1988 Evinrude 60 VRO floods or starves

[jshrum]

Not sure which. I just took my Eagle 351 out last night for the first time in over two years because of house building. I had it running on earmuffs in the driveway and it ran like a champ. Out on the river it ran good in the no wake zone for 5-10 minutes and then when I left the no wake zone I cranked it up a bit. Ran for about 5 minutes at higher speeds and then just cut out. It restarted right off and I thought maybe I had hit a little slug of water in the fuel that I didn't get out of the tank when I prepped it this year. I went for another couple of minutes and it died again. So, I changed tanks to be sure it wasn't something I was getting from one tank. No help. So, now thinking that it was a high RPM problem and wanting to make it back to the launch, I proceeded back under much lower RPM's. It went much longer without stalling under low RPM's but it still did cut out before making it back (in fact, it did it a total of seven times all told). I'm thinking it's flooding because I had to wait longer and longer each time it stalled to restart. Only 4-5 minutes really, but it sure seemed like a long time when you're out and your boat is stalled. I also noticed that when I restarted that I could not be giving it much fuel to get it to start...actually none, but then it would act rough and I'd slowly up the accelerator (sometimes it would stall again, and sometimes it would get it going). When it would get going, I would drop the acceleration and put it in gear (when it dropped near idle it was a hit and miss thing with sometimes stalling and sometimes going). I'm going to pull the plugs and put in new (the ones I put in this year were from two years ago as they looked good) to start, but thought I'd post and see what anyone else thought.

I've been reading other threads whose titles "resemble" the issue and from what I've gathered in them am also going to look at the fuel line (the bulb was not completely hard when I checked it, maybe three quarters for an estimate), and also am contemplating the carbs being the issue. If there is "air" getting in to the fuel line and making it do this, wouldn't I also see fuel leaking out where the air is getting in if I pump the bulb?

Thank you...

 

[guy74]

Re: 1988 Evinrude 60 VRO floods or starves

Normally it's hard to flood out a motor at higher rpms, Normally when one is flooded you have to raise the idle lever all the way up to get it to start. Your problem sounds more like a lack of fuel, (bad fuel pump, tank not vented), or a heat related spark problem, (powerpack starting to fail, ect). BTW once you start a motor the bulb will not be tight anymore as the fuel pump pulls fuel though it, also if you did have a needle valve not closing and flooding the motor the bulb will never get hard. Does it just shutoff like you turn the key off, or does it start missing and bog down?
Let us know any other details you can, you are our eyes and ears
I'll be in and out of the office today, I'll check back after while,
Brian

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1988 Evinrude 60 VRO floods or starves

you need to go thru awakening a sleeping outboard. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=158086

it sounds, like the carbs are crudded up, float needles sticking, jets clogged,
also setting that long, the impeller is in need of replacing.

start at the very beginning, check your compression and spark on all cylinders, before spending any money on parts.

 

[jshrum]

Re: 1988 Evinrude 60 VRO floods or starves

Thank you for the reply. The tank NOT vented was right on the first time it stalled (and I believe it just cut out...if it ran rough, it was a very quick rough that I didn't notice and then stall). When it stalled the first time I started checking things and noticed that I hadn't pulled up the vent on the fuel tank. I did that immediately upon noticing and actually thought that might have been what caused it. But then the problem persisted and when I changed tanks, I ensured that I had the vent open on the second tank from the start.

Both times at higher RPM when it stalled, I did not notice anything besides maybe (just maybe) a hint of loss of power. The reason I say just a hint is that when I'm cruising at high RPM in this boat it tilts just slightly to the left and it seemed to come to level just before it stalled...but that was all I noticed. I did not hear or feel anything out of the ordinary besides the sudden wake I made when it cut out...that was the quickest stop I've ever made! When it stalls at the lower RPM speeds (which takes much longer to get to before stalling), I can hear a slightly different sound like it gets a little rough (maybe some vibration)...again nothing major but the last couple of times it stalled, I knew it was about to. A couple of times it sounded like it was going to stall (this again at lower RPM) and then didn't...seemed to recover from whatever is ailing it momentarily. The more it stalled, the longer it seemed to take to get it restarted if that's a help. The first and second time it started right back up...by the time I got back in it would take 4-5 minutes before it would start and I could not throttle up very easily...was hit or miss on stalling. So, I would say it was running rough on restarting at least the last few times. Also, at the low RPM's, it stalled more frequently as time went by. From the time I went to strictly low RPM on the way back in until it stalled for the first time at low RPM, it went probably 2-3 miles...the last couple of times under a mile.

The reason I thought possibly flooding is simply because of the length of time it took to get it started like the plugs were wet and I could smell gas. Not strong mind you, but I could smell it. But (and this is just my experience) I can usually slightly smell gas around most outboards and I had been in and out of the back compartment by the tanks to check things out and that could have been contributing to the smell (the vented tanks).

One other thing I noticed...when I first went to higher RPM I did it gradually and when I got it to top end I was only doing about 30mph...if I remember correctly, I used to do nearer to 40mph. Never actually 40, but over 35. I don't have a tachometer, so I couldn't watch RPM on a guage.

Thank you again...

 

[jshrum]

Re: 1988 Evinrude 60 VRO floods or starves

Thank you for the link. I have printed it and will go over these things. The motor was winterized by an Evinrude dealer here (Bay Outboard Marine) before it was put up, would that preclude any of these items? Although it was just sitting for two years, it had been planned to be stored before it actually was. Just didn't plan on storing it that long...dang house took forever to build by myself!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1988 Evinrude 60 VRO floods or starves

nothing precludes a sitting outboard. even though it was winterized, sitting that long. these things need to be done.

 

[jshrum]

Re: 1988 Evinrude 60 VRO floods or starves

Ok...thank you.

By the way, is Tasha a Siberian...I used to have a Siberian male named Bojo. He was my faithful companion for 14 years.

I will get to checking off the list starting tonight.

 

[guy74]

Re: 1988 Evinrude 60 VRO floods or starves

You need to check for spark right after it stalls, I had the powerpack start to fail on my 1988 60hp Johnson, it acted similar to what you are experiencing. It would run OK, but the idle wasn't as good as it could be, the longer it went on the shorter time before it would stall. Would have no spark immediately afterr it stalled, but in a few minutes spark would return and the motor would start. Cranking the motor with no spark will cause a gasoline smell from the unburnt fuel in the exaust. This might be whats happening with yours, I had to replace the powerpack 2 years ago, it was the original. My motor had not idled well for years, after I changed the powerpack, the motor idled much better, so a powerpack can be marginal for a long time before it fails.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1988 Evinrude 60 VRO floods or starves

yes, she is a great Siberian, was an abused rescue. thinks i'm the greatest thing in the world. if you are a stranger, don't mess with her boats. when she barks i listen.

 

[jshrum]

Re: 1988 Evinrude 60 VRO floods or starves

Thank you both.

Guy74...I will check the spark immediately after it stalls. If the weather cooperates, I will check this tomorrow.

Thank you very much...