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Today I went down to the boat (1978 Montauk) and decided to take a quick cruise as I did not make it out the last few weeks. As usual the 1985 Mercury 75hp started up and stalled (normal when cold). I went to start her again and pumped the bulb a few times and cranked...nothing. I repeated this process a few times and then decided it was flooded and I'd wait a few minutes before trying again. Then I noticed drips coming from under the cowling and realized that after taking a whiff it was fuel. I removed the cowling and saw a little puddle inside. I figured I primed too much or...??
After I let the motor sit for 7-10 minutes (no priming) she turned over and I let her run for a bit before turning the motor off.
Any ideas on the puddle of fuel?? Can that happen when it's flooded? Or primed too much? Or is it a cracked fuel line? Or....??? Never happened before in the three seasons I've had it...at least I hadn't noticed.
It's pretty hard to diagnose a problem like you have from a distance, but first of all you should try to determine if there is any type of fuel hose leak, either the hoses themselves or at the fittings, or carburetor leaks. You should not have fuel puddles at the bottom of the cowl, unless you have tilted the engine out of the water and not first run the carbs dry. Then they WILL leak some fuel.
If none, be sure your fuel enrichener valve is working. With ignition "on", engine not running and cowl off, see if you can hear a "click" when you push the key in, which activates the enrichener and gives the engine a direct shot of fuel. If not, that is your problem, since that will cause you to flood the engine.
To start, push in and turn key at the same time. If engine starts to die, push in the choke (enrichener) again as necxessary to keep it running.
Other than this, you may need engine service. There can be any number of other issues which make the engine hard to start.
On my 35-HP Mercury of that vintage, the quick-connect fuel line fitting at the engine was notorious for leaking. Sometimes the leak behaved as you describe. As I recall, the original equipment fittings were fine, but nothing but aftermarket junk replacements been available for the last twenty years or so.
I went down this morning, took off the cowling, pressed the primer a few times and she turned right over. Then I went and checked for a fuel puddle and there was nothing there. Maybe the fuel yesterday was coming from me trying to turn it over too much and priming too much and it became flooded? Would that much fuel puddle up from that?
Also today, while the motor was running, with cowling off, I heard an intermittent clicking sound. I watched and listened and saw a spark coming from the negative terminal of one of the plugs (second from top). So I shut it down, not liking sparks around a potential fuel leak.
Jay, check the condition of the spark plug wire for cracks, it may be arcing a charge. Very smart move to cancel a boat ride. Even if there was no gas leak. If it shows failure/fatigue the others are not far behind.
Garris
That makes sense, the fuel is not being burned in that cylinder. It probably ran OK at the dock but it would have bogged down when you tried to get up on a plane. Fix the coil and likely you'll solve the mystery of the fuel puddle.
If you are OK with a wrench coils are easy enough to replace on those old engines.
VA Whaler wrote:
That makes sense, the fuel is not being burned in that cylinder. It probably ran OK at the dock but it would have bogged down when you tried to get up on a plane. Fix the coil and likely you'll solve the mystery of the fuel puddle.
If you are OK with a wrench coils are easy enough to replace on those old engines.
Nah, not handy with engines. Luckily, my mechanic is quick and I'll have it back probably within 24hrs....not worth the frustration of trying to do it myself. ;)
