Gas Giant
Petty Officer 1st Class
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2010
- Messages
- 239
Just when I thought I was ready! (I had a lengthy carburetor-related post awhile ago)
The engine is an '88 Suzuki DT75. It will fire up and run beautifully on the hose in my yard. Starts on the first try, and idles smooth as a sewing machine thereafter. Revs up great too. Its no harder to start than my car engine, except for having to prime the primer bulb.
Some background info, I JUST replaced the carbs, and when I did I went through the replacements and cleaned them really well. Every passage is clear, and the carbs were literally installed days ago. Spark plugs are good, and compression is 120 on each cylinder. Like I said, it starts and runs like a champ on the hose.
So, today I go drop it in the water, and it fires, runs for a few seconds, and dies. Does it a 2nd time, and a 3rd time. Then it won't fire at all. So I play around with the throttle and it fires up and runs at nearly full throttle - and I managed to get the stupid throttle lever stuck in my panic - so I shut it down and called it quits. Do note that the engine did stay running when it was revved up.
For reference, I was using the Fast Idle setting on the Idle Speed Switch, like I always do when starting it for the first time. (Changing the position of this switch didn't help at the boat ramp; I tried)
I haven't tried to start it on the hose again since I got home late and was very mad, but I believe it will start right up. Nothing changed between my house and the boat ramp except it wasn't on a hose anymore. Same battery, same 3-day old gas, same everything. In fact, only about 30 minutes passed between running it at my house and trying it in the water.
What I plan to do is fill up my plastic trash can with water and set the engine in the water that way, and try starting it. The only two things that I imagine are different are: 1) The exhaust has more backpressure when its submerged, and 2) it now has to suck water up through the cooling ports, instead of the hose gently pushing the water up for it. (I don't crank the hose up very high, and I'm sure this isn't the source of my problems)
So, any ideas on what I need to adjust? Most of the adjustments on this engine are controlled electronically, it seems like its starving for gas at idle - but only when its in the water. On the hose in my yard it seems to have all the gas it wants. Any suggestions would be appreciated; I had to take my manual back to the library and they aren't open on Sunday.
For reference, my starting procedure is this:
1) Prime the primer bulb until it gets hard.
2) Push the key in to close the choke
3) Crank the engine
4) Let go of the choke a few seconds after the engine starts
This works fine on the hose. Didn't have a change to try squeezing the primer bulb at the boat ramp, since it wouldn't run long enough for me to turn around and grab the bulb.
Thanks, and sorry for the long post.
The engine is an '88 Suzuki DT75. It will fire up and run beautifully on the hose in my yard. Starts on the first try, and idles smooth as a sewing machine thereafter. Revs up great too. Its no harder to start than my car engine, except for having to prime the primer bulb.
Some background info, I JUST replaced the carbs, and when I did I went through the replacements and cleaned them really well. Every passage is clear, and the carbs were literally installed days ago. Spark plugs are good, and compression is 120 on each cylinder. Like I said, it starts and runs like a champ on the hose.
So, today I go drop it in the water, and it fires, runs for a few seconds, and dies. Does it a 2nd time, and a 3rd time. Then it won't fire at all. So I play around with the throttle and it fires up and runs at nearly full throttle - and I managed to get the stupid throttle lever stuck in my panic - so I shut it down and called it quits. Do note that the engine did stay running when it was revved up.
For reference, I was using the Fast Idle setting on the Idle Speed Switch, like I always do when starting it for the first time. (Changing the position of this switch didn't help at the boat ramp; I tried)
I haven't tried to start it on the hose again since I got home late and was very mad, but I believe it will start right up. Nothing changed between my house and the boat ramp except it wasn't on a hose anymore. Same battery, same 3-day old gas, same everything. In fact, only about 30 minutes passed between running it at my house and trying it in the water.
What I plan to do is fill up my plastic trash can with water and set the engine in the water that way, and try starting it. The only two things that I imagine are different are: 1) The exhaust has more backpressure when its submerged, and 2) it now has to suck water up through the cooling ports, instead of the hose gently pushing the water up for it. (I don't crank the hose up very high, and I'm sure this isn't the source of my problems)
So, any ideas on what I need to adjust? Most of the adjustments on this engine are controlled electronically, it seems like its starving for gas at idle - but only when its in the water. On the hose in my yard it seems to have all the gas it wants. Any suggestions would be appreciated; I had to take my manual back to the library and they aren't open on Sunday.
For reference, my starting procedure is this:
1) Prime the primer bulb until it gets hard.
2) Push the key in to close the choke
3) Crank the engine
4) Let go of the choke a few seconds after the engine starts
This works fine on the hose. Didn't have a change to try squeezing the primer bulb at the boat ramp, since it wouldn't run long enough for me to turn around and grab the bulb.
Thanks, and sorry for the long post.