boaty wont stay running

Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
13
My boat is a 1985 cheetah with a 1978 johnson 140 crossflow. I ran out of gas and changed over to my other tank, boat started fine and got up to full speed. About 2 minutes later it started to slowdown and then died. It will crank but will not start. I think it might be bad gas but am not sure. I unhooked the fuel line and squirted fuel into the carbs. I tried to start it again, It sputtered a little but wouldn't start. Any ideas would help.

Thanks Nate
 
Last edited:

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Howdy, Nate.

Welcome to iboats. :)

You have posted in the wrong forum. This is for discussion not involving trouble or repair.

read: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=250877

I will move this to the Johnson/Evinrude forum.
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
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Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

i didn't realize this. thanks for the moving it for me


Nate
 

flabum

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 17, 2007
Messages
567
Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Drain the carbs, check your second tank for water. try it with another tank with fresh fuel.
 

jbjennings

Captain
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Messages
3,903
Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Clogged or closed vent on 2nd tank??
 

john from md

Commander
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Messages
2,184
Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Sounds like a blocked vent or blocked pick up on the tank. If it was bad gas, it would be popping and fussing before quitting. Your description leads me to believe that the engine was starved for fuel.

Regards,

John
 

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,226
Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Was it hot when it quit? If it was, it sounds like a classic case of a cooked motor due to sudden failure of the water pump impeller.
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
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Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Ok i got it running in my drive way with new gas. We put it on the water, gave it full throttle and it wouldn't open up all the way, it wouldn't go fast enough to come up on plane. We pulled back to the dock, when we pulled up it died, tried to start it again and there was no ignition power. The trim and and pumps worked but no ignition power, my trim and pumps are hooked up to the same battery. It seems like it is one thing after another. any help would be appreciated.


Thanks

Nate
 

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,226
Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

The ignition does not run off the battery, so that has nothing to do with it. Disconnect the black-with-yellow-stripe wire from the power pack and see if you then have spark. If you do, troubleshoot the kill circuit.

EDIT: Actually, the battery does affect the ignition circuit, only when starting. If it is too weak to provide adequate cranking speed, you won't have spark. The ignition generates it's own ignition juice, but has to be turning over fast enough to do so.
 

emdsapmgr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 9, 2005
Messages
11,551
Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

When you say no ignition, do you mean no spark at all, weak spark, no spark on one side, or no spark on one or more plug wires. Did you test with a spark checker? Any additional information would be helpful.
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
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Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

no it was like there was no power going to the starter, like the battery was dead, but i still had all my accessories like my trim and pumps working. The pumps trim and engine are on one battery, my trolling motor and lights are on the other battery.
 

mikesea

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Oct 1, 2006
Messages
1,830
Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

check the fuse on top of the port head,if ok,make sure your engine is in neutral,there is a neu.safty switch,sometimes rocking the shifter while turning the key will get it going,thus shows your problem. Check all connections to battety,and starter solonoid,you can jump positive directly to the yel red wire on the solonoid,if nothing happens and the starter turns by placing a positive jumper,your solonoid may be bad.Be sure to use a heavy cable to jup to starte.also be sure your ground cable is clean and not broke,ceck your battery cables,if there is a cut,the wires(usually pos)will fry til its not connected.A jumper cable will test that
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
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Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

ok so my huge problem turned out to be corrosion on the postive battery cable so i cleaned that and everything is back to simi normal. we put it on the water this morning and when i would put it at full throttle and it wont go fast enough to come up on plane. i am at a lose and dont know what to check next, any advice would help.


Thanks

Nate
 

john from md

Commander
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Messages
2,184
Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

What speed did you get and at what rpm?

Regards,

John
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
13
Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

Re: boat quit running while at full throttle going across lake

not sure speedo and tach not hooked up
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
13
boat wont stay running

boat wont stay running

ok with my boat it the the drive way and the water hooked up it will start if it has been sitting for a little while it will start right up, run for less than a minute then die i can start it again and it will do the same thing, then it will die and i cant get it to start again. It is very hot after running it that long. I am stumped once again. Any advise would help

Thanks
 

emdsapmgr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 9, 2005
Messages
11,551
Re: boaty wont stay running

If so, could be a fuel issue. Try priming the fuel hose bulb when running. It will force fuel around the pump into the carb bowls. If it runs under load with constant pumping of the bulb, it is the fuel pump or a fuel line restriction. Do you still have spark when the engine dies? Ignition problems tend to show up once the engine gets warm.
 

CharlieB

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
5,617
Re: boaty wont stay running

Open the float bowl drains and pump the primer bulb to flush the water out of the carbs.

Runs on the hose but fails under load, water in the carbs restricting fuel flow.
 

jbjennings

Captain
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Messages
3,903
Re: boaty wont stay running

You said it's very hot after running it for just a couple of minutes?? That's not right. Is it pumping plenty of water out of the tell-tale?? Any steam coming out? From my experience, running one on a hose should make it particularly cool since the water from the hose is usually nice and cold and since it should help force water into the motor in spite of a weak water pump. I'd figure that one out before I ran the motor any more.
Just my opinion,
JBJ
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
13
Re: boaty wont stay running

i took it to a mechanic today and he did a compression test, well needless to say i have a dead cylinder and another almost dead, so i have a junk motor on my hands and do not have the money to fix right now. Thanks for everyone's help


Nate
 
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