1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start.

[spdracr39]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Try not to crank the starter for long periods of time as that might be what killed it especially under a low voltage or bad ground condition.

 

[honeys money]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

One question, may sound dumb, but after the oil change and run ran it for 10 min. you did have the water hose hooked up rite? just asking may have got hot.

 

[Ursula]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

One question, may sound dumb, but after the oil change and run ran it for 10 min. you did have the water hose hooked up rite? just asking may have got hot.

Yes.

 

[Ursula]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

That is very weak spark. Should be bright blue and should jump across a 1/2" gap with no problem.

After the new starter was put on, checked the spark plugs again and I got blue now. It is turning over stronger but still won't start. Cleaned all nuts, bolts, washers, cables and checked and rechecked the grounds. looks good now. Getting ready to check compressions now.

 

[Ursula]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

New compressions readings: 0,100,120,90. Now what?

 

[Fully_Loaded1]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

They are all over the place, still do not understand how you have 0 unless there is a stuck valve on that cylinder. Have you tried a touch of ether just to see if it will fire? It should still try and run with those numbers just not great. I would pull the valve cover off and look at the valvetrain and see if there is a stuck valve. No signs of water in the motor? Wet plugs? If replacement is necissary it sounds like a standard GM 3.0L I4.

 

[honeys money]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Well I would try a little starting fluid, just to see if the will start, could be a little water in fuel.

 

[Ursula]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Well I would try a little starting fluid, just to see if the will start, could be a little water in fuel.

Tried starting fluid with no change in start up, 93 fuel with Seafoam additive.
Pull valve cover off and all rockers and roller arms moving and push rods were in tact. The only thing I did see was the third rocker arm didn't have any oil on it. It was dry as a bone. What else can we do? Any suggestions to what it is now?

 

[Don S]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

I wouldn't recommend someone using either/starting fluid in my ex-wifes lawn mower, let alone someones boat.
If you think it might be water, pour a shot glass full of gas down the carb, but NEVER starting fluid. Darned ole backyardiagans and their starting fluid.

To be quite honest, I think you need to find a quality shop in your area to take your boat to. If you don't even know the basics of mechanics and just following moves, you don't have much of a chance of finding the problem.
I don't know what your problems are exactly, but if I had access to the boat for an hour, I could probably tell you exactly what was wrong.

 

[Ursula]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

I wouldn't recommend someone using either/starting fluid in my ex-wifes lawn mower, let alone someones boat.
If you think it might be water, pour a shot glass full of gas down the carb, but NEVER starting fluid. Darned ole backyardiagans and their starting fluid.

To be quite honest, I think you need to find a quality shop in your area to take your boat to. If you don't even know the basics of mechanics and just following moves, you don't have much of a chance of finding the problem.
I don't know what your problems are exactly, but if I had access to the boat for an hour, I could probably tell you exactly what was wrong.

Well actually the other guy used the starter fluid, I poured gas in the carb. No I don't think there is water in the gas.
I do know alittle basics of mechanics but I am not an expert by no means. I have tried to explain my problems but I guess it wasn't good enough. I have done everything you have suggested and the manual but it still wasn't good enough. I was hoping for something simple cause I needed my boat for next Saturday. See my brother has been in Afghanstain and that was all he wanted to do so now it's no hurry and I can find a good mechanic to take it to. I wish you were here and could tell me the problem in 1 hour. Thanks for your help.

 

[Thaybot2000]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

It all boils down to air, fuel, spark, period! You are not getting one of the three.

When you crank it, do you smell gas from the exhaust? You should, and if not, it's a fuel problem.

Have you checked the fuel lines and filter? My Merc. 60 outboard is a 1985, back then there was no alcohol in the fuel and the hoses weren't designed to take it. I took mine off and the ethanol in the modern fuels had degraded the insides of the hoses to the point where there were little black pieces in the fuel filter that had obviously come loose from the insides of the hose.. From the filter to the engine was the same hose, so I am assuming that some of it got into the engine. Check the hoses and the filter. If that's working, bypass the filter with a flexible hose and see if the engine is pulling gas when it turns over. If not it could be the fuel pump.

I agree, NEVER use starter fluid, it's nasty stuff.

Don't despair, unless you buy a brand new boat you are going to encounter this kind of stuff from time to time.

 

[Ursula]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

It all boils down to air, fuel, spark, period! You are not getting one of the three.

When you crank it, do you smell gas from the exhaust? You should, and if not, it's a fuel problem.

Have you checked the fuel lines and filter? My Merc. 60 outboard is a 1985, back then there was no alcohol in the fuel and the hoses weren't designed to take it. I took mine off and the ethanol in the modern fuels had degraded the insides of the hoses to the point where there were little black pieces in the fuel filter that had obviously come loose from the insides of the hose.. From the filter to the engine was the same hose, so I am assuming that some of it got into the engine. Check the hoses and the filter. If that's working, bypass the filter with a flexible hose and see if the engine is pulling gas when it turns over. If not it could be the fuel pump.

I agree, NEVER use starter fluid, it's nasty stuff.

Don't despair, unless you buy a brand new boat you are going to encounter this kind of stuff from time to time.

Yes I smell gas from the exhaust. Yes lines and filter checked.

 

[honeys money]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Well a small amount of starter fluid want hurt, just don't wash all the oil off the pistons and rings, but if it was tried and not worked, and getting fire, its pretty much has to be the timing, either cam or distributor.

 

[tistore]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

if it turns over and has a spark..the only thing left could be that the timing is off or the carb is bad. the way you check if it's the carb is spray starter fluid in the carb and try to start it that way...you might have a vacume leak too...look for a lose hose around your carb.

 

[Ursula]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

They are all over the place, still do not understand how you have 0 unless there is a stuck valve on that cylinder. Have you tried a touch of ether just to see if it will fire? It should still try and run with those numbers just not great. I would pull the valve cover off and look at the valvetrain and see if there is a stuck valve. No signs of water in the motor? Wet plugs? If replacement is necissary it sounds like a standard GM 3.0L I4.

No stuck valve, no water, no wet plugs.

 

[6meter]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Pull out your plugs. Turn the motor over by hand. Is #1 piston moving? Use a long thin screwdriver or wire in the hole to see if it pushes it up. DON'T loose it! The only way you would get zero compression is if the piston isn't moving, broken connecting rod, or if the valves are stuck open. Even with bad rings, cracked block or blown head gasket you would get something. Have you checked your ignition timing? I believe you said that your valves are all moving so that should mean that the timing gears are ok.

 

[JPGBU1]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

All the gas you are spending going from parts shop to home again, hours of personal time, Plus the money you have spent on parts to date, and you have nothing to show for it? Would it not behouve you to take it to a certified mechanic?

If all rockers are moving then it's not a compression thing. I bet you didn't get a good read the second time- seeing how you didn't get it right the first time. I am not doubting your "handyness" as you have accomplished quite a bit, (Ps did you put a new gasket down for the valve cover? Oil could spit out if not) but I am willing to bet a real mechanic will probably have it solved and have you out on the water in a day... and for less than what you have already spent. Save time and money and bring it to a pro.

PS i say certified because I just bought a outboard with a "blown head" according to his mechanic. I got it home and the head was fine... the fuel bulb he was using was bad. Same with another where the 2003 15HP outboard was "SEIZED" according to this persons mechanic and I found only the shift linkage was off- kicking in the lock on the starter.

 

[Challenger84]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

If we all went to the mechanic when we have a problem then there wouldn't be a forum to ask questions about how to fix our boats!

Keep at it your almost there.
Your compression readings are not consistent.
When you check compression make sure you check each cylinder 2-3 times and make sure you get the same reading.
Make sure you have your gauge tightly in the spark plug hole.

Double check ALL grounds.
Look in your manual for the location of those grounds.
You said you have a good spark on all cylinders so you might be okay.

It's okay to spray a little bit of starter fluid into the carb.
give it two light sprays of starter fluid with lubricating properties and you will be fine.
Double check all your wiring.
When you removed some wires for cleaning double check to see if they are all in the right place.

Get back with your new compression readings because the last set of readings you gave us the motor should still fire up and run ( just not good )

Goodluck!

 

[Challenger84]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

All the gas you are spending going from parts shop to home again, hours of personal time, Plus the money you have spent on parts to date, and you have nothing to show for it? Would it not behouve you to take it to a certified mechanic?

$150 hr @ "certified" mechanic. 1 hour = 50 gallons of fuel @ California gas prices of $3.00 a gallon.
New parts this member has bought was only a new starter. Everyone could use a new starter.
Learning something about their boat while working on it is considered valuable to me. What if your motor dies in the middle of nowhere you think a "pro" mechanic will be on board to trouble shoot your problem?
It's a good learning experience.

Good luck and report back with new compression #

 

[honeys money]

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

Re: 1st time boat owner for 6 weeks and it will NOT start. HELP!!!!

I agree with 84, you can't beat the lessons you are learning, and if you have to buy some tools that you don't have, you will have them next time. DON'T GIVE UP.

John