Starting issues - the saga continues since Feb. '13

[CaneCutter79]

I've had a rather strange and hard to find starting issue. I've got it narrowed down to the general cause and I think there is an easy fix for it.

Below are some threads I started since I got my motor rebuilt back in Feb of this year.

Previous Thread 1

Previous Thread 2

• The motor has been rebuilt
• The carb is clean - I've removed it, blown air through it, it's clean so that's not the problem
• The motor has plenty of spark, new stator, plugs, coils are fine, etc.
• The motor is being started when it's level (Old Evinrudes/Johnson motors do not like being started when tilted because the bowls in the carbs are not filling correctly)
• If you choke the motor when it's not starting or running correctly, it floods the motor and it dies

So the motor will start but it's not running correctly becasue it doesn't have enough fire and getting too much gas. It runs low rpms and if you use the fast idle, there is not engine response or advance in timing to get the motor reved up. If you put it in gear and basically "floor it", it stalls for a split second and then takes off like it should. After that, you can idle around without it dying but eventually, it will start running lean (too much fuel) and wants to die. This makes it hard to load the boat on the trailer.

The motor runs fine once it's running and I get good fuel mileage, good throttle response, etc. I've trolled (fishing) with the motor around 700-800rpms for miles this summer with no issues. Its the initial start when cold and if you stop the motor to tie up to the dock to load it, when you get the trailer in the water and then go to load the boat, the motor will start up but it's not running correctly because there is too much gas and not enough spark. If you try to back up, it floods out. If you "floor it", usually it jumps forward and takes off as it should. Yesterday, it was so lean adn full of gas, it just died. Eventually, I got it to run correctly and it jumped forward allowing me to idle it onto the trailer. I know the carbs are clean because I just cleaned them. I have also checked for spark. It's good too.

So when I "floor it", I'm putting in gear and pushing the throttle forward quickly (like you would to get on plane) and I've noticed that the throttle leaver is pulled forward (as it should) and the timing lever is also pulled forward by the spring inside the throttle lever. When you use the fast idle, only the carb levers engage and the timing advance is not affected.

SO there must be an easy fix here. I've done so much already and I feel there must be something that's easy to do and will fix this issue.

Where do I look?

 

[pn]

Re: Starting issues - the saga continues since Feb. '13

flooding means too much gas means rich. lean means too little gas. check your float needle by priming your bulb, once it's hard means that the float is working, if not then gas is just spewing into your intake...

 

[CaneCutter79]

Re: Starting issues - the saga continues since Feb. '13

Sorry, i had it backwards. Too much gas. The bulb will prime correctly and get's hard when pumped. SO it's not the float.

I started the motor this afternoon and it runs fine. Primed the bulb, engaged fast idle, motor started right up and ran properly. Seems as if it's only having this problem in the water. The motor runs fine but has issues sometimes (not always) after you start it. It gets too much gas, boggs down and sometimes the fast idle clears out the carb and sometimes it has no affect and that's when I engage the throttle. Its like it has to get rid of the gas in the carb to run correctly at the correct fuel to air mix.

Incorrect idle jet maybe? Thinking that may be the issue. Carb was rebuilt and my mechanic said that could be an issue but only a worst case scenario as these motors will on occassion need a smaller jet but it's rare. He replaced the floats and all carb parts during my rebuild.

 

[CaneCutter79]

Re: Starting issues - the saga continues since Feb. '13

Also, if motor is level and started level......it starts just fine on the hose but when it's in the water, it's very cold natured. These motors I'm told are ALWAYS cold natured no matter what time of year.

It seems like the problem occurs more frequently after the motor has been running for a while. If it were electrical, I would think the warmer it gets the worse the problem would be and the motor would not run properly but it runs awesome on plane. Fast throttle response, torque, etc.

It's when I'm loading the boat that I have this problem. It must be something to do with the carbs since the fuel to air mix is off. Seems like it's too much fuel and not enough air or spark/timing is somehow not quite right. Retarded too much maybe? Probably not....