To choke or not to choke??

[Incaboater]

When I 1st put the boat in for the day I squeeze the bulb until it is nice and firm, then I choke the engine with the key while starting in fast idle. The engine starts immediately and I let it warm up for a sec in fast idle. Well after going to my fishing spot and shutting off the engine for about 45 minutes its harder to get started then when I 1st put it in the water?? What do I need to do to get it to start after its been sitting in the water while using the trolling motor. Should I choke it again and have it in fast idle just like I did originally or should I just turn the key?

Also my boat idles perfect, though it dies in really slow forward or rear throttle, like the speed ( walking speed) you need to get your boat on the trailer. Whats causing that?

The motor is a Johnson 1981 70 hp seahorse.

Thanks again for all your help guys, you helped me out a great deal!!

 

[AlanR]

Re: To choke or not to choke??

Just for refrence when did you last clean/drain your carbs? Also before you choke it or roll it over try and prime your bulb again then try and start it

 

[Silvertip]

Re: To choke or not to choke??

If whatever your doing doesn't work, try something different. You shouldn't need to squeeze the primer bulb. All of my Johnson/Evinrudes liked to have a little fast idle when starting after sitting for an hour or so. Try a little touch of choke. You only have two things to play with -- fast idle and choke so try them in various combinations.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: To choke or not to choke??

if squeezing the bulb helps, then you may have a bad check valve in the bulb, allowing the gas to siphon back into the tank. draining the carbs.

 

[Incaboater]

Re: To choke or not to choke??

I will have to try that next time, I didn't squeeze the bulb last time. Will it flood my engine if I try to choke it and it doesn't start, thats what I was afraid I was doing and flooded the engine? Also with a flooded outboard is the best thing to do just wait, or is there other methods of getting a flooded outboard to work? It does smoke a lot the 2nd time around when getting it started, more then the 1st time.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: To choke or not to choke??

It's not starting, so if you choke it and it doesn't start nothing is lost. You indicate the engine does not idle well when in gear. That says idle mixture and/or idle speed adjustments are not correct or the carbs need to be rebuilt. The fact it won't run well at idle speed is also the reason it won't start with a simple turn of the key. A touch of choke is far different than holding the key in continuously while cranking. If you are tilting the engine up quite high when stopped, fuel can drain from the carbs so when you get ready to go, the engine may suck in the fuel that's puddled in the air box causing an initial over-rich mixture. Hence the partial fast idle setting to give the engine a little more air. Fuel enters the carbs at the top of the float bowl so a bad check valve in the bulb should not drain the carbs. The fuel line could drain but it would not empty the carbs.