Hard start cold.

[flostrac]

Hello everyone, 2nd year boat owner here. I have a 1996 Rinker Fiesta Vee 27 ft, with a 7.4L carburated engine. Bravo III outdrive. My problem, I think is more of not knowing. When it is cold, the engine is hard to start, because the choke doesn't close. If I remove the cover, and do it manually it starts fine. How do you close the choke, or even rev the engine from the throttle?

 

[Don S]

Re: Hard start cold.

3 screws on the choke coil housing. Loosen them and turn clockwise I believe to close the choke. Open the throttle a slight amount and adjust it till it just closes, and retighten the screws.
Make sure it then opens after the engine starts.
If it was opened, the coil may be defective and won't open, then you will be trying to run with the choke on all the time which is an evern worse problem.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Hard start cold.

How do you close the choke, or even rev the engine from the throttle?

Ayuh,....

Before you even Try to start it,.....
Find the "Throttle Only" button or lever, or whatever your controller has,+ set it to Throttle Only,....
Then move it to WOT once or twice,....
Then pull it back to Just above idle,+ Hit the Key......

Advancing the throttle to WOT is supposed to Set the Choke for a Cold Start,...
The other pump or 2 will prime the manifold with abit of raw gas.....

 

[ccmarsh]

Re: Hard start cold.

Ayuh,....

Advancing the throttle to WOT is supposed to Set the Choke for a Cold Start,...
The other pump or 2 will prime the manifold with abit of raw gas.....

How ironic, I just read this last night when I down loaded the manual for my throttle. It would have been nice to have been told this when I had the thing put in.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hard start cold.

It would have been nice to have been told this when I had the thing put in.

That's the basic process of starting a carbed engine since engines had carbs with automatic chokes. Even back when cars had carbs. You pump the gas a couple of times and hold the throttle about 1/4 open and crank it up. People got all crazy pumping the throttle a lot of times, and put way too much gas in the engine and it wouldn't start. It's call flooding an engine.

 

[Coors]

Re: Hard start cold.

If you don't have a throttle only button, try pulling out on the remote shifter/throttle control.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Hard start cold.

I have noticed that since the proliferation of EFI in the automotive world that the terms "automatic choke" and "electric choke" have taken on new connotations lately from the post-carb drivers.

Carb-savvy folks can ignore this post. I have used this explanation a couple of times for younger people who are trying to get used to carbs.

Both terms relate to a mechanical choke mechanism that must be set by the driver (preferably before starting!). It is not nearly as automatic as electronically controlled items that have spoiled us.

Basic teminology: The carb choke plate is CLOSED when the choke is "on" or engaged, and OPEN when the choke is "off" or disengaged.

"Automatic choke" means that the choke engages on a cold non-running engine automatically when the throttle is pushed past at least halfway once. It is still a mechanical device but deployment is controlled by a temperature sensing mechanism within the mechanical linkage that heats up either from engine heat thru a choke stove in the intake manifold or via a "divorced" electric heating element. This type of deployment works well because the carb's accelarator pump sprays fuel into the engine each time the throttle moves, so on a cold non-running engine the throttle movement to set the choke also primes the intake manifold somewhat with raw fuel enhancing the chances for a good first-try start. Colder air temperatures would dicate more than one throttle pump before starting.

The term "electric choke" simply means that the "automatic" choke deployment temperature sensing mechanism is heated by electric means rather than actual engine or manifold heat from a choke stove, also known as part of "divorced" choke. An electric choke OPENS the choke plates as the electric element heats up turning the choke "off" gradually. It has nothing to do with the initial deployment of the choke. The choke is cold in it's natural state. The electric element heats at a gradual rate to open the choke, usually matching the engine's needs for less and less choke as it warms up. Electric chokes are easier to hook up than choke stoves, the carburetor thus can be made more universal due to not needing any direct connection to the engine's heat, it just needs 12 volts from the ignition circuit.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hard start cold.

It is still a mechanical device but deployment is controlled by a temperature sensing mechanism within the mechanical linkage that heats up either from engine heat thru a choke stove in the intake manifold or via a "divorced" electric heating element.

I know what you mean, and that statement made my head hurt.

Deployment, divorced, (OMG! I thought my choke and carb were HAPPILY married) sound more like words used to "Baffle them with Bull S.
Perhaps you might want to reword that and just maybe use terms like (open and close the choke plate) instead of deploy. Then, instead of divorced, try something like 'Mounted on the outside of the carb instead of the intake manifold with a tube for the hot air to run thru, etc. etc,.' Basically, explain where they are located.
See what I mean.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Hard start cold.

It works much better in person with a whiteboard and Q&A at the end....!

 

[flostrac]

Re: Hard start cold.

Thanks everyone, I know that it was me. I think Bond-O hit it right on. By the time I got the boat in the water last year it was summer, and the boat started OK. When fall came it got harder, and harder and I was closing the choke manually. I knew that there had to be a better way. My old bayliner you pushed the key inwards, to close the choke, but I couldn't wind a way here. Of course I couldn't ask anyone in fear of looking stupid...LOL

 

[Maclin]

Re: Hard start cold.

Was your Baylner an outboard? Pushing in the key is pretty typical for those, now THAT type of choke IS electrically activated. I should have prefaced my choke explanation by saying it was for inboard automotive based carbed engines.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hard start cold.

When fall came it got harder, and harder and I was closing the choke manually.

When you have to close it by hand, it's either out of adjustment, or you have to move the throttle up a little bit (while in the neutral only possition) to take the pressure off the idle screw so it will allow the choke plate to move to the closed position.

Since it took you this long to figure out the starting thing, how about the needed preventive maintenance on your engine and drive. They are more expensive than a mad wife if you neglect them.

It works much better in person with a whiteboard and Q&A at the end....!

Yea, that would help a bunch. Bet you had a lot of circles and arrows and .......... never mind.