Mercruiser won't start.

[beezee28]

I just took my boat (maxum 1800sr, 3.0l with alpha one outdrive) out today and after the usual check, I started with muff on at my drive way. It starts just fine and took it out to the river and it ran very well. Just before I was ale to load it onto the trailer while still in the water I tried to start it and it won't start. Thinking it just a short drive home and hook it up to the muff and rinse out the salt water, I tried starting it and it would not start at all. Tried this many times and nearly ran the battery down. I check the spark plugs and it looks an even coat of carbon on it. I will let the engine cool down a bit and change the plugs later so that i can finish flushing the engine. Came back about an hour later and it still did not want to start. I will change the plug and see what happens. Can anyone help in this.

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser won't start.

Won't start with the engine cranking over ok, or won't crank over?

 

[beezee28]

Re: Mercruiser won't start.

It crank over but never engage. I took the cover off the flame arrestor and look into the butterfly valve and see that the fuel keeps flowing into the chamber. I think the carberator needle valve is stuck. I am not well verse with fixing carberator and will most probably take this to the shop.

 

[beezee28]

Re: Mercruiser won't start.

Took the boat the the shop and the mechanic looked into the problem. He found that there was a broken connection at the kill switch. That was the main problem and since I tried many times to start the engine and it would not start the spark plugs got foul up and had to change the plugs. He also look at the distributor cap and the was corrosion from water and change the distribute cap and also the rotor.

Now the motor purrs very smoothly and so far no problem... (touch wood!!)