10]

Wow I'd be frustrated too, but not with the boat. Your mechanic sounds clueless...a part replacer. Find someone with half a brain to "diagnose" your problem. Think air, fuel and spark, the three things you need to run a motor. How your mechanic ever came up with such disparate items to replace is beyond me.

 

[keith2k455]

Choke problem. when a motor cranks, stumbled and won't start it needs more fuel. Try pumping it 3 to 4 times and retry starting. If it seems closer to starting you don't have enough choke. If it stumbles less and smells flooded you have to much choke.

 

[NHGuy]

If when you use the starter it hits a hard clunk that's water in your combustion chambers that can't compress like an air/fuel charge.
If it's just a click or series of clicks first be sure you have a fully charged battery. And if you find a weak battery charge or replace it. Then when you start the boat make sure your volt meter show around 14 volts above idle, like mine does it over 1200 rpm as I recall.

 

[matthewwatts]

So, I was out on the lake with the SS Money Pit with wife and daughter. We had been cruising along just fine and she remarked "Wow. It's running great!" No sooner did she say that the boat just died. No reason at all. Just died. Tried to start it, nothing. Primed. Nothing. Luckily the Corps was out and towed us back.

The compartment reeks of fuel. It's almost like it's getting TOO much. Some times it spits and stutters and acts like it's either getting too much fuel or not enough. Earlier it spat and sputtered and died on me while I was going full throttle.

What in the world is the deal?!

 

[wrench 3]

Did you push/pull the throttle only control and open the throttle to see if it would start. At the time when it won't start (not a day later) pull a spark plug and see if it has gas on it. If it does, check to see if you have spark. If it doesn't have gas on it, remove the flame arrester (air filter), have someone pump the throttle and see if gas is squirting into the carburetor bore. If it's not, you need to find out if you are getting fuel to the carburetor.
Usually a non start when hot is either over fueling or loosing spark from a hot soak on the ignition parts.

Also check to see if there is gas in the clear plastic hose from the fuel pump to the carburetor. It would indicate a bad pump, but with the track record of your mechanic it mite be worth checking.

 

[matthewwatts]

I will check that tomorrow. Is there any chance it COULD be the carb? I'm ready to junk the stupid thing, but the more I think about it the madder I get and just want to figure out what the problem is. I'm going to pull the plugs tomorrow and see if those things are even new...

 

[wrench 3]

If it stalled at low speed and refused to restart it could be the carb. But if it cut out at higher speed it's more likely that you lost the spark. However without running tests it's imposable to say for sure!

 

[nateo]

I bought i 86 last summer and had a lot of he same problems you're having. Did tech ever do the basic tune up? This consists of starting out hy properly setting idle fuel mixture screws. Then set timing. If the shift cable is old chances are its binding up/sticking, the causing thw shift interuptor to trip is open position when you go to start it back up. Trying to start it after this happens will flood it. Then it wont start back up for as much as a couple of hours. In the off chance that your cable is good it needs to be adjusted perfectly and the is a very specific method to do that. You clearly have a boat born in the 80's. Tune up adjustments go out of whack due to vibrations.

 

[nateo]

Shift cables from that era have to be replaced every x years. They get moisture in them and rust up. Its a maintence item. You might also have fuel issues but basic tune up more likely

 

[matthewwatts]

He was SUPPOSED to have done a tune up. I paid for it anyway. I know it has a new cap on it, but when I was looking at the wires today they didn't look new. I may pull the plugs out tomorrow and see how they look. He did mention something about the shift cable being stiff and when I'm going from drive into neutral it sometimes kills the motor but will start back. However when I shift from reverse into neutral it always dies. Again, it fires right back up. Today when out I was running around 3500RPM and it started to lose power, then would kick back up, then lose power then sort of kick back up then it just died. Like I said earlier, there's a bad gas smell right after this. That's why I'm wonder if the carb is flooding the motor. It has an electric choke but I'm not sure how that works exactly. Is it automatic?

 

[tpenfield]

I know you have spend a lot of time (and $$$) chasing what is perceived to be a fuel issue . . . but perhaps you really have an electrical/ignition issue . . .

 

[nateo]

Your lower shift cable needs to be properly adjusted and or replaced. There is no doubt about this. The cost to replace is around $400 if I remember right (to take it in). After properly adjusting mine only sticks only once in a while now. Whenever this happens (the engine will die with shifting) I immediately stop what I'm doing, open engine cover and return the switch to the center position (untripped). If you keep trying to start it, the engine will flood. These three adjustments (carburetor, shift cable, and timing) will save you a lot of time and money. Once you know how to adjust these, all three can be adjusted in about a half a hour of work and the boat will run like a champ. You may want to learn how to do these. List your components in your signature like mine so we know what you have. We can give you more tips.