112 spl trouble starting cold in water

[66 joe]

My 112 Johnson starts and idles greats on flush muffs, my problem is when I put the boat in water, it has trouble starting.
It'll eventually start after 5 mins on and off cranking. I think I usually flood it, because when it finally starts, huge puff of smoke comes out of exhaust.
Good plugs, new fuel, compression, primer injecting fuel, new fuel pump, etc.
So my pattern before going out, is starting on driveway night before, run for 5-10 mins. (starts easily on muffs)
Then next am, put boat in water, and trouble starting. ( my pattern, squeeze new prime bulb till hard, then push key few times and hear primer working
then proceed to start, throttle 1/2 way in neutral pos)
Am I doing it wrong?

Thank you,,, Joe J

 

[Bosunsmate]

You are doing it wrong Joe, but only one thing, you a flooding it.
You only push the key in while you are turning the key otherwise itl flood, give that a go

 

[racerone]

The key is to be PUSHED IN WHILE CRANKING it over.--No point in pushing the key in when it is not cranking !!!!!-----Slow cranking will result in a hard to start condition.---------Inspect the starter by taking it apart to look at the brushes.----Do an ohm check from commutator to the shaft.----------It should read infinity.----------Excessive cranking damages the starters all the time.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Also if you push key in after you have primed you will lose the prime as well. So just prime til hard then start by turning key then press key in. Have a bit of throttle set too. When the engine starts and then begins to die just touch the key in gently, thats called bumping the choke. Doing that a couple of times will see it through until its warmed up.
I bump mine about twice on cold start up and never have to restart from it dying. Too much restarting overheats the starter too

 

[Fed]

Many people suggest holding the key in before starting but I don't see any advantage in it, maybe it helps a little but it's not going to put much fuel (if any) in without cranking and the fuel pump working. I also fail to see how it could flood the motor unless you're squeezing the primer so hard causing the fuel lines to expand. It's not as if after priming the bulb the system is pressurized, all you're supposed to be doing is filling the float bowls.
I agree, push the key in while cranking.
Are your exhaust relief ports submerged when you're trying to start it in the water, is so you may want to trim it up a little bit.

 

[Bosunsmate]

I also fail to see how it could flood the motor unless you're squeezing the primer so hard causing the fuel lines to expand. .

My thinking of it is that it will put quite a bit in as itl empty all the pressurised fuel in the lines into the crankcase. It might not seem like much but if you can imagine all that fuel siting in the inlet manifold and then all of it getting drawn through into the cylinders the instant the key is turned, then thats a lot more than what it was designed for and will wet the sparks too much ie flooding it.
Whereas in proper choke operation that extra fuel is only added as the engine revolves, not in a big lump sum on first crank (plus what the full carbs will be providing too).

 

[V153]

As others have said. Push the primer just as you start cranking the engine. Hold it in for a second or two to get the motor running. Then release. If she sputters give her a little more.

I spose if it's really cold you might wanna raise the high idle lever some.

 

[racerone]

Raise throttle only lever.-----Keep key pushed in untill engine fires.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Careful keeping key in the whole time as that can flood it out too, i only keep it in for a few seconds and then i stop pushing it in so as to clear any excessive fuel that might of accumulated

 

[racerone]

The holes in the fittings where fuel is sprayed in are not very big.----Keep the key pushed in until motor fires.----It will not flood that way.

 

[jakedaawg]

I think we are missing the basics here. Verify that operator knows proper method for starting engine. Link to this in the sticky at top.

After that, verify good fresh fuel, compression , and spark.

With that said, Fed, may have a point here. If it starts good on muffs, and all the above is good, you may have a breathing issue. Is this on a small boat? Are you starting it at ramp while it is still on trailer? Is the water above the relief exhaust ports and close to the bottom of the engine cowel?

 

[jakedaawg]

Year may help. Didnt they have a 112 way back that had choke plates and not primer solenoid? cant remember

I mention this because I cant hear a primer solenoid work. My ears are way bad though.

 

[racerone]

It appears that the owner has determined that it is a " sparkplug " problem and no further trouble shooting will be done.

 

[jakedaawg]

It appears that the owner has determined that it is a " sparkplug " problem and no further trouble shooting will be done.

wrong thread

 

[66 joe]

Really appreciate the responses! I always pushed the key in before starting motor, thinking I was priming fuel into carbs. (wrong)
Next time I will squeeze primer bulb until hard,, then start with 1/2 fast idle in neutral while pushing key in if no crank.
Motor runs real good, I just don't like the fact, Im slow to get it started and it looks like a P.O.S.
My fault,, Thanks again