Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

[SgtScrounge]

I have 1993 225 hp Ocean Pro. It will start cold if you justprime it and look at the key hard. Once I get going at planing speed, it will shut down after anywhere from a couple of minutes to 20 minutes. After anywhere from 3 minutes to 20 minutes of cursing and waiting, it fires up great. It will go at no-wake speed in the inlet with no problems, it is just when I get it going at medium to high speed that I have the problem.
I replaced the complete water pump assembly last fall, the water jet is strong, and the water temp gauge never gets above 160 degrees. At extended no-wake speed, it is at 140 degrees. Yesterday after I had been anchored for over 2 hours, it just would not start, so I do not believe it is a heat related issue. After sitting there for 2-3 minutes with the engine cover off, it started fine and brought me in with no problem.
It is not sparking for some reason, then it just works. [I believe it is not sparking because once it does fire up, there is initially a lot more smoke than normal, so the carb is routing fuel to the cylinders].
I have checked the safety switch and it is functioning properly. Any ideas from the brain trust ??

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

start with the basics. compression check, spark check with an adjustable spark tester (auto parts store) spark needs to jump 1/2 -7/16 of an inch. with bright blue spark. are you using a fuel/water separator. is the primer bulb collasping. sucked in when this occurs. are you sure there is no water in the tank.

 

[SgtScrounge]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

The basics are good. I checked before I posted.Primer bulb does not collapse [it is clearly getting fuel]. There is very very little water in the tank, plus it was treated with Startron to keep the water from separating out, it has a Racor 10 micron water separator, plus an in-line filter to catch any tiny piece of sludge or gum which might get through.

Soemthing is causing the spark to intermittently just "go away."

 

[dumokies]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

The basics are good. I checked before I posted.Primer bulb does not collapse [it is clearly getting fuel]. There is very very little water in the tank, plus it was treated with Startron to keep the water from separating out, it has a Racor 10 micron water separator, plus an in-line filter to catch any tiny piece of sludge or gum which might get through.

Soemthing is causing the spark to intermittently just "go away."

Sorry don't mean to crowd thread...but that is EXACTLY!!!! what our 225hp ocean pro has started doing also.....so if u get it figured out please let me know b4 hubby sinks my boat...LOL!

 

[SgtScrounge]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

I am going down to the boat tonight and clean/tighten every ground I can find. Some of the wires to the power pack had been caught where they should not have been and some of the insulated has rubbed away, so I am going to put liquid elec tape then heatshrink on those wires.Also going to clean the contacts on the temp switches @ the top of each bank.
Friday I am going to replace the thermostats just to be sure since I have no idea how old they are.
Taking it out Saturday and will let you know. If your husband fixes yours, please let me know ASAP !

 

[dumokies]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

I am going down to the boat tonight and clean/tighten every ground I can find. Some of the wires to the power pack had been caught where they should not have been and some of the insulated has rubbed away, so I am going to put liquid elec tape then heatshrink on those wires.Also going to clean the contacts on the temp switches @ the top of each bank.
Friday I am going to replace the thermostats just to be sure since I have no idea how old they are.
Taking it out Saturday and will let you know. If your husband fixes yours, please let me know ASAP !

I sure will...but just to let ya know we already did all that ur fixin to do and it did not fix it....But I am hoping and praying u have better luck....I haven't really pushed him to fix it cuz I still can't get any1 to help me find out the correct year of our motor...It doesnt have a model# so just kinda waiting to get a new manual....I do have a shop manual if u need pages faxed to ya....and I just ordered a book that covers the oil injection...so if u need that let me know.....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

i sent a message to the guy who knows about the big ones.

 

[Dennisanoka]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

Does your enginne have a kill switch on it? If it does my 90 was doing the same thing and it turn out to just be the rubber boot on the kill switch was not holding the switch in enough all the time.

 

[reeldutch]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

dennis thats exactly what i would be checking first also.
usualy your motor doesnt cut all 6 at the same time and than sudenly all 6 are back unles its a bad killswitch wire or bad powerpack ground.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

Once you fix the wires we need to check spark when it won't start. If it has none, disconnect the large red cannon plug and check spark again. If it now has spark, the problem is from the boat side of that red plug to the front. If you still don't have spark, or you have erratic spark, the problem in from that plug back.

 

[SgtScrounge]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

I put a new kill switch lanyard and fork on it last night, cleaned the PP ground, and wrapped one of the PP wires with elec tape. It was jammed in there in the wrong position and the conductor was coming through the insulation. Don't know if it was grounding out the signal and causing the problem. I will have to take it out and see if it shuts down again, and if so, I will run the other checks.
In order to start it with the large red Amphenol plug disconnected, I have to short the negative terminal of the battery to one of the small lugs on the starter relay with a set of jumper cables, correct ?

 

[reeldutch]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

just jump the solenoid.

be carefull that you cannot shut the motor off

you have to ground the black yellow wire (kilswitch circuit)
or flood it with the primer.

 

[Rich976usaf]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

Hi there good thread. When this problem happens have you tried to see if you have spark. If it wouldnt start when it is hot it might be a flooded condition, But its strange that your dropping power. Have you checked the ohm on your stator.

 

[dumokies]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

I sure will...but just to let ya know we already did all that ur fixin to do and it did not fix it....But I am hoping and praying u have better luck....I haven't really pushed him to fix it cuz I still can't get any1 to help me find out the correct year of our motor...It doesnt have a model# so just kinda waiting to get a new manual....I do have a shop manual if u need pages faxed to ya....and I just ordered a book that covers the oil injection...so if u need that let me know.....

Well SgtScrouge....We think we figured it out.....It was an exhaust leak inside the cawling.....when we got our motor it did not have the little plate on the back of the cawling around the exhaust outlet, so hubby put 1 on there and it was holding a rubber piece out or something to that nature, and plus we do have a small exhaust leak inside the cawling...so it was starving for air....and it would cause us to do the same thing as urs...so I hope the switch fixed urs if not check for AIR!....take cawling off and run motor...not wide open but enough to see if it is the AIR thing....GOOD LUCK!....Hubby is a Very Happy Camper Now!....

 

[redfury]

Re: Will not start, then suddenly back to perfect

We just fixed that very problem on our 100hp. Seemed like it was getting choked out, but ran great with the hood off. Took us a while to even find where the combustion air even enters the cowling. The lower unit was off for service and when it was put back on, the gasket had gotten deformed. So, after figuring that out on a tip from here, we are up and running also. Nice to know it ended up being a relatively cheap and easy fix...could'a got expensive!