prob with me bayliner

[burney]

i have a bayliner with a ford 2.3 ohc 4 cylinder 1989 inboard i was out on her 2 days ago nothing at all wrong then flushed her went to go out today and she just keeps on turnning but not fireing. added new plugs (lots of spark there) took distibuter cap off nice and dry and not warn also got spark underneath rotor plz help got my head in bits

 

[jmoorepghpa]

Re: prob with me bayliner

Just in general practice a can of starting fluid is a good diagnostic tool for a no start situation. Give your motor a 1/2 second shot of the old ether down the carb and crank it over. If it fires and runs for a second or two then you definantly have a lack of fuel issue. If it does not fire up for just a little bit it is a spark issue. This is for carbureted motors.
If you think its a fuel issue pull the fuel line going into the carb, crank the motor over and see if you have flow from the pump (please do this safely). You can get a cheap vacum guage/fuel pressure tester for about $20. If the pressure is good then something is hosed in the carb--float, crud in the jets etc. If you have no fuel flow from the pump then its the pump or the filter. Work backwards untill you find it.
If your motor is injected and it runs on the ether then you still have a spark issue. If the injected motor does not run for a sec or two things can be a little more complicated. The computer controlls the spark and the injectors and may not be triggering either.
If your motor is injected look on the fuel rail above the injectors and you will see a small black cap threaded onto a fitting at one end that looks just like the end of a valve stem on a tire. Remove that cap, turn the key to on, put some safety goggles on, keep your head far back and depress the center of that valve like you are letting air out of a tire. If there is fuel from the pump fuel will shoot as far as 2-3 feet out of that fitting (no smoking). If that's the case- and you do have spark -the injectors are not firing for some reason. See if you can get ahold of someone local with a computer scan tool. If you get no fuel at the rail then you have a pump or filter issue.
Make sure you got fuel in the tank----guages go bad all the time.
Don't forget and leave that can of starting fluid in the engine compartment by accident-- boat go boooooom!!!!

 

[burney]

Re: prob with me bayliner

i just dont get how it was running one day come back the next and she just wont fire all 4 plug are sparking theres fule going into the carb dizzy cap is nice and dry and quite new???????????it must be true if u dont like someone buy them a boat $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ lol

 

[jmoorepghpa]

Re: prob with me bayliner

If you have spark at the plugs and there is fuel going to the carb then hmmmm..... could be a stuck float in the carb..... gently but gently tap the outsite of the float chamber with the handle of a screwdriver and see if that knocks the float free....

 

[burney]

Re: prob with me bayliner

the thing is even when i spay easy start down the carb shes not even tryin when this stuff will start anything do u think it could be somthing to do with the points or condenser??????

 

[jmoorepghpa]

Re: prob with me bayliner

One of the best tools you can keep in your box of cool stuff is a good inline spark tester. Get a good one from a local auto parts store ($10-$12). Get a good one as it can show you more info than the cheapy. I have a Lysle brand which I like very much. It will come with one or two extra wires so you can put it between the coil and cap and between the cap and plugs. Hook it up to a good engine so you can see what "good fire" looks like in the tester window then move it over to your boat engine. This thing will show you good spark, weak spark, intermittant spark etc.
If the spark is weak at the plugs then check the points etc.
If you have hot spark at the plugs check to see if the distributor is loose and the timing may have finally moved so far out of adjustment it just won't start. If the dist is loose mark your starting point and move it a little bit at a time while trying to start it. If you don't have any luck one way try the other. If you have a timing light you can just use that to give it a quick look see.
Check the new plugs and see if they are wet with gas. A float that is stuck open will flood it too and cause all kinds of problems.

 

[burney]

Re: prob with me bayliner

i think were starting to elimate stuff here im going to test the timeing today u could be right that could explain how it started one day and not the next do u think???

 

[bruceb58]

Re: prob with me bayliner

You will get more help by posting in the engines forum.

I am suspecting cap and or wires. Was it more humid the day after it was running and you tried to start it? How old are the wires/cap?

 

[burney]

Re: prob with me bayliner

ive got it running now thanks everyone it was a hot day and yes damp did get into dizzy thanks again u all know ya stuff on this site

 

[jmoorepghpa]

Re: prob with me bayliner

i have a bayliner with a ford 2.3 ohc 4 cylinder 1989 inboard i was out on her 2 days ago nothing at all wrong then flushed her went to go out today and she just keeps on turnning but not fireing. added new plugs (lots of spark there) took distibuter cap off nice and dry and not warn also got spark underneath rotor plz help got my head in bits

You said the cap was dry-- ye do tell tall tales thar matey!!!!!!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: prob with me bayliner

ive got it running now thanks everyone it was a hot day and yes damp did get into dizzy thanks again u all know ya stuff on this site

If the dampness was causing the "no start", it is time to replace plug wires and cap.

 

[goldy9955]

Re: prob with me bayliner

If its a Ford 2.3L it could be a timing belt that has jumped a tooth or stripped the teeth of the belt causing it to lose the proper cam timing. It will also sound different while cranking, kinda like it has no compression. These belts do go out after sitting awhile, then strip during startup.