Where to start

[KCLOST]

Re: Where to start

Yes, if your tank is like mine (6 gal metal) at the center of the cap there should be a round metal vent screw/knob. You need to turn it counter clockwise to open it...<br />If it's not open and your gas cap is tightened on, no air gets into the tank therefore reducing or completely choking off fuel flow to the engine.<br />When you had the cap loose you where getting air in the tank, which explains why it worked out of the water. There may be other problems, but if it works out of the water with the cap loose and won't start in the water with the cap tightened, I see this a possible cause....always open the vent when running the engine....<br /><br />I always suggest this also when someone has starting problems. Get your manual and read over the starting procedure if you haven't already. Normally it goes something like this,,,<br /><br />Prime (squeeze) the fuel line bulb until firm.<br /><br />Move acellerator (in neutral) to fast idle position (usually the first stop location).<br /><br />Turn the key and choke "intermittedly" if necessary (cold starting).<br /><br />When it fires release choke and key and give gas (accelerate) if needed....<br /><br />Try it, or follow your manual procedure...

 

[Texas Heat]

Re: Where to start

I could only wish it was just that I was simply not doing something right as obosed to a mechanical problem! If this is what was causing my starting problem I would be very thankfull!!!!!!

 

[KCLOST]

Re: Where to start

If a motor runs fine one day and won't start on another or vise versa, it's usually something minor.... It's possible that the vent was open on that day you ran it on the lake without any problems and somehow it got closed now giving you fits...<br /><br />I just want you to eliminate this as a possible cause before you go spending money...

 

[Texas Heat]

Re: Where to start

Thanks for the Heads Up KC. If this works I owe you a greasy Cheeseburger!!

 

[KCLOST]

Re: Where to start

What happened Texas?

 

[Texas Heat]

Re: Where to start

I didn't get a chance to work on it like I was hoping to. I went Dove hunting with the dog. I was going to look @ it Sunday evening but the wife unpluged my Extension cord to my battery chargers so my main batter didn’t have enough juice to turn the motor over. I was able to look a the gas tanks. The plastic one defiantly has a vent valve. The metal one does not. I talked to my Wife’s sisters father in law, the person I bought this boat from, and he said “ Hey Dummy”, no wonder it wont start, you have to leave the cap loose. Boy do I fell stupid. I hope this is what was wrong, we will see, I was going to do some scouting this week to find where the Teal are at, wish me luck!!

 

[plywoody]

Re: Where to start

I doubt if it is a vent problem. I have two tanks-one an OMC metal tank that has a built in vent with a check valve--lets air in, but won't let air escape- and a plastic tank with a screw in vent. My engine (50 hp Johnson)will run for 5 to 10 minutes with the vent on the plastic tank completely closed. I've forgotten to open the vent a time or two, and the engine has died, but not before it ran all the air out of the tank and the plastic looked like it was getting sucked in.<br /><br />I would review all of the starting proceedures. If it is like my 50 hp Johnson, you need to push the primer bulb on the hose till it is firm, then you need to put the engine in neutral, lift up the fast idle lever on the control to maximum, give the key a couple of quick pushes to activate the primer (do not hold it in for long periods,as it is a primer, and not a choke, on my engine, and you could be flooding it that way), crank it and give the primer a couple more short pushes until it starts. After it starts, you may still need to give that key primer a couple of pushes as needed based on the sound of the engine until it warms up.<br /><br />If you are not doing any of these things, try them before you start tearing things down to fix them. In my experience, every engine has little idiosycracies about starting, and if this is a new engine to you, it could be that you have not quite figured out what your engine wants.

 

[Texas Heat]

Re: Where to start

Wood, I do not have the same setup as you, mine is a Hydro / Electric motor. It has a three botton Controller and a throttle arm. It has a regular car type ignition switch with a toggle switch that is below the ignition to activate the electric choke. I am a little skeptical about the vent cap being my problem, but it might be just that! I want to look into that. I now have a battery problem on my hands. The battery was completely drained last time out and my battery charger was blowing 1 amp bus fuse. I put in a 5 amp and all seems OK. I am getting a read out on my volt O meter. The battery is either not getting current or it is a bad battery. It might not hold a charge. I was going to switch batteries today and see if it is the charger and not the battery. Anyway, I am not a happy camper about my boat deal. I was going to get a bigger one this upcoming Spring but I just got a new truck so the wife said we are tapped out for a while. I just might suck it up and take it to the shop and pay $$$$$$ to have them look it over.