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  #26   IP: 24.114.53.150
Old 06-12-2015, 02:53 PM
nreeves nreeves is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JOHN COOKSON View Post
nreeves
Maybe a blocked fuel tank vent. To check loosen the fuel fill cap.
Does the engine sputter like it is running out of fuel or suddenly quit like somebody turned off the key?

TRUE GRIT

Edit: Do you run points or EI? (electronic ignition)
Tried that and there is no block. It is looking like it may be the coil. I checked the rest of the fuel system and it seems to be working fine.
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  #27   IP: 72.66.0.107
Old 06-12-2015, 04:44 PM
rconn2 rconn2 is offline
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Thanks for your suggestions. I'll hold off on a new ignition system. I agree... it'd be best to figure out the issue first and not complicate things further.

I'll troubleshoot this weekend and post back.
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  #28   IP: 12.216.194.200
Old 06-15-2015, 06:12 AM
smosher smosher is offline
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Ah New fuel lines. I replaced all of my fuel lines as they were old. My first time out I had a problem after running for several hours
the engine quit and wouldn't restart. I have the facet fuel pump.
What I found was one of my hose barbs was 1/4" instead of 5/16 and
I had an air leak. Replaced the hose barb and the problem went away.
The facet doesn't pump very well with a air leak.
I added a fuel pressure gauge.

Steve

Last edited by smosher; 06-15-2015 at 06:18 AM.
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  #29   IP: 72.66.0.107
Old 06-16-2015, 08:41 AM
rconn2 rconn2 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JOHN COOKSON View Post
An updraft carb, like the one on the A4, is almost impossible to flood and will need brief full choke to start when fully warmed up. More choke will be necessary to start a cold engine.
Have you been using the choke to start when the engine is warmed up?
Try with ~45* throttle setting when starting a hot or cold engine then adjust from there.TRUE GRIT
That worked! At least it worked after the engine ran at the dock for around 20 minutes. I stopped the engine. I pulled up for full choke and slowly released the choke _while_ cranking the engine. And, the engine started as the choke was mostly released -- but it seemed to need the choke at the beginning of the crank... even though I heard no sputter in the beginning.

I tried without choke, and after several cranks, the engine wouldn't start. Then, with choke, as described, and it started. I tried this comparison a few times, and it always started with the choke -- and, on the first crank -- and never without the choke.

So, this is the trick with this carb and engine? Thanks so much for pointing this out. It's important to have confidence that your engine will start when needed.

-- Rob
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  #30   IP: 174.94.19.248
Old 06-16-2015, 11:10 AM
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67c&ccorv 67c&ccorv is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rconn2 View Post
That worked! At least it worked after the engine ran at the dock for around 20 minutes. I stopped the engine. I pulled up for full choke and slowly released the choke _while_ cranking the engine. And, the engine started as the choke was mostly released -- but it seemed to need the choke at the beginning of the crank... even though I heard no sputter in the beginning.

I tried without choke, and after several cranks, the engine wouldn't start. Then, with choke, as described, and it started. I tried this comparison a few times, and it always started with the choke -- and, on the first crank -- and never without the choke.

So, this is the trick with this carb and engine? Thanks so much for pointing this out. It's important to have confidence that your engine will start when needed.

-- Rob
The necessity to use full choke is described in the manual...do yourself a favor and get one.

It's a characteristic of the updraft carb.

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  #31   IP: 161.213.49.150
Old 06-16-2015, 11:17 AM
JOHN COOKSON JOHN COOKSON is offline
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Rob
I think you are dialed in.
Any more problems or questions let us know.

TRUE GRIT
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  #32   IP: 24.114.58.24
Old 07-04-2015, 04:14 PM
nreeves nreeves is offline
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Won't start when warm - replace coil

Hi am having the same issue I posted above. The boat starts fine when cold, but dies when warm. It looked like a coil issue, but I just replaced that and am having the same issue. I took off the distributor cap and checked for cracks, cleaned and reinstalled. Same thing happens. Would the condenser, points etc cause the same issue? Do I need to replace those and see if it helps? I am stumped at this point and stuck to the dock
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  #33   IP: 107.0.6.242
Old 07-04-2015, 04:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nreeves View Post
Hi am having the same issue I posted above. The boat starts fine when cold, but dies when warm. It looked like a coil issue, but I just replaced that and am having the same issue. I took off the distributor cap and checked for cracks, cleaned and reinstalled. Same thing happens. Would the condenser, points etc cause the same issue? Do I need to replace those and see if it helps? I am stumped at this point and stuck to the dock
Next time you start up connect the dwell meter to see that you are within spec.
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  #34   IP: 68.111.9.106
Old 07-04-2015, 08:58 PM
JOHN COOKSON JOHN COOKSON is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nreeves View Post
The boat starts fine when cold, but dies when warm.
Are you sure the choke is opening all the way?

TRUE GRIT
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  #35   IP: 24.114.50.116
Old 08-04-2015, 03:52 PM
nreeves nreeves is offline
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I have ordered a Dwell meter on Amazon as I was shocked to find out I could not find one in Toronto. It comes on Thursday and I will post a follow up on that.

At this point, I am focusing on the points/condenser & negative lead from the coil. Is it worth looking at replacing all of these (not a huge cost) and what is the benefit of an electronic ignition. Is it worth upgrading to this in hopes it will trouble shoot the issue?

Getting desperate as I have two weeks off at the end of August and we are supposed to be on a sail trip the whole time

The choke is fully engaged for the person that suggested that. For the last 7 years, I would engage the choke to start and warm up and turn off and it ran fine.
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  #36   IP: 67.237.231.205
Old 08-04-2015, 04:11 PM
toddster toddster is offline
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It's odd... I used to have that problem. Started a thread on here about it a few years ago. But it sort of went away on its own The engine was little-used for years before that, so maybe if somehow contaminants were involved, they got burned/dissolved out?

Well, I suppose the most likely explanation is that I moved the boat to the upper river - no oil tankers or container ships around here. (Just grain barges.) I think those big ships just scared the boat so much that it couldn't start.
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  #37   IP: 161.213.49.150
Old 08-04-2015, 05:14 PM
JOHN COOKSON JOHN COOKSON is offline
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nreeves
Next time you have a no start check to see if you can read 12 volts at coil +.
Let us know the result and we'll go from there.

TRUE GRIT

Edit: I wouldn't make any changes, such as an EI, until you get the current problem fixed.

Last edited by JOHN COOKSON; 08-04-2015 at 07:11 PM.
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  #38   IP: 173.243.35.150
Old 08-07-2015, 09:04 AM
nreeves nreeves is offline
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I just ran a test and it looks like I am getting a current read at the coil.

Thoughts?

A fuel starve would be a sputter to s stop right?

Nigel
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  #39   IP: 24.114.50.171
Old 08-07-2015, 04:26 PM
nreeves nreeves is offline
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OK - Officially stumped!

I bought a dwell meter and am able to get a strong reading right up until the stall. I tested the coil at stall and I am getting a reading there as well.

I began to second guess my diagnosis that it was ignition and moved on to fuel starvation. While it stops fairly sharply, I am able to get a couple of sputters if I pull the choke at stall. It is not much, but it tries.

The other reason I am inclined to now think it is fuel starvation is that I build in an electric bypass so that I could prime my electric MM fuel pump. If I prime it, it will start again, run for 1-2 minutes and stop. I replaced the inline polishing fuel filter, fuel line and checked the air vent hose and the problem persists. It does not sounds like a carb issue... but I am all ears!
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  #40   IP: 161.213.49.150
Old 08-07-2015, 04:37 PM
JOHN COOKSON JOHN COOKSON is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nreeves View Post
OK - Officially stumped!

The other reason I am inclined to now think it is fuel starvation is that I build in an electric bypass so that I could prime my electric MM fuel pump. If I prime it, it will start again, run for 1-2 minutes and stop. I replaced the inline polishing fuel filter, fuel line and checked the air vent hose and the problem persists. It does not sounds like a carb issue... but I am all ears!
Short across or bypass the OPSS and see what happens.

TRUE GRIT
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  #41   IP: 24.114.50.171
Old 08-07-2015, 04:51 PM
nreeves nreeves is offline
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May be a dump question, but to do so, Can I just connect the two leads into the OPSS?

I installed it so I have a fairly good idea of the routing. I am no mechanic, but this boat is surely turning me into one
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  #42   IP: 24.114.50.171
Old 08-07-2015, 05:18 PM
nreeves nreeves is offline
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I added a manual bypass switch so that I can prime the electric fuel pump if needed. Can I use that to bypass the OPSS? My concern is this will simply leave the pump active? Is this a safe way to bypass? If not, how to I safely bypass?

Thanks!
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  #43   IP: 161.213.49.150
Old 08-07-2015, 05:43 PM
JOHN COOKSON JOHN COOKSON is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nreeves View Post
I added a manual bypass switch so that I can prime the electric fuel pump if needed. Can I use that to bypass the OPSS? My concern is this will simply leave the pump active? Is this a safe way to bypass? If not, how to I safely bypass?
Thanks!
This will work. See if the engine will run properly with the bypass closed. Then open the bypass and see if the engine runs without the OPSS bypassed. This should be diagnostic.

TRUE GRIT

Last edited by JOHN COOKSON; 08-08-2015 at 01:16 AM.
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  #44   IP: 24.114.75.113
Old 08-07-2015, 05:58 PM
nreeves nreeves is offline
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I think I may have found my culprit??!! Tears of joy.

I installed the MM OPSS. Is the switch something I cam by at an auto supply, or do I need to order from MM. I ask only b/c I have been tied to the doc for a couple of weeks now and am keen to cast off. I live in Canada so there is delay with shipping.

Thanks for all your help with this!

Nigel
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