why wont my motor start

[riverseeker]

hello i have a 2000 evinrude 9.9 4 stroke model # E10RL4SID that will not start know it was fine and then one month later will not run i cant seem to get a spark to the plugs at all so im wondering if it has a coil problem or if its the circuit board can anyone help me with a clue on how i tell what the problem might be and what i shall try to do or buy to fix this weather to start with coil or circuit board any help will be greatly appreciated thankyou very much

 

[CATransplant]

Re: why wont my motor start

Is the safety tether on? That's the place to start.

 

[riverseeker]

Re: why wont my motor start

Is the safety tether on? That's the place to start.

do you mean the red stop button if so its fine and has the clip on it so that it should start

 

[CATransplant]

Re: why wont my motor start

OK. Sometimes those switches fail. I guess my point is that it's difficult to start from scratch and tell you how to run down a no spark condition. There are many reasons why there might not be.

What happened during the month between the time it would start and wouldn't start? Was the outboard stored? Did you do any work whatsoever on it? Did anyone else work on it during that time? Did you loan it to anyone?

How did you determine there was no spark? Have you done anything to try to fix the outboard?

Give us some history and what you've tried to do to diagnose the problem.

 

[riverseeker]

Re: why wont my motor start

i went crabbin it worked fine went one month later spent 5 hours pullin the rope wouldnt start everything sounds fine when pulled thought it might be the fuel system then i changed the plugs set them on the block no spark stuck a screwdriver in the plug wire no spark touched both connectors for plug wires on coil no shock or spark i beleive i did that correct not totally sure tested the wire to coil no power when pulled not sure if i did that correct but it doesnt seem to have any juice it has two spark plugs i grounded one wire i beleive then stuck a screwdriver in the other and still got nothing im not sure if i did that correctly any help would be greatly appreciated its always been serviced for regular hourly tuneups and is a very clean motor just not sure what to do and the service shop always charges a hefty penny thank you

 

[BIGcarpy50]

Re: why wont my motor start

sounds like the safety switch. My motor was running great i shut it down to troll and then it didn't have a spark. the switch had gone bad in one min. So check it out. there should be a way to jump the switch but i'm not sure of the proper way on your motor

 

[riverseeker]

Re: why wont my motor start

well if its the saftey button does anyone know how id bypass that system thankyou for any and all help

 

[CATransplant]

Re: why wont my motor start

Take the cowling off your outboard. Look for the black wire that comes from the tiller handle kill/safety switch, then follow it. Somewhere along that wire, you'll find a connector. I don't know what type they use in the 4-strokes that new. Disconnect the connector.

Check for spark again. If you have spark, then the kill/safety switch is bad.

It's not too hard to replace on that outboard, but it's expensive.

Don't go shorting things to ground on that outboard, like you described. It's easy to destroy part of your ignition system. There's a proper way to check the ignition system, but it requires the right equipment. With any luck, you won't have ruined something. I hope not, because all that stuff is $$$.

If it's not the kill switch, check for a fuse in the wiring. It's a plug-in fuse. I'm not sure if it's present on rope start models, but if you find one, check it.

If those things don't work, I'm out of suggestions. If you have the service manual, you'll see what you have to do to test the ignition system. You won't have the proper equipment.

 

[riverseeker]

Re: why wont my motor start

ok i tried to disconnect this plug that comes from the switch but not sure if thats the right one or issue if i dissconect that what is the best way for me to check if i am getting a spark on this motor if you can help me with that

 

[CATransplant]

Re: why wont my motor start

Best way is with a spark tester you can buy from any auto parts store. Or, you can stick a small diameter phillips screwdriver into the spark plug wire cap, then hold it by the back of the handle, away from the metal shaft, and hold the screwdriver's shaft near a head bolt - 1/4" or so. Someone will have to pull the rope. Look for a nice bright spark. If you get one, then it's your kill switch that's bad if you've disconnected the wire from the kill switch.

Put the plug wire back on and try starting the outboard in a barrel.

If you're not comfortable with this stuff, it may be a good idea to take your outboard into the shop for diagnosis and repair. These later model outboards are not as friendly to shadetree mechanics messing with them. As I said, if you go around shorting wires and messing around, you'll end up buying a new stator for about $175.00. I hope you already haven't messed it up.

The days are long gone when outboards were bulletproof and easy to diagnose and repair. Solid state ignition systems just don't respond to the old tricks we all used to use on our lawnmower engines and earlier outboards. The shop has equipment to test the stator. You don't, and I don't. Some things are better left to the pros.

I don't mean to sound unfriendly, but you have an outboard that's worth about $1000 there, or more. It's worth getting looked at by someone who does this for a living, unless you're already experienced with diagnosing modern outboards.

I gave you an easy thing to check. It's a likely thing, given your description of the failure. Beyond that, there's not much you can test without the proper equipment.