88 force 85hp

[Dilletr]

Just bought a used maxum boat with an 85 hp force outboard on the back. The boat dealer I bought it from told me he did a compression test on all 3 cylinders and that they were fine and that the boat was "lake ready". WOW I thought "lake ready" meant ready for the lake.......I was wrong. Put it in the water and couldn't get it to start, keeping in mind the boat dealer told me she ran and idled fine, got it to run only by fiddling with the trottle and choke constantly. Found out apparently I had a blown head gasket ...... "compression test on all three cylinders was fine"......seriously.......thats what he said. Pulled carbs, cleaned and reinstalled them (they looked pretty good), pulled and replaced head gasket, got it running now it does not want to stay running at lower idle. I probably need to adjust the carbs but I have them adjusted to the factory preset of 1 1/4 turn on each. Wore the starter out trying to get it worked out. Any help with my lake ready boat would be greatly appreciated.

Also I was told you can pull start these motors but I tried and could not, it seemed as though I couldn't turn it quick enough. This is the first motor I have used that was larger than a 10 hp. Is this even possible?

 

[pnwboat]

Re: 88 force 85hp

Probably a good idea to change the fuel pump too. Relatively inexpensive maintenance item. $10 - $15 dollars. Check fuel filter screen on the fuel pump too. If it's clogged up, you also may have some gunk in the tank itself. The idle mixture adjustment, carb synchronization, and idle speed adjustments are also good things to check and are in the service manual. Factory service manual has the best description on how to do these. Also consider changing the water pump impeller. When ever I'm dealing with an engine that's new to me, I automatically change it. Cheap insurance to prevent from overheating.

I couldn't imagine trying to start one with a pull rope. But I guess it can be done. They have the set up to do so.

 

[roadrunnr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

Wow, "nice dealer"!! If it were me I would go back to the dealer and let them know how unready their "lake ready" boat is! Did you buy it "as is" with no warranty? See what, if anything, you can get out of this dealer. I have an 85 hp Force but have never tried pull starting it. It probably would start if the engine was set up and running properly to begin with. I would suggest adding an inexpensive inline fuel filter after the fuel pump and before the carbs per Frank A's recommendations. Get a manual for Force, OEM or Clymer, and go through the link and sync proceedures for the 3 carbs and adjust the idle per the manuals instructions. Also follow pnwboat's recommendations. Or consider returning this lake ready boat to the dealer for a full refund!

 

[Dilletr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

I appreciate the advice. However I have a new problem. I had this boat running for about a week. Last thursday had I had it out on the lake and did a couple of laps at top speed and then stopped to do some fishing. After about an hour I tried to restart it and the starter is acting like it cannot turn the flywheel. So naturally I check all of what I thought were the appropriate culprits and determined, so I thought, that it was a bad starter. Order a new starter, the price of which nearly caused a divorce. Put new starter on, new starter runs strong for about 4 cranks then starts doing the same thing the old one was doing. I can turn the flywheel by hand so I know the engine is not locking up. So I came home pull the plugs and try cranking it just to see if it will crank better. Sure enough it spins like a top...put the plugs back in - can't turn it again. Its almost like it is building up pressure and keeping the starter from turning the wheel. I have the fuel and oil mixed right, so it nots seizing.

I am about to turn this thing into a floating flaming barge.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 88 force 85hp

Be sure all connections are clean and tight.Don't forget the grounds.
If it is heavily flooding it might lock up.If the head gasket failed it may be getting water in the cumbustion chamber and locking up.
You might try pulling one plug at a time and see if it cranks ok with the other plugs in place.

 

[Dilletr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

I checked all my connections and they look pretty good. I tried jumping past the solenoid using jumper cables, but got the same result (thought it was a bad solenoid). I have had two different batteries on this thing: mine and a brand new one, both with the same result. Someone suggested bad reeds valves or reeds valve sensor? But the starter would still turn the flywheel right? When I had the head off to put on the new gasket the cylinders looked great and the head was in great shape too. I am grasping at straws here?I consider myself pretty handy with motors and this is very frustrating. I do not want to pay a marine mechanic hundreds of dollars to probably fix a ridiculously easy problem to solve.

 

[Dilletr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

Called and got an esitmate 85 bucks an hour, minimum of 2 hours

 

[bman1bpm]

Re: 88 force 85hp

sounds like bad electrical connnections to me. Unless you've got some nice thick 4gauge jumper cables they might not move enough current. Do the wires get hot when cranking?

 

[Dilletr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

yeah someone else said to check the ground wire coming off the starter.

 

[Dilletr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

the only probelm is that after putting the new starter on, it cranked it good for about the first 4 cranks and then went back to what the old starter was doing. maybe when the wires are heating up it is causing the lack of power?

 

[bman1bpm]

Re: 88 force 85hp

yeah someone else said to check the ground wire coming off the starter.

I'd unhook the main battery cables and brush all the connectons up with a wire wheel on a drill or a dremel, by hand even if you wanted to with sand paper.

 

[Dilletr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

I am going to take closer look at the wiring tonight to see if I can figure it out. I appreciate all the help and I will let you guys know tomorrow....unless I get it running in which case I may be home "sick" from work. If you know what I mean!

 

[Dilletr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

Real quick I have a screw adjuster for something on the top of the block what is this. (1988 85 HP Force) it almost looks like pressure release point but I don't know.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 88 force 85hp

I am going to take closer look at the wiring tonight to see if I can figure it out. I appreciate all the help and I will let you guys know tomorrow....unless I get it running in which case I may be home "sick" from work. If you know what I mean!

Sometimes the cables will be corroded inside the insulation or the crimped end.you might try to crank it and then feel the cables carefully for a hot spot.
Of course there is the possibility you got a defective starter.

 

[roadrunnr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

Dilletr:
That screw adjuster your refering to my be the timing rod which is used to adjust timing. Is this located under the flywheel, behind the carbs? If so, I believe that is the timing rod!

 

[roadrunnr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

Dilletr:
do you have a manual? If not you may want to check ebay, I found mine there about a year ago, otherwise Clymer would be your best bet. Keep in mind that not much changed on these over the years, so an OEM manual from 85-89 would serve you well!

 

[bman1bpm]

Re: 88 force 85hp

amazon or half.com are good sources for a shop manual, I've got a clymer it covers 1966-1988.
You can search amazon or half by ISBN number, this makes it easy to find the book you want. The manual I have is ISBN# 0-89287-402-3

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 88 force 85hp

The FIRST!!!!! Thing to do is do a compression test.If the compression is off the starter will drag like it's weak or the battery is dead.Or the connections are loose.
Take out all 3 plugs and open the throttle all the way and test all cylinders. They should be within 5-15 #s of each other. Anymore than that the rings have probably siezed.
Also a spark tester can be used at the same time. Good luck Jerry

 

[Dilletr]

Re: 88 force 85hp

Compression is good. I am starting to lean towards a bad ground or bad wiring. I got home last night to find my son had left the key turned on and ran the battery dead. So I put the battery charger on it last night and won't get the chance to look at it until tonight. However, after being on the charger for 4 hours I tried to crank it over in the yard (with muffs on it) and it turned it great and the engine even tried to fire up. I didn't want to wear the battery on a 1/2 charge so I let it sit charging. The engine is not locking up when the starter can't turn it I can still turn the flywheel by hand pretty easily. That?s what leads me to believe it is wiring. I think it may be the ground coming off the battery someone tried to splice into it and it looks like a mess. I will keep you guys posted. I really appreciate all the help!

 

[hgmatt]

Re: 88 force 85hp

This may be a stupid question, but do you have the starter installed correctly? I cannot imagine that corrosion would cause a battery to lose enough amperage after 4 starts that the starter cannot turn the fly wheel. A loose or poor connection would cause the starter to fail intermittently, rather than after 4 starts.

Do you have part number 11 installed correctly?