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I have a love affair with my whaler. I love everything about her, all her quirks, but one thing which drives me nuts since the day I first put her in the water was she just won't start consistently (1976 Evinrude 85).

I remember with frustration that first day. The previous owner said, put the tilt all the way down, pump the bulb, put it in neutral, pump the throttle three times, leave it 70 percent up, push, turn, turn to crank. "Starts right up every time".......As I was sitting on the boat ramp, wife and kids staring at me while I flood the motor. Pull the boat back out so another guy can put his boat in, wait 10 minutes, back on the ramp...."push, turn, turn to start...or was it turn, push, turn..., nothing. I couldn't remember. Ugh! How embarrassing.

Its been over 2 years now, and I still can't determine the proper starting procedure which gives me consistent results. I get it with my blower, my weedeater, chain saw. They all have their little quirks which once you figure them out, they give you consistent starting.

I brought my boat home for the winter a few weeks back and thought I'd take the opportunity to start it every day, run it for 10 minutes or so, and see if I could get the compression back up on the first cylinder (someone told me that might help). Some mornings it starts on the third try. This morning, it wouldn't start at all.

Here's the current rundown.

Battery charged, check.
Motor down, check.
Fuel bulb pumped, check.
Pump throttle three times, check. (although I've been told for my motor this isn't necessary, I do it anyway).
Leave throttle 70 percent up, check. (I've tried half way, all the way, results may vary)
Push, turn, turn to start, check (seems to work better than Turn, push, turn to start (although I hear the choke click regardless)

Motor [ERRRRRRRRR]

Push, turn, turn to start

Motor [ERRRRRRRR]

Push, turn, turn to start

Motor [ERRRRRRRRR, VRROOM!!!] (This either works on the third try or doesn't work at all!)

To me it seems like the carbs aren't getting any fuel, because when it does fire, it fires right up and idles just fine.

I've tried pumping the fuel bulb, and then pumping it some more. I've checked that there is fuel at the engine. I've changed the spark plugs, made sure they were gapped properly.

Would someone please help me, I am so embarrassed!

Wade

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Sounds like my old boat. Mine had a built-in gas tank under the deck, and an in-line fuel/water separator. I remember sometimes having to squeeze the bulb 100 times before the motor would start, if the boat had been sitting a while.

Maybe there was something wrong with the bulb, I don't know, but it always felt stiff to me. Maybe because it was 20+ years old! But if things were quiet I could hear when I was getting close, I could hear the gas passing through the bulb.

But once I squeezed it enough times it would start right up. I would always just turn the key for a few seconds each time, to avoid running down the battery. Then squeeze another 30 times or so, and repeat as necessary.


Scott

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A hard starting carb 2-stroke could have any sort of mechanical repair issues which none of us can know. These can include bad plugs, dirty carb jets, fuel pump, electronic components, bad compression, etc, etc.

Assuming the engine is mechanically sound, I can offer the following instruction, based on lifelong experience with I-6 and V-6 Mercs, and more recently some short period ownership of OMC 3 cylinder 70's and a 100 HP V-4 Evinrude, 1979. All started easily, with the same process.

Assuming the engine is cold, and not run for a day or more:

1. prime engine until bulb feels like a tennis ball.

2. advance throttle only to the setting where the engine will idle between 1200-1800 RPM when it starts. The initial throttle setting is always a guess, but try to begin at that place. Pumping the throttle like you describe sounds like a terrbile idea to me.

3. Push in key (to activate choke/fuel enrichener) and activate starter all at one. Only Give it a short turn. Do not hold starter to crank and crank and crank. It probably will not start on the very first try, but that will get it primed and ready to start on the second turn. Try another short turn, WITHOUT CHOKE. If it still doesn't start, advance throttle a LITTLE more to get a little more fuel in. Push and turn again. It should start. If not, keep doing short turns WITHOUT CHOKE.

4. Once it catches, if it starts to die, push in choke again to give it more fuel, or advance throttle a little more. These operations should not flood it, which obviously you don't want to do. But that is exactly what I think you have been doing with your operation as described. Never run an outboard more than 2000 RPM in neutral.

Even after a winter of no use, my carbed Mercs usually start on the second turn as described above, and with practically no smoke. The 1979 Evinrude V-4 100 that came on my Montauk (only 250 hours of original use) also started very easily, using the same method.

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I have the same problem with my 1993 Johnson 88 SPL. I typically primed the bulb till it was "hard", put the Throttle 1/3 to 1/2 way forward (while in neutral), push the choke a few times, then push the choke while turning the Key. After a few short tries, it would start.

I mentioned this to the person who winterizes my boat (while he was getting the boat to take to the ramp/shop). He said he never primes the bulb and just pushes the Choke while starting and holding it till it starts, even if it's 20-30 seconds. When he tried this procedure in front of me, it started right up the first time. At this point the boat had been sitting for 2 weeks.

I'm gonna try this next season. I was impressed.

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Clean the battery posts and the connectors to ensure you get the best voltage. Also check the cable connectors on both ends of the cable.

My old Yamaha 90 was fussy and bad connectors and dirty connections contributed.

Once the motor fires or "catches" but does not start, don't use choke or it may flood.

I solved my hard start issue by trial and error (created a journal) and replacing the starting cables (hidden splice in the tunnel).

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At this point buying a new set of plugs is a given, I'm sure you have fouled at least one of them.

We all agree you need to prime the bulb.

You have to put the throttle up in neutral. With my control I have to hold in a button, and if I raise the throttle too much a kill safety kicks in. Don't go nuts, just kick it up a notch.

Turn the key on, and hold the key in for 6-10 seconds. unpush the key and turn it over. Do not push & turn the key. You will just be flooding it.

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Have you tried soaking your rings in something like Seafoam or Berrymans?

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I've had starting issues with my 1984 Merc 75hp and never tried to bump the throttle due to that kill safety issue as well...is there a little play there to raise the throttle before it won't turn over at all? I have a (Merc?) dual binnacle if that matters...

(moderator note: changed the abbreviated year to the full 4 digit year)

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Have never owned Johnson /Evinrude in over 4 HP but I can attest to differences in motors. My 115 1984+- Merc was very sensitive to too much choke and would flood at a bit too much throttle or choke. My Yamahas 1985 - 2007 both 2 and 4 stroke are almost impossible to choke too much. Do not know why, just another input.
I always ask friends how to start their outboards as they seem so different.

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I think we need an APP for that.

Push the App on your mobile device once and the motor starts.

My wife's car can be started with her car remote. Push the button on the remote and the car starts.
Pretty nice in cold weather. You don't have to leave the house until the car is already warmed up and you are ready to go.

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Finnegan's suggestions didn't work tonight. I'll buy new plugs tomorrow and try not to foul them, repeating his procedure. I'll check the battery cables this weekend.

I have it currently connected to a Perko switch. That was installed when I had my Lowrance installed, but since I've removed that does anyone feel like I still need that for any reason?

On the remote start, I have it on my truck and love it. Can start it from the kitchen and the truck is warm and windows defrosted while I finish the morning joe.

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"How I wish I could start my motor"

Maybe one day Outboards will be like that.

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I figure if I had a remote start I would surely use it one time when I was trying to do too many things at once. Then while walking down the pier, hear the sound of a motor not in the water. Left it tilted up DOH.
Always thought the same about tech things like being able to turn you electric stove on while driving home. Did your kid leave the newspaper on the glass top?

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Hello, my thought would be replace the motor with a new or newer four stroke engine allot quiter better fuel economy and they start first time every time. I too love my whaler and try vary hard to keep her as close to original. good luck and happy boating
Mike
I have a love affair with my whaler. I love everything about her, all her quirks, but one thing which drives me nuts since the day I first put her in the water was she just won't start consistently (1976 Evinrude 85).

I remember with frustration that first day. The previous owner said, put the tilt all the way down, pump the bulb, put it in neutral, pump the throttle three times, leave it 70 percent up, push, turn, turn to crank. "Starts right up every time".......As I was sitting on the boat ramp, wife and kids staring at me while I flood the motor. Pull the boat back out so another guy can put his boat in, wait 10 minutes, back on the ramp...."push, turn, turn to start...or was it turn, push, turn..., nothing. I couldn't remember. Ugh! How embarrassing.

Its been over 2 years now, and I still can't determine the proper starting procedure which gives me consistent results. I get it with my blower, my weedeater, chain saw. They all have their little quirks which once you figure them out, they give you consistent starting.

I brought my boat home for the winter a few weeks back and thought I'd take the opportunity to start it every day, run it for 10 minutes or so, and see if I could get the compression back up on the first cylinder (someone told me that might help). Some mornings it starts on the third try. This morning, it wouldn't start at all.

Here's the current rundown.

Battery charged, check.
Motor down, check.
Fuel bulb pumped, check.
Pump throttle three times, check. (although I've been told for my motor this isn't necessary, I do it anyway).
Leave throttle 70 percent up, check. (I've tried half way, all the way, results may vary)
Push, turn, turn to start, check (seems to work better than Turn, push, turn to start (although I hear the choke click regardless)

Motor [ERRRRRRRRR]

Push, turn, turn to start

Motor [ERRRRRRRR]

Push, turn, turn to start

Motor [ERRRRRRRRR, VRROOM!!!] (This either works on the third try or doesn't work at all!)

To me it seems like the carbs aren't getting any fuel, because when it does fire, it fires right up and idles just fine.

I've tried pumping the fuel bulb, and then pumping it some more. I've checked that there is fuel at the engine. I've changed the spark plugs, made sure they were gapped properly.

Would someone please help me, I am so embarrassed!

Wade[/quote]

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As others have said, every motor is different. Have a mechanic do a complete tuneup,, and eliminate mechanical problems, and then you just have to try different things til yOu find what works for your motor. My 1995 Johnson takes a lot of priming. For me, the secret was to Pump the bulb til it was hard, then turn the key to "on" and press it in to prime it, for about 5 seconds before turning the key to start. While starting, I hold it in until the motor runs for ten seconds or so. I then let up on the primer, but usually have to hit it a few times for a second or so to keep it running when I first try to get it to idle. Obviously, this would flood some of the other motors people have described here. It took me a whole season to finally determine this starting procedure, but since then, it has neverre failed to start on the first try.

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Tears come to my eyes as I rread through this thread.
We got our 1963 Eastport in the early 90s. It had a 1961 75hp Evinrude Starflite that we completely rebuilt including wiring.
It started, smokey and tempermental but...it started.
Those were the days of high adventure. The precision of the settings and the proceedures needed would have made NASA proud.
We never knew, after launching, if it would start and for how long it would run. We were never quite sure if it would start again after being at anchor at our favorite fishing hole. I could hand crank blindfolded. I also got pretty good at swallowing my pride and putting my thumb out for a tow (though I will say we did our equal amount of towing).
My wife was always dubious of going into those little nooks and cranies I loved to explore and where few other boaters dared to venture. Visions of unintended overnight stays and running out of bug spray haunted her endlessly. She was a good sport though the time we threw a prop WAY up a bayou nearly ended in divorce (plus I was not allowed to go up there again).
I know it was fun (in hindsight) because we frequently talk about the many misadventures we had with that motor. We repowered (75hp E-Tec) and now if it does not start on the first crank begin to panic and try to find what is wrong.

Long live your cranky and tempermental motors. Getting them started and running is part skill and a lot of art. Smile at what you have done and fondly remember your days of high adventure.

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I like to think of it as "Theft Proofing".

Motors want to run, even the bad ones. I find it odd that so many people play with the electric choke. Hold it in and let it do what it is suposed to do, prime the cylinders with a rich mix. You should not need to use it again.

A motor that runs rough can use a little extra throttle, so raise it up to where you think 1500-2000 rpms is.

If it doesn't pop you have a fuel or spark problem. Fix it or bring oars with you.

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My old Merc was a pain to start, pump, crank, wait, crank and then one day it wouldn't start. I took it to the shop, the mechanic took a listen and promptly replaced the controls, started right up after that every time, until the engine blew apart.

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This weekend, I took out the old plugs and replaced them with new plugs. Curiously, I tested the gap of the old plugs and they were .030, but the manual said they should be gapped at .040.

They say every spark plug tells a story, so here's my story....

http://s1132.photobucket.com/user/wcw...=1&o=0

I assume these were fouled? Any other signs?

I tried the starting procedure described by MG56 and it fired right up. After a few starts I took out the plugs just to inspect and they appeared clean and new. I'll continue to test start the rest of the week.