Afraid of the water

[bkhdmh]

I have a 89 Barretta with a Volvo 305 and 285 outdrive. The boat runs great in the driveway with the muffs on but when we hit the water its a totally different story.

This morning I went out and started the boat in the driveway within 10 seconds of turning the key. Let it run for a few seconds then turned it off and started again as soon as key turned, let it run for a few minutes and tried again. Let it run for about 15 minutes then turned it off thinking it was ready for the water. Just before leaving today I started it again took about 2-3 minutes this time but I got it going.

Got to the water put it in and nothing. It got close once but couldn't get it running.

Got home hooked up the muffs and it took about 2-3 minutes and it started again. Ran for about 3 minutes turned it off and it turned right back on. Turned it off and now it has been running for about 30 minutes.

When I was on the water I checked voltages on the ignition coil + side and it was only reading 6 volts.

There was also a water leak that sounded like trickling water when I looked under the engine it looks like its coming from the back of the oil pan or somewhere thereabouts. I have recently changed the bellows and gear linkage flex rubber.


This also happened the other week when we went out. It started and ran great but when we turned it off it would take a good 10 minutes at least to get her running again.


Even though I was reading only 6 volts on the coil it had spark. I'm not sure how much the spark differs from a 6 volt to 12 volt reading but it was sparking.


Please help. Any ideas of what is going on here?

 

[v8power]

Re: Afraid of the water

If the engine has points ign, then it should have 6 volts when the key is on @ the positive side of the coil. the only time it should be 12 volts is while cranking. check the voltage while cranking the engine over and it should be 12 volts. If its not then you have a problem with the wire that comes from the starter solenoid. points ign requires 12volts upon start up but only 6 volts to run.

let me know if this helps you out.

 

[captmello]

Re: Afraid of the water

Sounds like a fuel issue, water in fuel, old fuel, fuel filter, etc. If none of these, may need a carb rebuild.

Good luck with the Baretta.

 

[bkhdmh]

Re: Afraid of the water

I'm thinking its not an ignition problem. I am not very familiar with boats but it seems to me that excess water is getting into my exhaust and causing too much back pressure when I have it in the water. Its the only thing I can think would be different from when its on land. But where to start and how to verify this?

 

[racinrc14]

Re: Afraid of the water

Is your choke sticking?

 

[bkhdmh]

Re: Afraid of the water

I pumped most of the old fuel out of the boat, ran out of containers, and had bout a 1/8-1/4 of a tank left, replaced all filters and had carb rebuilt. The boat starts fine and runs great in the driveway but as soon as it is launched it refuses to start.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Afraid of the water

excess water is getting into my exhaust and causing too much back pressure when I have it in the water.

No such thing as "excess water" in the exhaust. Any time you put the boat in the water, the exhaust system is full of water (through exhaust ports in the transom shield and outdrive) up to the water line of the boat.

Pull a spark plug and see if it's getting spark when it doesn't crank in the water. If it's getting spark, then you have a fuel problem. Have someone pump the throttle a few times and watch and see if any fuel squirts out of the accelerator pump. If it's getting fuel and spark, it should be at least trying to run.

 

[bkhdmh]

Re: Afraid of the water

I guess "crap" in the bottom of the tank could be getting mixed into the gas during the drive to the marina if there is "crap" in the tank. But I even started the boat as soon as I got home and parked it so I don't think that would be an issue.

What I don't understand is how I have good fuel and spark on land but not in water. That was what made me think that maybe there was water getting where it shouldn't be after it was launched.

I have checked the carb while pumping the throttle and gas is getting there I pulled the coil wire and I have spark I have not pulled a plug while on the water. But Like I said It was running when I pulled out of the driveway and when I got back so why wouldn't it spark in the water.

 

[captmello]

Re: Afraid of the water

Is your choke sticking?

How about this? Can you confirm the choke is opening? What carb do you have on that engine?

 

[Apollo75]

Re: Afraid of the water

What carburetor do you have ?

OFM

 

[bkhdmh]

Re: Afraid of the water

I do not believe that the choke is sticking. I have a Rochester Quadrajet Carb.

 

[Apollo75]

Re: Afraid of the water

Well, all q-jets that I know of ---- there are some I have not seen --- have what are called casting holes on the bottom of the fuel bowl area --- these are between the lower plate and the main carb area ---- these plugs they use will leak all your fuel into the manifold and cause your hard starting problem if leaking --- also causes extra fuel consumption etc., There is a kit of two plugs with o-rings to fix this --- along with a little jb-weld

There is a way to check this --- disconnect the throttle linkage and pump the carb or have someone help and pump the carb while you are looking in the carb at the accelerator pump nozzles after 30 minutes of sitting or so. If it pumps once and not after that is probably your problem.

Engines should start after a couple seconds of cranking --- not 2 or 3 minutes --- my boat sits in storage for weeks and starts after a few / 6 pumps of the carb after a couple seconds of the starter --- it may die again when cold --- but a couple of pumps and it starts right up. It starts faster when warm.

It is something worth checking.

OFM

 

[bkhdmh]

Re: Afraid of the water

I can check that but what blows my mind is the fact that it runs fine on land with muffs hooked up. The only thing that changes when it doesn't run is the fact that instead of having muffs hooked up the outdrive is completely submerged which makes me thing it has to be water getting somewhere its not supposed to. Once it was out of the water and back to the house it now starts up fine with no adjustments made.

 

[bkhdmh]

Re: Afraid of the water

The next thing I will try is filling the bilge halfway to make sure that there are no devices or wires hanging that are getting wet and not allowing me to start. If nothing else its something to keep me busy.

 

[Apollo75]

Re: Afraid of the water

I know it is frustrating --- I was thinking of the time lag you have between the house and the lake / water --- and after this time the carb may have leaked the contents of the fuel bowl into the manifold and flooded the engine. It will probably help cold starting and only shows up when warm and short intervals like 10 to 30 minutes between starts. This may not be the problem --- just another idea that may help.


Best of luck

OFM

 

[Maclin]

Re: Afraid of the water

Look at the spark plugs, they will show if it has been flooding or running too rich, or even too lean for that matter.

Has this boat ever run right for you? If so, what all has happened since then? Has the ignition dwell and timing been checked lately?

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Afraid of the water

Your starting technique will be different when the exhaust is submerged, pump the lever a couple times and leave it 1/4 throttle or so, it's not going to start exactly the same as it does in your driveway, rig up a big barrel of water and try starting it that way.

 

[bkhdmh]

Re: Afraid of the water

Look at the spark plugs, they will show if it has been flooding or running too rich, or even too lean for that matter.

Has this boat ever run right for you? If so, what all has happened since then? Has the ignition dwell and timing been checked lately?

I bought the boat August 14th with a blown head gasket....right....new block and several sweat equity hours later everything has been put back together. Had a mechanic check the engine and got the timing set up right. I have only had it on the water 3 times.

First time it wouldn't start.

Second time it started right up as soon as we hit the water but we turned it off for new boater reasons, will not get into that now, then it took about 10-15 minutes to get started again. Ran great when it was running but every time we turned it off it took 10-15 to get it going. But again once it was going it ran great.

Third time, today, it wouldn't start.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Afraid of the water

If the engine has points ign, then it should have 6 volts when the key is on @ the positive side of the coil. the only time it should be 12 volts is while cranking. check the voltage while cranking the engine over and it should be 12 volts. If its not then you have a problem with the wire that comes from the starter solenoid. points ign requires 12volts upon start up but only 6 volts to run.

let me know if this helps you out.

Assuming you have a ballast resistor, the voltage you have at the coil will depend on if the points are open or closed. If the points are open, there will be no current flowing through the resistor and therefore, there will be no voltage drop.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Afraid of the water

Third time, today, it wouldn't start.

Is it possible that the engine is flooding on susequent start attempts? Is the choke opening up fully when the engine gets warmed up? When the engine does not start, can you try pulling a plug to see if it wet with fuel?