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IP: 70.174.149.122
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Engine idling fine then shut off like turning key off, will not restart
This is also posted in Troubleshooting, but since I am [pretty sure my problem is ignition, not fuel, related I thought I would put it over here as well.
For long time forum folks, thanks for the years of advice and help. Happily, I finally got my A4 running great, two days ago. The surging issue resolved itself, magically, and the engine was running perfectly. Two days ago. Today, after repairing the genoa I went down to the boat, put the sail back up and went to start the engine. A little cranky but it started and was idling at the slip just fine. Started casting off lines to head out and poof, the engine just went dead, just like I had turned it off. Trying to restart met with zero success, even with ether, nothing, so I am definitely thinking ignition, not fuel. Checked spark at plugs and it seemed weak, checked spark from coil wire and altho a bit stronger still seemed weak. Tried cleaning and resetting the coil wire, nothing. The engine makes zero effort to start. The coil is virtually brand new after replacing late last year (thanks for the advice on that). Electronic ignition. New carb, fuel line, and tank (the root cause of many problems, a totally rusted tank). This is just infuriating, the engine was running better than it ever had just 2 days ago. The abrupt shutdown seems that whatever is wrong is central to the entire engine, not just one plug, so there are not that many things it could be. Could it be the distributor cap? A component in the electronic ignition (I don't know much about this part)? Plug/coil wire(s)? This is a pretty simple engine, why does it seem to confound so many of us so often???? Appreciate your thoughts. |
#2
IP: 24.152.132.140
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I'll bet there are quite a few of us who went to the high school prom with grease under their fingernails.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#3
IP: 70.174.149.122
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Right you are
You have certainly given me a lot of good advice over the years, Neil. Do you have any magical insight s to the likely cause of this most recent really irritating problem?
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#4
IP: 24.152.132.140
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Spark: Thatch keeps an old spark plug laying on the head at the alternator/lifting eye bracket. Pulling a plug wire off of a spark plug and plugging it onto the spare is an easy test for spark and all the parts are at your fingertips. The test plug laying on the head is sufficient ground for the test. Fuel: Is there fuel inside the carburetor? Remove the main passage plug with a catchment underneath and see if fuel comes out. These are the most basic and simple tests, not intended for an AHA! moment but to point the troubleshooting in the right direction.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others Last edited by ndutton; 08-09-2018 at 07:07 PM. |
#5
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Pulled two plugs to check spark, weak but a spark. Also tried the coil wire, a bit better but still not what I would expect. Fuel pump is pumping fuel, disconnected fuel line into carb and caught fuel being pumped out of fuel pump. The card has maybe 3 hours on it since I completely cleaned it, and it is brand new anyway. I would expect if it was fuel related some missing, sputtering, etc right before it died, not a clean now it is on, now it is off deal like I had. Something so abrupt is, in my experience, usually ignition related. Sadly ignition is kind of my weak spot as a mechanic. |
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Given what we KNOW (spark and fuel delivery confirmed), this suggests a carburetor issue. I recommend a full carburetor disassembly and clean up paying attention to all components as long as it's open such as choke plate fully closing, all ports rooted out, float level check, debris in the float chamber, float valve not stuck closed, etc. I would also draw off a cup or two of fuel downstream of the pump, put it in a glass container and look for debris, water and/or phase separation. Make it as good as it can be, reassemble and try to start.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#7
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The fuel, put into a brand new fuel tank 6-8 weeks ago from my marina's fuel dock 6-8 weeks ago, treated with Stabil, has run the engine just fine ever since, as it has with every other boat in my marina. The fuel is running thru new fuel line installed about 6-8 weeks ago, thru a new 6-8 weeks old water/fuel seperator/filter and a new -8 weeks inline fuel filter. The carb I took totally apart and cleaned every part of it 6-8 weeks ago, jets included, after I determined that the source of my engine woes was my old, original (78 Ericson) rusty, crud filled, water intrusion allowing gas tank. I finally confirmed that as the source when I decided to "draw off a cup or two of fuel downstream of the pump, put it in a glass container and look for debris, water and/or phase separation. " So after spending a huge amount of time and money, I fell fairly certain that my issue is NOT fuel related. Could be wrong. But there is some evidence, and experience, to support my position, and with most cases I have had in my career, circumstantial evidence is just as compelling as direct evidence, and here there is simply no way to definitively determine if it is fuel or ignition. But based upon living with my boat, and its issues, the very last thing I think it is would be the carb. Factor in that it does nothing with squirts of starting ether, and that the spark I observed seemed inadequate, if we have to start with an assumption, which we do, then I am going to assume it is ignition. Which is why I put this over on the ignition forum. Which is why I would love to benefit from the fact that "This forum knows ignition dead bang so no worries". I am not worried, I am just tired of this engine constantly having an issue. I do not have a sailboat to sit at the dock and work on it constantly. So, if you, or anyone else, can provide me some advice, much as you did with your excellent advice here, Neil, only focused on the ignition, I would greatly appreciate it. And if I chase my tail fixing ignition issues and it still doesn't work, I will take the carb off and clean it. |
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IP: 24.152.132.140
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You solicited my advice and I responded with the best I could offer. In the end as always it's your boat and your choice. I wish you the best of luck.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
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No, Neil, frankly I don't think you do. Why are you so dead set pre-determined that the problem is fuel, and specifically carb, related? Is it not at least as possible that it is ignition related? And if so, and if you are knowledgeable with the ignition system, which I have admitted I am not, why do you decline to offer any input on the possible ignition issues? Instead, you basically blow me off because I have decided to pursue ignition first because since it IS my boat, and I have experience with my boat, which leads me to think it more likely to be ignition? I am not disrespecting you, I just disagree, but even then it is not a strong disagreement, I just think it more likely than not to be ignition, based upon all of the facts related to my boat. Seems like in the spirit of this forum that I have experienced before that you would say ""ok, I think you are barkng up the wrong tree, but check this on ignition".. Instead yoiu wish me ""good luck"..disappointed, frankly. Oh well, whatever. Thanks for the advice, anyway.
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#10
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I'm not dead set it's fuel at all. At this point I'm following the information you provided and it suggests to me a fuel issue for the reasons I listed clearly. It may turn out to be just that or it may not, I can't say with certainty.
However, if you want to continue to track down ignition possibilities when it has already been established there is spark, that's your prerogative. Like I said, I offered my best response and tried to explain it every step of the way. What you do with it is up to you. There are excellent diagnosticians on this forum, maybe they'll step up with different opinions. The goal is for you to resolve the issue to have a reliable engine by whatever means and to that end I do wish you luck.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others Last edited by ndutton; 08-09-2018 at 10:44 PM. |
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#12
IP: 72.69.36.126
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FWIW I happen to agree with Neil. Either you are systematic about this or you are just guessing, and guessing hasn't been working but he wished you luck, which is what it takes for guessing to succeed. You have spark. Move on. Next step is fuel. You have fuel. Next step is carb. If you don't want to check the carb now, fine, then check compression. But a sudden loss of compression at idle is not the more likely explanation of the symptoms.
I hear ya on the frustration of having to take a new carb off/apart. You paid to NOT have to worry about this stuff. But sometimes you do anyway. |
#13
IP: 72.194.219.196
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Bryan
There are two parts to both the ignition system and the fuel system. The boat's part and the engines part. Which part of system is giving you the problem? Sound trouble shooting practice is to bypass or confirm that the boat's part is not the problem then move to the engines's part of the system. Ignition: Take a voltage reading a coil + when the key is in the on position. Fuel: Put a fuel pressure gauge just before the carburetor and supply the fuel pump with clean fuel from an auxiliary tank. After you have done these steps report back and we will tell you what to do next. TRUE GRIT |
The Following User Says Thank You to JOHN COOKSON For This Useful Post: | ||
Dave Neptune (08-11-2018) |
#14
IP: 24.234.58.67
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That sentence says a lot IMHO... If it were my vessel, I would want to KNOW why an issue was resolved. I took a bit of time and read thru your past threads and posts to get a better feel for the history leading to where you are today... http://www.moyermarineforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=10183 No resolution http://www.moyermarineforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=10263 Scavenge Tube & Carb issue http://www.moyermarineforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=10493 Resolution? No answer to carb question in POST #15 Something that really stands out, that I agree we should resolve BEFORE moving on to the next "step"... (IGNITION) is to assure that we can eliminate fuel. We need Fuel, Spark and Compression to run our beasts. Here is one of my favorite Don troubleshooting methods... “Have you performed any maintenance on the engine recently?” It always provides me with a bit of tension releasing amusement when I'm told: "Why yes, I just replaced the plugs, points, and condenser last week, - so I know that the problem can't be in that area!" (Not necessarily so)! Whenever you experience problems after performing maintenance, always go back over every step of your work to see if you overlooked something. This is one of the most fertile places to find reasons for intermittent shutdowns. Attached is a document with some more of Don's troubleshooting wisdom.
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-Jerry 'Lone Ranger' 1978 RANGER 30 |
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#16
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I want to eliminate ignition before looking at fule as the issue, and not arbitrarily. I think maybe what is missing here is the fact that the engine, minus the surging issue, which has been resolved, was running fine, even with the surge, after 18 months of time, money, sweat and cursing with fuel issues. All done. Successfully. Since then, no new maintenance, no new fuel, no new anything except the pleasure of having an engine that actually ran great since I replaced the tank and everything fuel related and totally cleaned my new carb. Runs great, come in, shut down, tie the boat up. Come back 2 days later, start it, idle it and have it just stop dead after a couple of minutes. In my experience, fuel issues do not lead to a clean, abrupt stop. Not on my boat, not in any of my cars, not even on my lawn tractor. Lose rpm, power, sputter, etc, etc. Not an instantaneous complete shutdown. Literally like turning off the key. If you do not have fuel, you have no combustion, I get that, really. But, at the same time, if you have no fire, or inadequate fire, you get no combustion, either. I guess I understand why everyone wants to start at fuel, it is easier and more common, but I have been at fuel for 18 months. I have been living the fuel issue for a long time and finally resolved it with the new tank, etc. Sure it was a carb issue because it sucked up gunk from a rusty tank, as did the filters, and the tank allowed water seepage. This is a road very well traveled by me. And a motor that won't catch, even with no fuel line attached, when blasted with starting ether, tells me I have a fire issue. I had a terrible addiction to British sports cars in the 70s and early 80s, so I have certainly spent some time squirting ether to figure out fuel or ignition. Or both...... The sweet mysteries of Weber carbs. So I have, based upon my diagnostic efforts to date, come to the belief, perhaps erroneously, that altho I have some spark, I do not have nearly enough. I know what spark in a properly working ignition system should look like, and it is a nice bright blue white zap, not a weak flicker. Which then takes me into my weak spot, ignitions. I gave up tuning my own cars when I tried to hook my timing light up to a car that had a "ëlectronic ignition module" on it. All my previous cars had points and condenser and I knew what I was doing (sort of). So all of that said, I still may be wrong. I ordered a new distributor cap, (mine looks funky) plug wire set, and plugs from Moyer, will get them Monday, put them on Tuesday. We will see what that does. As to the Ignitor electronic system I have, it is just a box and a bunch of wires to me, no clue. Do they just "GO BAD"? Seems like they would either work or not work. But again, I have no clue. So this is the area I really need some help with. I have read virtually everything Don Moyer has ever written, I think... I really do value the help given in these forums, the experience behind that help, and the spirit in which it is all shared. I just need someone to give me some thoughts on the ignition system, I really do understand the fuel system far better than I ever wanted to. To the forum, ""help me, Obiwan"". But just for now can we pretend that I DO NOT have a fuel problem? Please. If I turn out to be wrong I will gladly acxknowledge same and take public forum shaming. |
#17
IP: 67.176.202.26
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Some good advice has been given here I am going to highlight something specific that has bee mentioned previously. Separate the "boat part" from the "engine part" and read Don's "non -start checklist". I have resolved non-starting [ & engine stopping] twice, once on my boat [points] and a friends boat [EI] using a jumper wire from the coil to by pass the ignition switch. In both cases the switch was faulty - mine was dead and on my friends boat it was "intermittent". Maybe your switch is weak, faulty or intermittent. It is however a small expense and an easy test, maybe a little awkward to work on.
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#18
IP: 72.194.219.196
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Bryan
Don't loose sleep over your no start engine. When we get done you will have fuel and spark delivered to the cylinders. Relax and enjoy the ride. (easy for me to say) IMO it is best to do troubleshooting in an orderly manner rather than say "it could be this or that" before we find what is causing the problem. Once we can localize the problem(s) we will dill down bit with more diagnostics and figure out the fix will be. TRUE GRIT |
#19
IP: 155.186.126.158
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Having an EI and a weak spark is not good. The spark should be snappy and blue. I would check the "RUNNING" voltages at the coil to confirm good voltage. Then I would remove the cap and rotor for inspection, checking for cracks and "carbon trails" inside the cap. Another resistance could be a poor coil wire and/or plug wires. When the engine was converted to EI were all the wires, cap and rotor replaced? While inside the distributor check and lube the c-advance too.
The surging sounds more like fuel and a weak spark could exacerbate that. A vac leak usually won't surge, but it is air and does influence the fuel mix. Dave Neptune |
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#22
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In going thru the Moyer manual something kind of caught my eye, the oil pressure safety switch. If that switch was defective I assume it would cut power to the ignition and shut down the engine? Is it possible that could be my problem? The shutdown was so clean and abrupt, just like turning the switch off, I am just wondering. Also, the surging seemed to stop after I tightened the one vacuum line but also after taking the oil filler tube cap off and putting my hand over it. That was the "magical" part I was referring to earlier, I frankly felt it was just coincidence. Now I am wondering... What do you think? |
#23
IP: 72.69.36.126
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The OPSS controls nothing more than power to the fuel pump. If there isn't oil pressure, ie if (1) the engine won't start or shuts down or (2) there isn't any oil, it turns off the fuel pump so (1) the carb doesn't flood and fill the engine room with gas or (2) the engine doesn't seize catastrophically. Although it probably will anyway.
So this means the engine usually is asked to start up without any power to the fuel pump for several seconds, relying on residual gas in the carb bowl to start the engine. Once the oil pressure builds a bit, the fuel pump kicks in and catches up. If the OPSS connections are loose, or the switch has failed, the engine will literally run out of gas. This is easy to see, and diagnose if there's something wrong, with an inexpensive inline fuel pressure gauge. (And potentially easier to see with a more expensive sort of fuel pressure gauge, like some of the white-glove guys around here have.) |
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I have a relatively inexpensive one, which I will be using if my other efforts fail. Thanks. |
#25
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The OPSS cuts power to the fuel pump when it is open or is defective. It gets power from the ignition system and when closed (oil pressure up) transmits electricity to the fuel pump TRUE GRIT |
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