| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Tom Morgan |
Posted - 24 Oct 2018 : 20:43:36
Today we took our first cruise in our Norman 23. It was lovely!
The engine (Honda 9.9 hp) gave a few hiccups, but got us there and back. I'll mention the problems I had and hope that fellow members can give me some opinions and advice.
After running at slow speed for about 45 minutes, we stopped and moored up for a cuppa. The engine restarted well, but would only run for a few minutes at a time before cutting out. I noticed that the priming bulb wasn't becoming firm, even after a minute or so of squeezing. The tank was half full, the breather valve was open and there was no sign of flooding the engine and no smell of petrol. As an experiment, I got a crew member to pump the bulb every few seconds while we were on the move. This kept the engine running for several minutes. Then we stopped pumping to see what happened. After a short time, the engine seemed to increase revs all by itself without any input from me. I throttled back and then all seemed to be well and we had no more problems. When we got to the marina and I set the engine to tickover in neutral, everything was fine.
It seemed like fuel starvation to me, with the engine starting to race just as it was running out of fuel (or maybe it was just as it got the full ration of fuel again as the fuel began to flow properly).
What do you think the problem might have been, and what should I check/replace/ clean to prevent it happening again?
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| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Tom Morgan |
Posted - 30 Oct 2018 : 18:06:47
I fitted a new bulb this afternoon - easier starting and better tickover. Thanks for your help, all.
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| Tom Morgan |
Posted - 26 Oct 2018 : 22:46:02
Thanks for pointing me to the videos. I just watched three and I'm sure that one of them must have been the one you meant - the Australian guy who cut a bulb in half to show the internals. Very informative.
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| philihun |
Posted - 26 Oct 2018 : 19:44:55
My money is on the bulb. There is an arrow on it for fuel flow, ie tank to carb, if you have too much hose the non return ball in the bulb rolls forward and restricts the fuel flow (at times). The arrow should point up at all times. Put the bulb near to the carb. a new kit is only £15 and cut to suit. Ps there is a great video on you tube about this problem
pr hunt |
| Margaret |
Posted - 26 Oct 2018 : 08:21:41
We had a similar problem on a Honda 9.9 I thought it was a fuel problem, it turned out to be the CDI unit , the little black box that controls the engine.
J.L mee |
| cliveshep |
Posted - 26 Oct 2018 : 01:39:01
Snapped in push-fit?
Guessing
Finally living the dream!
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| Tom Morgan |
Posted - 25 Oct 2018 : 19:15:54
I'll have to wait till next week, but will get a photo and will also remove the rubber fuel pipe from the elbow and see if it screws off. Of course, if the top fitting screws into the bottom (pipe part) then as it's loose, that's where air could be getting in.
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| df |
Posted - 25 Oct 2018 : 19:09:12
It may just be a threaded boss in the tank and the whole thing will unscrew as a unit.
Got any piccies?
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| Tom Morgan |
Posted - 25 Oct 2018 : 17:27:20
df - my tank has a pipe coming up from the tank, with an elbow for the hose-fitting on the top. There's a flange sitting on the tank top, but no screws. It looks to be all one piece of plastic. I can hold the elbow and turn the pipe to left or right. Your mention of screws makes me think that the pipe should be fitted tight. Is this right? |
| df |
Posted - 25 Oct 2018 : 16:46:58
You should be able to undo a few screws to withdraw the pickup pipe from the tank, no point paying for a whole tank.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
| Tom Morgan |
Posted - 25 Oct 2018 : 11:36:22
Thanks for your advice, pals. My engine has had new seals, drive shaft, plugs, oil filter and gaskets in the last 12 months and has run well so far. I suspected a fuel-supply problem and the explanations about the non-return valve and the intake pipe are very helpful. There are no petrol leaks when the pump is squeezed. It certainly isn't priming properly. I'll get a new bulb and fittings for sure, and probably the whole lot, with a new tank, and then try again. Hoping to get the motor off over winter, for a clean and service, so new fuel-supply bits make sense. |
| df |
Posted - 25 Oct 2018 : 08:04:16
Sounds like an air leak on the fuel line to me, as clive says cheap enough to change the entire line bulb and all but also check the pickup pipe inside the tank, I've had one that did similar and the pickup (a hard plastic pipe inside the tank)was cracked to hell and fell apart when I handled it, modern fuel attacks lots of plastics, it was fine when the tank was full but as soon as the level dropped below the first crack it would mess about.
The seal in the bayonets can split and leak too but when you pump the bulb fuel would come out of the bayonet on the engine if that is the case, if it has a bayonet on the tank that would draw air in but would probably leak fuel when not running (only whats in the pipe).
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
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| cliveshep |
Posted - 25 Oct 2018 : 03:46:18
Prime the engine, squeeze the bulb hard and check if any leaks between bulb and engine. If none then change the primer bulb - the non-return valve is failing. Given how cheap they are on e-bay I'd buy a whole new fuel line including tank and engine connections and bulb. Then you should be fine.
Moving on - those engines can be uprated - Dave Flint knows how, as it it only 9.9 pushing a 23 it would be fine on a canal at those speeds but anywhere else it might be prudent to uprate to the max.
Has the engine been serviced to your sure and certain knowledge? If you are not certain your job this Winter is to learn how to service it, including changing oil, impeller, oil-seals (if necessary) and how to "winterise" it.
I advise taking the engine home for the Winter, knock up something to mount it on to allow you to work on it, buy flush muffs and last job before it goes in the garage for safe storage is to get a watering can and hose connected to the flush muffs and pour an antifreeze mix into it - then shut it off. That wat no pockets of trapped water can freeze and cause damage.
Also - in your garage no scrotes can wreck your boat stealing it.
Finally living the dream!
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