Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

[Beacham]

1987 Evinrude 225 on a 1988 22 foot Chris Craft Seahawk.

Hi there, much thanks for past help. Earlier this year, you guys got my electrical sorted during a more or less complete rebuild of everything between the key and the plugs. Great advice that got the job done and saved me money.

Now, after rebuilding all six carbs and replacing all fuel lines, she puts out 5500 RPMs and starts inside of two revolutions. Trouble is that after I have run around for a while, I cant get it to fire again. Hours later? Home again? Fires right up.

Nine months of wiring and fuel and I still cant take my wife out on the thing. We are both starting to wonder. I doubt hot percolation because the carbs are PRISTINE. I do notice that the stream of vented water is weaker at speed. Idling and going slowly, it is strong and steady, so I have always assumed that cooling was adequate. I noticed today that it seemed sputtery at high speed. Could I be overheating?

 

[i386]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

I'm not familliar with your engine but I'll take a guess...

Since you say you rebuild the carbs maybe you need to do a little adjustment. If you're running too rich it'll start easy when it's cold (like using the choke).

Do you need to use the choke to start it when it's cold?
How do your plugs look?

My 20HP Chrysler has the same problem in revese. It's hell to start in the morning but starts with one pull all day long. I can fish till near dark and cool outside then it's hard to start when I'm ready to head in. I've been meaning to fix it but I haven't used the boat very much this year.

 

[Beacham]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

I do need to use the choke when I start it up. I'll check the plugs.

 

[DJ]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

Hard starting-warm is usually an overfueling issue.

 

[ob]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

If that engine is indeed a 87' 225 it uses a fuel primer instead of a choke flap for enriching the mix on cold start-ups.Assuming that you are getting spark when you are experiencing this warm no start symptom,insure that the carb float needles are holding and there is no fuel passing through the solenoid actuated fuel primer ,by pumping up the fuel primer bulb before cold or warm restart and insuring that it will pump up firm and hold medium hand pressure without continuing to push fuel through.This will also expose any external fuel leaks you may have.

 

[DJ]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

Fuel pumps can also dump excess fuel into the crankcase.

 

[Beacham]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

well I will look at the plugs to see if they are fouled, but I dont know where excess fuel could be coming from. can you be a little more specific about overfueling? the choke primer is new, and should not be sticking. one question I had was about the position of the lever on that little guy, but I think that I have it right- it is set to parallel with the primer body. should it be perpendicular? it was my understanding that perpendicular was the manual choke position.

where can excess gas come from after the engine is powered down? should I re-check all of the carbs? I am pretty sure of each one, and I know that I got all of the orifices right. on startup and running flat-out, it just hummms. I can even shut down and restart after about 10-15 minutes of running. its after 30 minutes that she wont fire again, but I have to admit, it feels like flooded. can you suggest a systematic checklist for fuel sources that I can go through?

 

[Beacham]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

wow, I will definitely do the bulb test.

so let me get this straight- pump the fuel primer bulb, squeeze and hold with medium pressure. if fuel continues to move into the engine, then something is not right? how should the checklist go?

needle valves (should be good, new valves and seats)
choke primer (new)
fuel pump (hate to think of this)

thanks for this excellent suggestion. I am going to go check now, but the engine is cold- in the meantime, can you help me with the checklist? I really want to get to the bottom of this.

DB

 

[ob]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

Normal 'run' position of the fuel primer lever is turned all the way clockwise until it stops.This will usually be inline with the body of the solenoid.Again ,just pump up the fuel primer bulb and see if it will get and remain firm with hand pressure.This will indicate whether there is something other than a carb adjustment or fixed orifice issue.

 

[DJ]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

Parallel is the correct setting for the primer. Perpendicular is for manual overide.

Fuel can leak past a leaky/split fuel pump diaphragm.

If it smokes allot when it does fire, it's probably flooding. Also, does the primer bulb remain firm?

 

[Beacham]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

I will definitely do the bulb test tomorrow on the lake after it has warmed up. right now (cold) it gets firm and stays. primer is in the right position.

it definitely smokes a lot at idle after warming up.

okay, there is another thing. when I re-fit the thing with hoses some weeks ago, I broke the nipple off of a little three way ball valve with an arrow imprinted on it that connects what looks like bleeder hoses from the bottom to the top of the crankcase. similar hoses run from the air intake to each of the cylinders. I am PRETTY sure that I got the ball valve in the correct orientation when I replaced it, (based on grainy blowup diagrams) but since you are there, I will ask- it has an arrow on it, and the arrow is in line with tubing that runs from the bottom of the crankcase toward the top. arrow pointing up, with the collateral line running to a nipple that is shared with the starboard/bottom cylinder and intake. is that right?

second question is about the fuel pump. if I warm it up, do the bulb test, and find that fuel is squeaking through, are there rebuild kits for VRO fuel pumps? I am handy and can follow instructions.

thanks a HUGE amount. this is an amazing forum.

 

[Beacham]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

okay, its official- all the carbs are clean and tight, but the bulb goes soft while running. can I ask again, and please dumb this down for me, where could the gas be coming from? the fuel pump is just about the only thing on this engine that I have not messed with. I put in all new hoses, and there is a question I posed above about a ball valve that is positioned at the bottom of the manifold and runs to the bleeder on the starboard side, but as far as I can tell, no fuel leaks when I pressurize the system while cold. do I replace or rebuild my VRO?

second, I did not notice any kind of spark arrestor when replacing the fuel lines. where should this go? please try to tell me in terms of, "the hose at the top, middle, port or starboard side of your fuel pump, etc"

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

beacham
what part of the world do you live in ?

 

[Beacham]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

just left seattle for eugene oregon. I must say that I miss having puget sound at my doorstep, but they can keep the traffic. I also miss seaway marine. from what I understand, if you get any evinrude parts older than 1995 on the west coast, they usually come from there. for me it was a trip across town.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

any relation to the Beacham family on the east coast ?
in any case restate the actual problem and can you reliably recreate it.

 

[Beacham]

Re: Evinrude 225 Only Starts when Its Cold

I grew up in alaska, but my dad's side of the family is from southern utah. doubtful of an east coast connection, but given the fact that my dad is an exiled, long ago former mormon, there are many many many people with my last name. but again, most of them are in southern utah. who do you know out east? no north carolinans to my knowledge, but I spent a couple of summers out there during college. beautiful country, but a little sweaty for me.

okay, so my problem is largely summed up in the title. it is very reproducible. when the engine is cold, it starts right up. runs like a top for as long as I want. but when I shut it down, it will not start again. it appears to flood during the interim. a bunch of info above and in a series of posts earlier this year detail the effort I have put into rebuilding this thing:

all new cables and electrical- flywheel magnets, stator, timing base, rectifier, power packs, ignition coils, starter motor. fuel lines, water seperator, all six carbs rebuilt, kitchen sink. I am pretty sure that sometime in this boat's past, it got sunk. there was seaweed in the gunnels and air silencer, and all electricals and terminals were green mush. good compression. all work done by my novice hands, so a grain of salt with any terminology I throw out there. I have a sealoc manual and so far have done well with swapping parts out. oh yeah, new upper crankshaft bearing also.

anyway, so long and expensive story short, she runs like a top now, as long as it is the first startup of the day. 5500 RPMS of fun, then I use the kicker to get home. the bulb stays firm when I pump and hold it while its cold. when it warms up, it goes soft, but that shouldnt mean anything, as far as I know. my question is about the fuel pump. I feel like I have ruled out just about everything else (carbs are all tight) and before I buy or rebuild ONE MORE DAMNED THING I just want some advice. also, that damned little ball valve with the arrow on it: should it point up or down?