Engine always starts like it is cold even when warm

[woodman7975]

I have a 1988 mercury 100 hp outboard that always starts like it is cold no matter how warm the engine is. I take the boat out at least 2-3 times every other week and when I first put it in, it starts cold, which I kind of expect for an '88, but I will run it for 20-30 mins and stop to fish for about an hour and then it will take about 10 -15 minutes to get it started again, just like when I first put it in. It will also do this when I am trailering the boat and only leave the engine off for about 5 mins, though not as bad, it will take about 5 cranks to get it started. The engine cranks fine but wont turn over, but once it does start it runs great. I have had very litte trouble starting it in the past, except for when it is cold, but it just starting doing this recently. I would like for it to start right away and avoid being afraid that I am going to have to be towed in. Is there anything I can do to fix this?

 

[MadProps]

Re: Engine always starts like it is cold even when warm

then it will take about 10 -15 minutes to get it started again, just like when I first put it in.

it shouldnt take so much to start even when cold

sounds like your having to turn the engine over to deliver fuel

1...check to see that your electric choke is operating & actually closing the carb throat,

2....try pumping the primer ball 6-8 times before you attempt starting, (is the ball hard or does it require a hand pumping ) & look for potential air leaks in the fuel lines & connections

3... try squirting fuel directly into the carbs and crank it over...to see if it fires off immediately.

post your findings

 

[woodman7975]

Re: Engine always starts like it is cold even when warm

The ball usually stays pretty hard when I am trying to start it and even after it sits for awhile it usually only takes a half pump to get it hard again. I did notice some extra gas and oil in the attenuator plate cover when I took it off and looked at the carbs.

How do I check if the electric choke is working properly?

I will try to put the gas directly in the carb and see if that helps any.

Thank you for your help.

 

[MadProps]

Re: Engine always starts like it is cold even when warm

remove the front cover so that you can view the carb throats and then activate the choke, whether yours be key switch or choke button ...you should hear a clicking noise and see the choke plate close the carb throats....which causes the crankcase suction to pull more fuel.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Engine always starts like it is cold even when warm

The choke could explain the cold issue, but not warm.
Could very be the fuel pump diaphram. This is a cheap and easy fix to throw a kit in and common on Mercs.

 

[MadProps]

Re: Engine always starts like it is cold even when warm

fuel pump may infact need rebuilding, as cheap as the kit is do it ....but still isnt the problem, he can manually pump the float bowls full with the primer ball.......


we need to determine if its able to pull fuel from the low speed jets...post your findings after you squirt fuel in the carbs and crank it ...that will tell us alot

 

[allymoss]

Re: Engine always starts like it is cold even when warm

definately sounds like a fuel issue.

If you can, give the carbs a clean but definately, squirt some fuel into the engine and see if it runs.

 

[agwood75]

Re: Engine always starts like it is cold even when warm

Sorry it took me awhile to repost my findings had to work the last few weeks. I checked the electric choke and it clicks and made a gurgling sound from the carbs. When I took the boat out this weekend though and tried to start it, it fired up after trying to start it for about 2-3 minutes and then I couldn't get it going again. I put the fuel in the carb and it didn't make a difference. I thought that I may have flooded it so I let it set for about 3 hours and it still wouldn't fire. It is getting fuel and oil because you can see it in the attenuator cover plate when I take it off. I did notice that after last time I took it out the bolts for the flywheel cover had vibrated off and the cover was scratched up from hitting the flywheel. Does anyone think that the timing may have gotten a little off because of this? If the timing was off would that cause it to start sometimes and not others, or make it hard to start like it was previously?