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  #1   IP: 104.254.68.254
Old 05-12-2018, 07:07 PM
smosh smosh is offline
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UPDATE not so running. Or starting.

Hello all!

I've searched and come up short and am at, as so many here have said, nearly at my wit's end!

So. Toward the end of last season, my A4 quit. Wouldn’t start. Sailed back to the mooring (slooooooowly) and left. The next day, went back out to it, and broke the key off trying to start it. Replaced the ignition switch. Actually got it started. A few weeks later, in late October, it died again. Thought it might be bad gas….water in the fuel, etc. Put it on a slip for the winter, and just this weekend am trying to get it back up and running.


I pumped out all the fuel and ran fresh fuel through the line up to the inlet to the motor. I attempted to let the fuel out of the (glass?) bowl just after the inlet, but i’m not sure how…don’t want to force what seems like a spring because possible breaking. I put a bulb in line so i could prime it…if i apply strong pressure with it, fuel can leak out the bottom of the bowl.

There is spark. The plugs were fouled, but i replaced. Even after the new plugs, the plug toward the stern (the lowest one) has oil on it. I note the engine oil is over full….previous owner (i bought it last September) had overfilled it, i guess, on splashing in September. I will extract some tomorrow.

The distributor cap is new last year. The points are old.

When trying to start, if the throttle is all the way up, exhaust comes out the side of the boat, but it doesn’t fully catch. Choke in, out, halfway…same thing. Starting fluid in the air intake…no start.

i really, really, really…really…don’t want to mess with the carb right now. In the Tartan, that side of the motor is up pretty tight to the battery tray. Not much visibility or room to work. Don’t want to start tearing things apart without a plan.

Any ideas?

i have pictures of some things…i will see if i can upload.

thank you so much...so happy this forum is here!


(by the way, i came from a Catalina 25 with an outboard...right now i am soooooo missing it. But when the Tartan is finally out again, i probably won't care at all.)

Last edited by smosh; 05-22-2018 at 06:27 AM. Reason: for update
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  #2   IP: 24.224.194.51
Old 05-12-2018, 07:35 PM
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Mo Mo is offline
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Hi Smosh,
Could be a number of things, it's just a matter of where to start. I don't have allot of time these days to be on the forum...certainly not like I'm used to. If you'd like to give me a shout tonight go for it. My number is
nine oh two 461 1 two two 8 I'm in NS. It could be a combination of things but if I could pick your brain on how it was running previously perhaps we could zero in on the issue. Then if we figure it out and you get it running to throw in an entry to say what we talked about and what you did to fix your issue.

Mo.
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  #3   IP: 104.254.68.254
Old 05-12-2018, 08:27 PM
smosh smosh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mo View Post
Hi Smosh,
Could be a number of things, it's just a matter of where to start. I don't have allot of time these days to be on the forum...certainly not like I'm used to. If you'd like to give me a shout tonight go for it. My number is
nine oh two 461 1 two two 8 I'm in NS. It could be a combination of things but if I could pick your brain on how it was running previously perhaps we could zero in on the issue. Then if we figure it out and you get it running to throw in an entry to say what we talked about and what you did to fix your issue.

Mo.
Hey Mo! thanks so much for your offer! I appreciate it. i can't call tonight...how about in the morning? I'm just in Maine, so an hour behind you. I think...i forgot how DST/non-DST affects the Eastern to Atlantic relationship.
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  #4   IP: 24.152.132.140
Old 05-12-2018, 09:00 PM
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ndutton ndutton is offline
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Smosh, a few quick thoughts to consider in your conversation with Mo. Heed his advice, he knows what's what.
  1. If your tank is contaminated, pumping out the old fuel and putting in fresh contaminates the fresh because there's no way you can pump ALL the old fuel out and there's the issue of residue. You really need to pump some fuel into a glass container and examine it carefully. Shawn Stanley on this forum provided a pearl of wisdom years ago from his father: Adding 5 gallons of good gas to 1 gallon of bad gas gives you 6 gallons of bad gas
  2. Oil level too high? Smell the dipstick for gas fumes. Your description indicates you have a mechanical fuel pump so a diaphragm breach pumps fuel into the crankcase.
  3. Follow the advice you will receive from this forum rather than a chasing preconceived idea. I know you don't want to get into the carb but if it's indicated (see #1), don't dally around. It'll have to be done sooner or later, why not sooner?
  4. Someone will mention a fuel pressure gauge I'm sure.
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  #5   IP: 24.224.194.51
Old 05-12-2018, 09:11 PM
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Smosher,
I'm off to the boat early in the am...checked mast and painted this week and put it up tonight ... going hard to get her rigged tomorrow. You can call tomorrow night though. You can email me a number to call you as well and I'll call you when I get home. Either way, your call.

All the Best
Mo
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1976 C&C 30 MKI

The pessimist complains about the wind.
The optimist expects it to change.
The realist adjusts the sails.
...Sir William Arthur Ward.
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  #6   IP: 32.211.28.40
Old 05-12-2018, 11:13 PM
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Al Schober Al Schober is offline
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Curious how you pumped out the old fuel - using the pickup tube or from the very bottom of the tank? The pickup tube doesn't go to the bottom of the tank! You need to get to the bottom, as that's where the gunk collects. What did you find when you pumped it out?
Primer bulbs are NG for inboard engines. If the primer bulb is pumping gas into the carb inlet, you have a bad float valve - needs replacing.
If the engine doesn't roar for a moment with starting fluid, you have a spark issue.
Listen to Mo.
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  #7   IP: 104.254.68.254
Old 05-12-2018, 11:20 PM
smosh smosh is offline
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thanks for your feedback!

I'm not convinced the fuel is bad. Boat was on the hard, winterized in fall of 2016, then splashed in Sep 2017 when i bought it. New fuel was added, used about a half tank on the delivery sail/motorsail. Added five gallons in late September. It worked fine until it just....wouldn't start after a sail.

i got the fuel out by draining out the line (at the motor) into receptacles until i couldn't get any more...the priming bulb gave me a good flow.

the gas smelled and looked fine, and i put a couple of gallons in my car. Ran fine, so i added more. The mix in the car is now about 50/50 boatgas and gas that was already there. It's running normally.
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