Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

boobie

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

I should have been clearer on this. The probs I've seen have been on the 60 degree V'6 's. Not on the V-4 's.
 

KailiNoel

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

wow...and to think that all I did was to ask if anyone had ever tried adding some vents to counteract the heat soak issue, or possibly, come up with a different solution....
 

boobie

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

Remember, It's your motor and you can try anything that you want. If it works post us back. By the way, did taking the hood off cure the problem?
 

KailiNoel

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

I have read the countless postings of people with a similar problem and the countless ways to diagnose & possibily correct the issue. It does not appear anyone has been successful. The problem is my 1997 Evinrude Intruder 150 with new plugs, gas, filters, no VRO2 etc is it will start and run fine until I stop to fish for awhile. Upon starting again it will fire up and idle even on fast idle but will spit and die upon gear engagement. It will eventually move up to plane after a number of retries. The problem is worse when the FL temps climb. I believe it is a heat soak issue. I pulled the engine cover and there does not seem to be any effective way for the heat to escape especially when stopped. I am considering altering the cover with slots to allow heat discharge when stopped. The other treads I have read state the issue goes away if the cover is removed prior to starting to allow the heat to escape. Does this make sense?


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#2 April 14th, 2010, 02:29 PM
DJ
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Re: Evinrude 150 Heat Soak

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I've run into that too, here in AZ, temps (outside) can reach 125 degrees.

The issue is the alcohol (oxyginated) fuels. They have low flash points.

The best thing, I've found, is to let the engine idle for a minute, or two, to bring down under cowl temps. For me that means idling up to a fishing spot and only killing the engine after it has had a minute to cool down-at idle.

Also, giving the primer bulb a couple of good squeezes, before start, helps immensly.

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As stated in my first post I had already purchased the vents that I wanted to install on the engine cover....I am going to post some more threads from this site that talk about the heat soak problem...
 

KailiNoel

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

1998 Evinrude 150 Intruder stalls after sitting in the sun

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My 1998 Evinrude 150 Intruder has all of a sudden started stalling when I shift into forward or reverse. It only does it after running for a while, then sitting in the sun for a while. It always cranks right up and idles perfect. In neutral I can rev it as high as I please, but as soon as I shift into gear it goes dead. From there it'll crank right up again, but do the same thing when I try to shift again. I can play with it back and forth and eventually get it to pick up, and it'll run great then. It seems to be after I've run for a while and then stop and sit for an hour or more. It doesn't do it when I first crank it up for the day (after sitting all night/several nights); and it doesn't do it if you run it, kill it, and crank it right back up. I called a repair shop and they said a new type of fuel was being sold to the US now and that it was designed for fuel injected motors and that it would cause a carburated motor to do this during hot weather. He said there is nothing I can do about it and that it would do it from now on - at least in hot weather. I don't know that I believe this because most everything else I own (ATV, lawnmower, weedeater,......) has a carburator and they aren't stalling under load.


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#2 June 11th, 2010, 09:04 PM
Steven P.
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Re: 1998 Evinrude 150 Intruder stalls after sitting in the sun

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It's been a number of years since I worked on one of these. Your problem is called either hot soak or heat soak. The fuel in your lines is vaporizing and your motor when it starts up is running on vapors . Google this to find more info. If you can,t find anything let me know and I will dig some info up for you. bayouboatdoctor@aol.com

Thanks

Steven P.


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#3 June 13th, 2010, 07:50 PM
abrazzel
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Re: 1998 Evinrude 150 Intruder stalls after sitting in the sun

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Thanks Steven. I was able to find the best explanation to this problem so far by searching with the key words you provided. Here's what I found:

ETHANOL PROBLEMS

By Robert Van Brunt
Chief Petty Officer U.S.G.G. ret

ETHANOL AND VAPOR LOCK

Short description:
When the engine compartment becomes hot either by climate or idling, and you use ethanol-blend gasoline it can cause excessive vapors in your fuel line and starve the engine of fuel. The engine can run poorly or stop and will not run until the fuel condenses.

THE PROBLEMS

Vapor Lock

Fuel containing 10% ethanol is called E10. If you have ethanol in your gas, you run the risk of creating vapor lock because of excess vapors.

Ethanol ?boils? at 87?F (at normal atmospheric pressure) and turns from a liquid to a gaseous state. By comparison, most automobiles have their fuel pump in the gas tank, so the whole system remains under pressure unlike boats whose fuel tanks are vented. In a closed system, the higher pressure raises the flash point of the ethanol reducing the amount of vapor that is produced. In addition, most automobile fuel lines are outside of the vehicle allowing them to stay cooler.

Since most boat fuel lines are in the enclosed space (sometimes even insulated) of the engine compartment, normal ventilation will not cool the fuel significantly enough to avoid the potential problems of vapor lock. Furthermore, since the fuel pump in a boat is mounted on the engine (versus a car where the pump resides in the tank) the action of the pump can reduce pressure in the tank to below atmospheric pressure and further reduce the flash point.

Boat engineers are aware of this problem and are reducing the likelihood of this occurring by reducing the suction required by the fuel pump, minimizing hose fittings and bends, and including a quality anti-siphon valve. In existing boats, fuel lines and filters should be kept as low in the boat as possible and tank vents should be cleaned and open.

Heat Soak

Most boats have ?forced? ventilation. Air moves through the engine compartment when the boat moves forward. Heat soak happens after you have been at high RPM and then stop or drift on idle for a while. Because of heat soak the engine compartment will rise to a point where the ethanol will boil

THE CURE

To prevent vapor lock (i.e. boiling ethanol):

1. Make sure the engine compartment has adequate ventilation.
2. Relocate fuel lines to be low in the bilge. (The bilge is cooler because it is in direct contact with the water.)
3. Monitor the engine compartment temperature.
4. Add (or turn on) engine room blowers.
5. Keep the tank vent clean and unobstructed.


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#4 June 14th, 2010, 06:10 PM
KailiNoel
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Re: 1998 Evinrude 150 Intruder stalls after sitting in the sun

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Hi...this is my first post but I have been reading the posts on this forum for a few weeks now. I have to say that the wealth of information here is just incredible and I have been able to solve a few small problems with little to no out of pocket expense by doing some research here. The "heat soak" issue seems to come up a lot and I think I am having this problem on my 75 Johnson 115. Im going out tomorrow and am going to take the engine cowl off before I stop running to see if it helps the engine cool off. Has anyone ever tried adding some vents to the cowl to help the hot air escape? I already purchased 2 from west marine but will only install them if removing the cowl helps. Also wondering if anyone knows if adding vents will have a negative effect on the air pressure required to keep the engine running at normal speeds/rpm's. Looking forward to your responses and thanks in advance!


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#5 June 16th, 2010, 07:02 PM
Pursuit c/c
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Re: 1998 Evinrude 150 Intruder stalls after sitting in the sun

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I am also having this hot soak problem on my newly acquired 92 150 evinrude.

Engine runs perfect after first start of the day. After a hot soak it will stall with the slightest amount of throttle. After nursing the throttle numerous times it will finally increase in speed and then act normal again.

I am going to try to find some non-ethanol fuel to see if this may be the problem. I'll let you know what I find...
 

boobie

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

Kailinoel, I'm confused. In your very first post you said you had a 1975 Evinrude 115 hp. Today you say it's a 1997 150 intruder. Which is it ?
 

KailiNoel

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

No, my first post stated that I have a 1975 Johnson 115....I have been posting other threads from THIS SITE from other boat owners that are having the same problem. At last count I came across 15 different people, starting in 1996 that have posted with the same problem. The motors affected have ranged from an early 70's johnson to a 1999 mercury....there are people all over the country having this problem and this isint the only boating forum on the internet. If I include the other sites, I would have read close to 200 different stories about the same problem. Not once have I read of anyone finding a permanent cure....which once again takes me back to my original question....is there anyone out there that has found a solution or tried anything different??????????????????????
 

boobie

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

Have you tried your 1975 Johnson 115 yet with hood off after running or trying the starting procedure I told you about yet ?????????????????????
 

nymack66

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

No, my first post stated that I have a 1975 Johnson 115....I have been posting other threads from THIS SITE from other boat owners that are having the same problem. At last count I came across 15 different people, starting in 1996 that have posted with the same problem. The motors affected have ranged from an early 70's johnson to a 1999 mercury....there are people all over the country having this problem and this isint the only boating forum on the internet. If I include the other sites, I would have read close to 200 different stories about the same problem. Not once have I read of anyone finding a permanent cure....which once again takes me back to my original question....is there anyone out there that has found a solution or tried anything different??????????????????????

I am confuse also, I live and boat in Florida where its hot like hell on the inland lakes, I own a run a 1987 140v4 which btw is a Carb engine. I have NEVER experience the symptom you describe, the only time I did was when I jetted my carbs (idle) down way 2 much testing some after market reeds. You seriously need to look at your carbs and jetting ...
 

OLJOCLARK

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

Hello, from North Alabama, where It's about 97 degrees every afternoon right now.I'm just wondering,,did you ever hit on anything with your heat soak problems? My old 1975 70 hp is acting the same way>thanks,,,OLJOCLARK
 

Pursuit c/c

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

I am experiencing this same issue w/ my 60? V6

Thank you JONESG for your suggestion of letting the Motor cool down longer and pumping the fuel bulb to add cold fuel into the bowls. I'll definitely give this a try. I also plan on using some non-ethanol fuel if I can locate it anywhere.
 

KailiNoel

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

The carbs and jetting are fine...if they were off the engine would run badly at low or high rpm's, it would have a miss or stutter somewhere. Yes I did fix the problem and it was 2 different things happening at one time. I added the cowl vents and whenever I would want to stop I would let the engine idle a few minutes until it cooled from 135 - 140 degrees to about 95 degrees. the cowl vents let that happen a lot quicker. I thought that was going to be the end of it until I tried shutting the motor down without letting it "cool off" first. Still no good! I was on my way home and ran out of gas and needed to switch tanks...shut the boat off, switched them and couldnt accelerate. It would start and idle, but would not accelerate. I had to go the last 3/4 mile in gear at idle speed...I was pissed! lol Went and spoke to an old time mechanic, guy was in his 70's....he laughed and said check your ignition plate. I did some research and found a ton of posts from the early 90's with motors having the same problem as mine and everyone was checking for vapor lock and/or heat soak. A few people suggested checking the ignition plate and in every instance that was the problem. I pulled the flywheel and disconnected the linkage to the stator....it turned but not freely...it was binding. I pulled the stator and the plate it rides on...everything was clean and lubricated. Put the plate back and it moved easily. As soon as I put back the 4 clamps it would barely move....ding ding ding....if the stator cant move the engine cant adjust the timing...when its cold it was moving but when it got hot it would bind...I lightly bent the tabs up (some people put washers under the screws, I didnt have any small stainless ones handy) put the stator and flywheel back. WOW, what a freakin difference, not only is the issue solved but it acclerates out of the hole a lot quicker, throttle response is dead on and no more problems....heat soak/vapor lock is a very real issue, as is the ethanol fuel....but if the motor cant advance and retard the timing as it needs to it will never run correctly. This is a very simple, cost free solution to a lot of problems. I stronglyadvise everyone to make sure that your stator is able to move freely....you will gain performance and some added fuel economy!
 

KailiNoel

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

You can believe or not believe whatever you want...just because it hasnt happened to you doesnt mean it doesnt exsist. That would be like saying I have never been struck by lightning so I dont believe that people can be struck by lightning lol I counted how many posts,threads and service bulletins I have found regarding vapor lock and/or heat soak...to this point 236...I am including a service bulletin from mercury/mercruiser...are you going to tell them that they are wrong and dont know what they are talking about?

www.boatfix.com/merc/Bullet/99/99_07.pdf
 

nymack66

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

Wrong my friend we need to compare apples to apples, Mercury is another beast I can't comment on. I am a owner of the only two 140 V4 Looper models Evinrude made in 1987. All I am trying to clarify is the FACT I live and Boat is Florida (extremely hot) and NEVER experience the "heat soak" you mentioned.
Not to mentioned you eventually resolved it and it was not related. I will gladly post and stand corrected if I ever experience this.
Or maybe someone can explain why I never seen this on my engine?
 

Fishin76

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

I think in this case the STATOR is actually the TIMER BASE. The stator sits static and acts as a alternator. The Rectifier turns the output from the stator ( AC ) to direct current (DC) to power the ignition system and charge your battery.

If you read more posts, I think you;ll get it.
 

Chinewalker

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

You will note that in your PDF - it ONLY mentions MerCruiser I/O models. Says nothing about outboards...
 

Fuzzytbay

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Re: Heat Soak...Cowl Vents?

Outboard engines cool by pumping the water they are submersed in through cooling passages in the block, and transfer the heat from the block as it goes through, cooling the block.
Hotwater/boiler fired hydronic water systems for homes work the oppositte way, they pump hot water/steam to radators which dissipate that heat into the house.
Now most people know that hydronic heating or hydronic cooling is very effecent.
So I do question why you would think air vents, would help cool the motor down better, than just letting it idle a minuet or two before shuting it down.
Yet its your cowl, and your motor, if you think it will help, go ahead, and let us know how it worked out.
 
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