90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

[sschefer]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

Let's get some terminology straight.

Won't turn over means the starter is not cranking the engine.
Cranking means the starter is spinning the engine.
Cranking and turning over are therefore the very same thing.
"Won't start means the starter is cranking the engine but it "won't start".

The item you have circled looks to me like its the main engine to control box harness connector. Cranking issues are very often bad battery cable connections on the battery or at the engine. Disconnect both ends of both cables, make them shiny clean and reattach them tightening them securely.

1. The circled items are the starter solenoid and the primary fuse holder. If you use the zoom feature you'll be able to see it more clearly.

2. The remaininder of your response was covered earlier.

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

So I FINALLY got my socket set, and my parts. It was a real pain in the *** getting the solenoid installed, getting around so many other wires in the motor. But once it was installed, i turned the key just for an instant, and the starter jumped, and I also jumped!!!!!

So 10 minutes or so later, I had it running! Which means the original problem was just bad plugs, and the second problem was that I must have killed the solenoid.

This was also the first time I personally ran the motor out of the water. It sounds so different. But now I'm confused, does the exhaust come out of the 3 vents near the top of the shaft, or out of the propeller? When its in the water, it seems to come from the vents but when it's on land it all seemed to be coming from the propeller.

Oh man guys, I'm so thrilled that my baby is running! I put in a new bilge pump, nice neat new clamp for the bilge hose, got the motor running, cleaned it (as clean as i'm willing to get it) now all I need to do is throw a fresh coat of paint or two over that red stripe and this boat is ready to go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdwoxoqSV7k

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

I do have another question actually. I do consider the situation solved.

But, this boat always requires lots and lots of cranking to start, when it's cold. Is there anything that can be done to make it start faster? The plugs are brand new but you still have to crank the crap out of it. Thats one thing about all (both) mercury engines I've had. You have to crank the **** out of them, but once they do start up, you're good to go.

 

[The_Kid]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

Are you moving the shift lever to a fast idle position, and are you pushing the key in to engage the fuel primer?

 

[electricjohn]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

OK 1008, heres how I start my 90. First, the motor has to be level or trimmed in slightly. Second, squeeze the primer ball till its hard. Third, raise the cold start lever all the way up, then halfway back down. I have marked this spot on my throttle. Forth, push key in (enricher), then immediately start cranking engine, letting key out after about 3 seconds of cranking. This normally starts my engine, but I will have to keep tapping the key back in (enricher) to keep it running if it sounds like it is getting ready to stall. If this dont work on the first try, I repeat the forth step.

If I hold the enricher in for more than 5 seconds while cranking, I will flood my engine, then I will have to wait about 5 minutes before trying again. Sometimes I will tilt the motor all the way up then back down to relieve the flooding.

I can restart my fully warmed engine for up to a hour without enriching (pushing key in while cranking). After that, I have to enrich a bit while cranking.

It took me about half the summer of 1987 to get this procedure down, and I have had very good luck with it for the last 22 years and 1000 engine hours. My cranks are never more than 3-5 seconds anymore, which should make my starter last forever.

Hopefully, with a little experimenting, this prodcedure will work for you. It has helped quite a few 3 cyl. Merc owners.

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

...Third, raise the cold start lever all the way up, then halfway back down.

Yeah thats pretty much what I do, its just mine seems to require more cranking. What is this cold start lever you speak of though? You mean just give it some throttle to rev the engine?

 

[jimg984]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

its a seperate lever on the control box,, that gives it more trottle without putting it in gear

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

Mine has the throttle button you push, then you give it gas and it does so without putting it in gear. SO yes, I do that too. Is the problem that it's carburated and not fuel injected?

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

Oh AND...

Does this motor have any sort of air filter? If it does, it probably hasn't been changed in a long time. I should get on that!

 

[electricjohn]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

In your photo, your motor ain't level. If your engine runs good, and your enricher is working, it should start cold in less than 5 seconds. There is no air filter on our motors. My motor is carbed, same as yours. These motors (90 hp) have'nt really changed from the day the were introduced.

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

Well, it's as level as it can get without digging a hole in my driveway :-D

Anyway, the boat does start and run good, so I'm gathering that the answer is no, it's behavior is normal. I'm just used to starting cars where you turn the key and it starts. Thats fine. So I guess this thread is done, thanks for the help!

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

I was unaware that you could push the key in to choke the motor, after the motor was already running. I thought that was only for cranking. That should make it easier to start.

I do have this curious situation:
I started the boat yesterday for the first time in two years, and it took a while but it started. With not much smoke either.

I started it again today just to let it run for a little while. It was idling and before long there was a good sized cloud of blue smoke. I remember that in the past, there is often large clouds of smoke when I start the boat for the first time. But it's weird that it would happen on the SECOND start and not the first. Any thoughts on this?

 

[sschefer]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

I have to chuckle about the choke because the guy I got my boat from told me to hold the choke button in for no less than 5 seconds and then start the engine. Well, after I got intimate with the engine I realized the the enrichening valve is just a solenoid pump and one push equals one pump.

You can push it anytime the key is in the run position and it will squirt raw fuel into the intake manifold.

As for the blue smoke, oil doesn't evaporate in the crankcase but fuel will so what you are probably seeing is the fuel scavenging the excess oil out of the crankcase. To a certain extent, this is a good thing since it will ensure that your crank seals never dry out.

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

Cool!

I can't wait to go for a boat ride!!!!!

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

Where on my motor, is the serial number? I know earlier in this thread, I said I had found it. But I stupidly didn't post it to the thread. And now I need it again, and now the boat is in the water, and I don't remember where I'm looking to find it.

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

So.
2 years later.
Same exact situation, same exact solution.
An hour or so of cranking. Finally I gave up. The next day, my engine wouldn't crank at all. New solenoid solves the problem. What's that about? 2 solenoids in 2 years? Plus they aren't dying WHILE i'm cranking. They fail AFTER I'm done trying to start the boat. This is a very odd thing.
I have the current 'bad' one here, I was trying to open it up to see what it's deal was, but they're closed up pretty good and I haven't gotten into it yet.

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

I tore apart the 'bad' solenoid and took some pics. My camera sucks so this is the best I could get. It doesn't look all that bad. Especially of the disc is rotating every time it clicks. I don't see why this piece has failed. And I also don't understand why they keep failing post-use, instead of during use. Any ideas out there?

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

A solenoid is a chunk of iorn with a magnetic coil. The coil enegizes pulls the iorn up closing contacts. As far as burning them up heat will burn the coil. How long do they last no idea have seen some 20 years old working fine others seem to last little time.

 

[l008com]

Re: 90 HP Won't Turn Over / Plugs?

My coil seemed to be working, I could hear it clicking when I turned the key. But no cranking, so somehow the contacts pictured above weren't making a connection. Even though it look pretty damn clean in my opinion. Odd. I replaced it with a new one and it's working find again.