engine dies when put into gear, why???

[surferboy39]

hey guys i have a evinrude 30hp 2003 4 stroke outboard and when i put the engine from neutral into low gear and leave it the motor vibrates hard then dies out. i played with the idle but it didnt help. for example, when i was fighting a fish i slowed the motors down leaving it just in gear, then both motors just gave out making it hard to turn the boat when fighting the fish. the motors seem to fire up just fine but wont stay on when just in gear or when put into reverse, why? thanx guys.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

i don't know much about 4 stroke OBs, but it sounds like the idle speeds is too low, or dirty carbs. are you running twin 30's.

 

[surferboy39]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

yes i am running twin 2003 evinrude 4 stroke motors. doesnt seem to be the idle speed because we moved it high up and it still stalls out. any other things it might be, i dont know much about motors so any help would be awesome, thanx guys.

 

[itstippy]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

"...then both motors just gave out..."

BOTH motors die at low speed or in reverse? Or is just one acting up?

 

[surferboy39]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

both motors are dying at low speeds and when put into reverse. it used to be only one but the last trip i went out both gave out everytime i put it into low gear or reverse. no clue what is wrong. also for this engine is it ok to be running it full blast at about 5 rpms? could i run it at full throttle for 30 min?

 

[Windykid]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

Full blast at 5 RPM???

 

[iwombat]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

That's pretty weird that both of them die. To me that suggests something electrical. The two systems they share are electrical and fuel. I can't imagine anything fuel related that would cause this. So, that leaves electrical. I can't imagine much in the way of electrical that would cause it besides a bad ground that gets shaken up with the shifting.

 

[iwombat]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

I suppose a short that grounds out when shifted is a candidate too.

 

[Windykid]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

How about bad fuel?

Venting?

Tune ups?

 

[iwombat]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

Venting would be more of an issue at high RPMs it sounds like the higher ranges are okay.

Bad fuel could be something though.

 

[surferboy39]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

hey guys thanks for your help, it actually could be a bad ground bc some of the wires are corroding. Ill check it out this weekend any other reasons it might be? yea the engines top out at 5 rpms for 30 hp 4 strokes. is there a way to make them go faster. the twin 30s run full blast at 12 knots, i was thinking it wouldve been faster.

 

[iwombat]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

I think the poster was pointing out a few missing zeros.

Should be 5,000rpms.

 

[iwombat]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

If you've got bad insulation on the wires I'd be suspecting a short. Pulling the power to ground would probably take both ignition systems out at least momentarily.

 

[surferboy39]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

yea sorry i meant 5000 rpms. when i think about it it stops at around 10 or 11 knots. thanx for the info on the wiring ill work on that asap. hopefully that was the reason why. thanx also for all the quick responses.

 

[surferboy39]

Re: engine dies when put into gear, why???

engines have been getting worse. i spoke to a specialist and he said this model has plenty carb problems. it runs 3 carbs in each motor and they must be synced. could it be that there not synced that is causing the engines to die out when there warm and put into idle? tonight i will try to use seafoam mixed with gas to see if that helps. also tmw i will buy ethanol free gas and see if that takes care of it. my question is if it is the carbs will it be hard to fix? is there a book that could show me step by step how to take it out of the engines and put it back? my thinking is bc the boat was sitting for about a year and we use ethanol gas here in hawaii that gunk built up. is there something else i would need to clean out so it wont stall when the boat is warm and i put it into idle? thanx