60hp bigfoot cutting out

[quig0090]

Hi, I hope someone can help. Took the pontoon boat out on Saturday. Started with half a tank of gas. Worked great all day from 11 to about 6pm. Put the boat away in dry storage, had about quarter of tank of gas left. Took the boat out again on Sunday, started ok. After about a minute, the engine shut down and would not start. I waited for about 15 minutes and it started again. Made it back to the dock and put enough gas in the tank to get it back to over half a tank. Went back out on the water and it happened all over again. Started to head back to the dock and 25 seconds later it cut out again. Repeated this until I was able to get it back on the trailer. The bulb is hard. Oil is full. The plugs are new and clean (checked). Almost a new motor (2002, less than 60 hours). Put a stablizer in the gas thinking it was moisture, took it out Monday to get the stabil through the carb with the hopes that it was just that but still had same problem. My next step is to replace the inline fuel filter that's on the motor. Think that will do it? I know that there was a little old gas in the tank when I bought it but I have since put enough new gas in the tank to where it should not have mattered at this point. The strange part is, it worked great on the Saturday, then not on Sunday or since. Help. Thanks

 

[Hickpoppy]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

I had the same thing happen to me. I was pulling my buddies little kid on a tube - not fast at all - for about 10-15 minutes and then we shut the motor down. When I tried to restart, it wouldn't. I let it sit for about a half hour and it started but when I tried to give it gas, whether in Neutral or Drive, it would stall. Finally, it made it to an on-the-lake- gas station and I filled it up with 93 octane, but I am still experiencing the same troubles.

 

[KCLOST]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

I always suggest that you take the fuel you have at this time out of the equation completely...<br /><br />By using a remote tank with new fuel...<br /><br />Also clean the water seperating filter prior to this. And see what happens...<br />You may need to buy a new fuel line with bulb to work with the remote tank..... Use a 6 gallon size or less....

 

[quantumleap]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

Hey, how'd you change your pic so quick?

 

[quig0090]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

Thanks for the info! I installed a new inline fuel filter on the motor side. Took it out on the water and I seem to have the same problem. It idled for a good while but eventually gave out. It seemed to "cough" a couple of time and emitted a puff of smoke, I don't know what that means. I didn't dare take it out and open her up since there was no one to tow me back. I took the tank and fuel line with bulb off today. I will clean the tank and get a new fuel line with bulb. Any suggestions on the best way to clean the tank. I saw some trash in the bottom but I can't get my hand inside to wipe the sides down. Thanks again.

 

[KCLOST]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

Quantum, Just found a new one I liked better.. Kinda cool I think... <br /><br />Anyway quig, if you don't want to buy a new tank, (which I recommend) flush it with gasoline... And blow some air in there to dry out all water that may be present....<br /><br />I assume you are using a 6 gallon tank... So I'm not sure if it has an internal pickup filter or not... I'd be worried about that if it did...<br /><br />But this is just a process of elimination.. So do the best you can to take the fuel/tank/filters out of the equation...<br /><br />If it still has problems after this, don't get frustrated, we'll get it figured out...

 

[KCLOST]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

Just an addition, I'm a little worried this may be electrical...<br /><br />Is there any way that you can check for spark when you have starting problems... All you need is a spark gap tester... You could have a CDI box/stator going on the blink... If you have good spark when the motor won't fire, at least you will know it's not one of the above...<br />Let us know....<br />Is this a carbed motor, or EFI/DFI?

 

[quig0090]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

Here is the history on the boat and motor. Perhaps that can eliminate possible issues. I bought the boat from my brother in law. They bought it new in 2001, the motor was actually a 2002 60hp efi bigfoot, 4 stroke. Since they bought it in 2001, they had it out only 4 times since I bought it in June. So the most it had on the motor was about 10 hrs even though it was a few years old. It had been sitting under cover for the last year. He drained most of the old gas out but he said he did not get it all. He just filled it up with new gas. Before I picked it up, he had the motor completely serviced, new water pump (even though it probably didn't need it), new everything, soaked it for 24hrs (soak what I don't know, probably carb). So the motor was practically new. I have had it out on the water about 10 times since I had it in June and it worked great everytime except most recently. The one thing that was different this time was that I had usually had the gas full. When we took it out on Saturday it was at half tank. After we we done it was down to just under a quarter tank. I don't think the gas was ever that low in the tank. So I am thinking that something stirred up off the bottom with the level being as low as it was. Also, firends have been telling me about how old gas may start to gel and gum up the fuel lines. Think that may be a problem. At any rate, I empty the tank and will get a new fuel line assembly with bulb today. I will let you all know the result. Thanks quigs.

 

[quig0090]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

Oh, I forgot to mention. I have a 23-26 gallon plastic composite gas tank that came standard with the pontoon. I could not get the down hose out of the tank to clean so I hope that it's not an issue.

 

[quig0090]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

Well, now I don't know what is happening. I took the tank off and emptied it. Filled it with 20 gals. of new gas. I took the fuel assembly apart including the bulb to check for trash. I put the bulb and fuel hose back together. Took the boat to the lake and nothing. The motor tries to crank but just won't "catch". It sounds like it wants to but won't. I can just keep cranking it because I am worried about ruining the starter or draining the battery. Real frustrating. I didn't even touch anything on the motor. Maybe theres not any fuel in the engine. Maybe it drained out when I disconnected the fuel assembly and hose. Looks like I need to take it to an expert.

 

[BillP]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

It may not be fuel.<br /><br />Somewhere here I described what happed to my Mariner (merc)50 4 stroke but here it is again...similar deal with starting and stopping. It was the round main harness connector mounted on the back of the block. The connector pins are hollow and weren't making good contact when slid into the female side. I spread the pins out and it fixed the problem...that was after a lot of trouble shooting.

 

[quig0090]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

I had someone look at it briefly on Sunday. They suspect the stator. They will probably do some more testing later this week to make sure. In reading several post, it seems that blaming the stator is usually the "default" answer. Are folks to quick to blame the stator instead of catching the real fault? How many hours is a stator good for? This engine has maybe 30 to 40 hrs on her even though the engine is a 2002. It sat for quite a while. I will update later. Thanks - Quigs.

 

[quig0090]

Re: 60hp bigfoot cutting out

Well success! And you will never guess. It wasn't even the motor at all. I had them put a new stator in, new plugs, etc. After a lot of testing we found that the ignition was shot. Yeah, the little hole where you put the key in. It seems that something was going on between the start and kill circuits within the assembly that it was like having the Lanyard in the stop position intermittently. Anyway, the old parts put back in, some temporary wiring later, presto. The ignition or key assembly needs to be ordered and put in later but my guy was able to wire it so that the key will turn on the motor but that's it. I have to use the lanyard to turn it off but that's ok. It's only temporary and it got me on the water today. Just goes to show that motors are not always the culprit but it took 6 manhours to find that out. Thanks all! Happy boating!