40 Horse engine trouble help please

Peter_C

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
193
I started running the battery of tests as I have the OEM manual, but so far everything tests good. I figured I would run it by some other people and see if they know what it "could be". The boat and motor are new to me but have minimal actual use.

The motor is a pull start 40 horse E40RETB of the 1993 vintage and of course 2 stroke, mounted on a 14' Zodiac. New plugs multiple times, since they foul when it misfires. New impeller since issue started.

When I first got it the motor ran great for hours. We were out on the Pacific ocean and I wrapped kelp around the lower unit and noticed the water flow diminish within 20 seconds of hitting a kelp patch. I stopped, cleared the lower unit and took off again. We took off at good clip then it started cutting out at a higher RPM. At a slower speed it runs fine. I have found if I let it cool down it runs like a champ for around 30-50 seconds then starts cutting out. If I rev the throttle a few times, again it will take off and run great then start acting up. If I just cruise at a speed a ways off idle which is about 1/5 throttle it will run great all day. Any more and it abruptly starts missing.

Their is a thermostat that I inspected at the top of the cylinder head, and it appeared OK. Should I just replace it?

How can I determine if my motor has the overheat circuit? The sensor readings never changed no matter how the boat was running. I tried grounding it and keeping it an open circuit and never saw or heard any kind of warning buzzer. The kelp plugging the intake may not have anything to do with the motors running conditions, instead could just be coincidence.

This is not a fuel related cut but ignition/electrical. It does not bog down, like a fuel issue would produce. Instead it is like 1/4 the firings are correct at higher RPM, and can be controlled by the throttle position. Hopefully that makes sense.

Any help would be appreciated.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: 40 Horse engine trouble help please

i would replace the impeller, it does not take long to burn one up, without water flow. remove the tstat at the same time and flush the water tube. i would do a spark and compression test. also check spark immediately when it start to mess up. could be a coil failing.
 

DGartzos

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Jul 24, 2009
Messages
82
Re: 40 Horse engine trouble help please

Assuming you're OK with compression ...
What type spark plugs do you have on ? ... and is gap set to 0.030" ?
 

Peter_C

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
193
Re: 40 Horse engine trouble help please

Impeller was just changed after this problem started.

The spark plugs are exactly what the OEM calls for and are gapped at .030.

Compression is not the issue either.

In order to test for spark I need to take my lab scope out on the water and test the spark to see if it is going away completely, but that is time consuming and risky. It is a small boat, and a very expensive piece of equipment that can not get wet.

Does anyone know how to tell if it has the cooling system overheat cut off?

It is almost like a rev limiter is kicking in.
 

DGartzos

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 24, 2009
Messages
82
Re: 40 Horse engine trouble help please

Mine is a '94 40HP, no overheat cut off, just an overheat buzzer.

A way to test thermostat, is to drop it in water you've just boiled and see it open.

Thermo sensor is a bimetallic which just grounds when overheated. Also drop in boiled water to check it works (close a circuit through it with a bulb and battery or otherwise).

From what you describe it sounds electrical and first make sure you have a strong and crispy blue 1/2" spark. Either unplug boots and test by hand or rig on a spark tester to 7/16 to rule out electrical circuitry faulting.

Then you deal with plugs and fuel. How is your oil mixture?
As soon when you get the problem, see your lower plug is it kind of brown and dry or black and wet?
 

Peter_C

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
193
Re: 40 Horse engine trouble help please

It has been fixed for awhile now and it turned out to be the CDI box. Even with a scope hooked up we could not get a pattern to reveal the problem so after testing everything I made an educated guess and put an OEM CDI box into it. Runs like a champ again and I feel is ready to go back out on the Pacific Ocean.
 

Kamdyn

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 25, 2009
Messages
100
Re: 40 Horse engine trouble help please

It has been fixed for awhile now and it turned out to be the CDI box. Even with a scope hooked up we could not get a pattern to reveal the problem so after testing everything I made an educated guess and put an OEM CDI box into it. Runs like a champ again and I feel is ready to go back out on the Pacific Ocean.


So what are you saying, You had to replace the CDI box?
 
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