Gamefisher 7.5 dies / moans

[RichardP]

Hi all,

I have a 7.5, not sure of the year, but am fairly sure it is an Eska and know it is air cooled. We have taken the motor out a few times and use it for trolling at slow speed for salmon. The motor always starts great and runs awesome for a good couple of hours. After all this time running great it will decide to die and then is impossible to restart unless it sits for a half hour or so. Once we get it re-started it will continue to keep dying after 15 minutes or so of running, then it has to sit again. Now for the really wierd thing. Once this dying phase starts, right when the motor dies, or each time an attempt is made to start it, it makes a weird moaning sound like a sick cat every time the rear of the boat drops with the waves. Sort of like a "whoooo, whoooo, whooo" with the wave motion. It makes us laugh at least, but it is still a major p.i.a. when this starts happening, and it ends up ruining our day of fishing. So if we go fishing again another day we know the motor is good and reliable for a couple of hours, but how do we get it to stay that way? Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[F_R]

Re: Gamefisher 7.5 dies / moans

Hi all,

I have a 7.5, not sure of the year, but am fairly sure it is an Eska and know it is air cooled. We have taken the motor out a few times and use it for trolling at slow speed for salmon. The motor always starts great and runs awesome for a good couple of hours. After all this time running great it will decide to die and then is impossible to restart unless it sits for a half hour or so. Once we get it re-started it will continue to keep dying after 15 minutes or so of running, then it has to sit again. Now for the really wierd thing. Once this dying phase starts, right when the motor dies, or each time an attempt is made to start it, it makes a weird moaning sound like a sick cat every time the rear of the boat drops with the waves. Sort of like a "whoooo, whoooo, whooo" with the wave motion. It makes us laugh at least, but it is still a major p.i.a. when this starts happening, and it ends up ruining our day of fishing. So if we go fishing again another day we know the motor is good and reliable for a couple of hours, but how do we get it to stay that way? Thanks in advance for the advice.

Is the water pump working? Yes, they do have a water pump. Maybe it's just getting too hot.

 

[RichardP]

Re: Gamefisher 7.5 dies / moans

That is the first thing I was thinking too, but before I started diggin into it I wanted some other opinions. It just seemed a little strange that it would take so long to get hot. I thought if it was going to overheat that it would do it much quicker.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Gamefisher 7.5 dies / moans

Run it faster than trolling, the problem may occur sooner. Were it me, I'd make sure it's circulating water.

 

[Metzbower]

Re: Gamefisher 7.5 dies / moans

According to the Eska book for a 1976 7.5HP out board:

"When the motor is in gear and the pump is working properly, a warm spray of water will come out the small holes on the back side of the column just behind the reverse lug.

When the motor is in neutral, there will be no water spray, which is normal.

If water spray is so hot that you cannot hold your hand under the spray, turn off motor and check for leaves or grass stopping the water inlets. If these are clear and water spray is still hot, turn off motor. This indicated cooling system failure. Have the cooling system checked."

So I would see if it is too hot. If it is maybe some junk got inside the water passages, or the impeller is wearing out. Or possibly it is a heat related ignition problem.

Or, how is your fuel line run? If it raises about the carb inlet you might be getting into vapor lock. Or if your tank is not venting correctly you might be slowly building up a vacuum in the tank that is killing your motor. Next time this happens take off the fuel tank lid then replace and see if makes a difference.