1985 evinrude 9.9 won't start

[LCCRUISER]

I have a mid-eighties Evinrude 9.9 that ran and started fine until today. Spark is good and wet plugs indicate fuel. I pulled on it many times with and without choke and also without plugs to be sure she wasn't flooded.

 

[steelhead_guy]

Re: 1985 evinrude 9.9 won't start

I had an early 90's 15 hp Johnson that had the same problem. I later found a small fuse that was blown.

 

[LCCRUISER]

Re: 1985 evinrude 9.9 won't start

Wouldn't your fuse problem affect the spark? I have good spark on both cylinders.

 

[AlTn]

Re: 1985 evinrude 9.9 won't start

anything different between the last time it ran and the no start?...new fuel, fuel line removed and put back on, sat out in the rain?...if you are certain of spark, put some premix in a spray bottle, remove the sparkplugs, give a little shot to each cylinder, replace plugs, and pull it over...it should try to fire. If it doesn't, get an air gap spark tester..~$10 at most auto parts places, set it at 7/16" gap...and test for spark qualiity...it should be blue and snap. If the spark is good, go to fuel, if fuel is good..test the compression..looking for even..no more than 10% difference....if that test is ok...pull the flywheel and look for a sheared crankshaft key.Fuel, fire, compression in the right amounts at the right time is about as simple, and as complex as well, as it gets.

 

[LCCRUISER]

Re: 1985 evinrude 9.9 won't start

Nothing changed from one day to the next. Same fuel and hose connected. I'm away on vacation, so most of my tools are not with me to do compression check or pulling flywheel. I run this as my kicker, it gets wet all the time. Compression is there based on my tired arm.

 

[AlTn]

Re: 1985 evinrude 9.9 won't start

do you have spare sparkplugs?..if so...clean'em up and gap'em...030 is recommended...spray some premix in the hole , put the plugs in, pull choke 1/2 on, and pull it thru....it should try to fire....a "trick" I've done a couple of times is to pull the plugs and with a lighter "burn" the fuel off the plug gap and electrode end...a 10 sec. of so burn should suffice...put the plugs back in while they are still warm and it seems to help on a really cold engine that won't start.

 

[Rick.]

Re: 1985 evinrude 9.9 won't start

I trust it is a rope start with your compression comment. Do you know if it overheated when last used? If yes you could have water intrusion issues. If you have no compression gauge, your thumb (vacation gauge) will tell you if it's present or not.If the answer is no I am at a loss as to the problem. I would only suggest you check the wires to and from you kill switch as the kill switch is the kind of thing that will stop a perfectly running engine dead in it's tracks. Most other stuff will give intermittent problems before shutting down on you. Why do these things happen on vacation time? Best of luck. Rick.

 

[AlTn]

Re: 1985 evinrude 9.9 won't start

in reading some of your other posts....is this the kicker for the 90hp. mercury that went through the chop and has an idle problem since then?..if so...are both motors fed from the same tank?..if so...do you think you may have stirred up some crud or water in the onboard tank and both motors have ingested some?...just a thought

 

[LCCRUISER]

Re: 1985 evinrude 9.9 won't start

Good suggestions by all! Thanks!

I cleaned the plugs yesterday. I left them out overnight and she fired right up this morning. It seems I have to avoid over choking her. I suspect it was badly flooded yesterday. One pull at full choke is plenty when the weather is warm.

As additional insurance, I put a new set of plugs in before heading to sea. It ran fine all day today trolling fast and slow. It also saved my butt coming in from Nantucket Sound. The Merc inline 90 wouldn't fire up so the E'rude was put to the test bringing us in from 2 miles out and a mile or better back into Waquoit Bay.

I haven't resolved the problems with the 90, but I do run both engines of separate tanks. I will probably do a SeaFoam treatment on the 9.9 when I get back home.

 

[Rick.]

Re: 1985 evinrude 9.9 won't start

Well that was an easy and inexpensive fix in the end. Glad to here your back on the water. Rick.