Need Help - I am a newbie. Motor trouble

[BrianG]

Hey All,<br /><br />Just got fathers 19ft Renken, I/O Volvo, etc,etc. <br /><br />Took it out for the first time yesterday. Had a great beginning. <br /><br />On way back to marina, boat died (everything) and I had to reset the circuit breaker to restart everything. Everything seemed ok. <br /><br />About 10 minutes later.... RPMS dropped and speed slowed down. Motor died. This time I had power to everything, motor turned over, etc. No start though.<br /><br />Got towed back to marina and checked for spark. I have spark coming out of coil and cap, etc. <br /><br />While sitting at the marina I was able to get it to kick over twice for a second but it died again.<br /><br />As mentioned I am a newbie to boats. However I do a little about motors, etc. I am youg but I have done a few motor rebuilts on other projects. I am lost here. (boat scares me, lol)<br /><br />Any help here would be great. Thanks.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Need Help - I am a newbie. Motor trouble

YOur easiest first course is to look at fuel delivery and quality.<br /><br />Do you have water in your fuel or in your separator?

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Need Help - I am a newbie. Motor trouble

sounds like a fuel problem to me too -- but I'm a little confused by reference to resetting the circuit breaker. Did you lose electrical contact? That is, were you unable to engage the starter after the engine stalled?

 

[BrianG]

Re: Need Help - I am a newbie. Motor trouble

At first, I lost all power to the boat. No lights, blower, etc. Nothing. <br /><br />I opened the engine area and pushed the reset button that is located above the starter area. <br /><br />I got powered back up and it was no trouble to start the motor. <br /><br />10 min later the motor died and I couldnt start it up again. The first problem could be something totally different, not sure if they have to do with eachother or not.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Need Help - I am a newbie. Motor trouble

Well, I'm pretty much a newbie with inboards too (incl I/Os). I had some electrical problems with my Chris Craft inboard -- reset point gaps (one set not opening), taped coil wire in place (came off once while underway), and checked and cleaned all grounds. I had a mystery problem involving the neutral safety switch, and don't know if that one is fully cured yet or not. So it is easily possible to have multiple electrical/ignition problems.<br /><br />It sounds as if you may have at least one electrical problem -- but the running problems sound like a fuel problem. Add drigas along with installing or cleaning the water separator filter. I would also add some fuel stabilizer. After a tank or two of gas has run through, the stalling will probably be taken care of.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[BrianG]

Re: Need Help - I am a newbie. Motor trouble

Thanks for everybodies suggestions. I will be taking a look at it this weekend hopefully.

 

[almost retired again]

Re: Need Help - I am a newbie. Motor trouble

Hi Brian;<br />Something else that you might consider, if the engine tried to start a couple of times and then died. Did it die as soon as you let off of the key? If so it could be a ballast resistor, or a resistor wire that has opened up. With the key in the run position check for voltage at the coil.