Intermittent hard starting

[Skiwi]

1976 75hp Chrysler.

Starts 1st cough when cold.
Starts 1st cough when hot.
Starts 1st cough when warm....most of the time. Occasionally when I go to restart while on the water it gives no sign of starting at all. In the past I've given it a puff of EziStart (I know, I know) and it will start, but we had to come home on the auxiliary today as it wouldn't fire up

Got it home, took the plugs out and they looked fine, put them back in, turned the key and it fired up 1st cough

Any idea where should I start looking?

 

[Josh P]

Re: Intermittent hard starting

ignition switch maybe its going bad? fuel pump diaphram? give us some more info any maintance done to have you cleaned the carbs? replaced the fuel pump diaphram recently?

 

[Skiwi]

Re: Intermittent hard starting

Hi Josh, thanks for the answer.

Boat is new to me about a month ago.
I have done no maintenance except cleaning the spark plugs and checking the fuel filter after the failure to start.
(I'm waiting on a service manual I ordered before I start pulling things apart)

When I say "no sign of starting" I meant turning over as normal, just no hint of catching/firing. I have plenty of battery power and could have kept cranking for ages, but reckon if it didn't start after about 10 attempts of 5 sec it wasn't going to. I tried normal warm start, choke, waiting 5 etc

 

[Josh P]

Re: Intermittent hard starting

well what i meant by the ignition switch, is maybe its still grounding out the coils so they wouldn't be sparking. But you hit it with starting fluid it fires, so I would start with cleaning carbs, replace fuel pump diaphram, and replace the plugs if you dont know how old they are. Replace all the fuel hoses if they look bad and are hard. Then check your timing. But start withe the diaprham and cleaning the carbs and go from there keep post myself and others will help with what we can.