outboard motor troubles

[fish repellent]

Hi

I've just pinched my old mans boat as he hardly ever uses it. I dont believe it has ever had problems but it has probably not been used for 6 months. Im having trouble getting it going and can't afford taking it to mechanic. Im not mechanically minding either. Can anyone help us out with some detailed help on what to try. Its a 85hp 2 stroke suzuki.

Cheers.

[shortie]

like all motors check.

fuel and spark.

If its been lying around for a while with 2 strokes residual fuel can evaporate leaving oil only in the carbs. clean carb.

check for air in the feul line.

Best advice you will get is wait till you can afford to get it serviced because its very hard to call RACQ when your out in the big blue ocean if something goes wrong.

[Tybo]

Very much what shortie said.

Take the spark plugs out and check for corrosion or greaseup, if so replace the plugs. Take the distributor caps off the plugs then hold them against the engine block. Pull the rip cord(or turn the key) and see if they arc against the block. If there's no arc, it's your power pack or ignition coil.

Make sure your fuel line bladder is hard and full of fuel, prime it and the one on your engine(if there is one. Looks like a little black rubber ball that you can push).

Get yourself a can of 'Start ya Bastard' or any ether based water dispersant. Either take one of your plugs out and spray the bore with ether. Put the plug back in and pull the rip cord. Either this or spray a heap of ether into your carburettor (under cowling at front of motor, shold recognise it by acceleration cable), and once again pull the rip chord. If the engine doesn't fire instantly, it's something to do with spark. If it does fire, do it again until the engine continues to run. Sometimes unplugging your fuel line until the engine runs will reduce you flooding your engine.

Once it does run(assuming your submerged in water or had a hose connected to your empellor), keep the engine running for a good ten minutes. Being a two stroke it should run first pull every time from then on, until you put the boat away and do it all anther day.

I know all this from practical knowledge, my old man used to leave his boat for months until I decided to take it out and I'd be stuck at the ramp for half an hour trying to get the thing started. My advice, use them as often as you can and always keep a full fuel tank. This prevents condensation on the insides of your tank mixing with your fuel and giving you jip. Fill the boat up on the way back, not on the way out.

And like shortie said, pay for a service as you can't walk home out when things go wrong in a boat.

[fish repellent]

anyone putting a boat in at the jindalee boat ramp today?

[jeff f]

plenty of choke and a high idle for those old 2 stroke suzukis

once you get it going start it every weekend if you arewnt using it

[Whiskers]

I have a 15hp and as a habit after each trip I flush the motor for 5-10 min and then unplug the fuel line and let it run till it dies, The theory being that it wont let oil gunk up seems to start fine every time, Thoughts anyone?

[Smiderman]

Whiskers wrote:

I have a 15hp and as a habit after each trip I flush the motor for 5-10 min and then unplug the fuel line and let it run till it dies, The theory being that it wont let oil gunk up seems to start fine every time, Thoughts anyone?

yep same here with the yamaha 25hp.. I'll turn the motor over occasionally if its a while between trips out as well, not real sure that its going to make it easier to start, but if nothing else it keeps the surfaces lubricated.

[fish repellent]

got her going but could'nt keep her running. took it in for a look with mechanic. turns out middle cyinder has bugger all compression. RIP

[fish repellent]

thanks for the help!