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Tom Morgan
141 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Jan 2019 : 16:52:24
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Ancient Honda 9.9 hp, recoil start. Clean and dry. Oil OK, new plugs.
I'd like to ask for advice about a starting problem and I hope fellow members won't mind if I describe in some detail what has been happening in the past.
My outboard is either:
a) a difficult one to start, or
b) I just haven't got the hang of it yet (Still an inexperienced owner).
I had been running the motor for 10 or 15 minutes or so during each winter weekend visit and letting it run dry afterwards. It was taking me a long time to start it. So after a few visits, I decided not to run the motor dry and see if that made any difference next time. The first visit after that, it started second pull (choke, and revs at tickover). The second visit - four or five pulls. The third visit was today and it wouldn't start at all, and the motor kicked back and pulled the starter toggle out of my hands twice. If it was my kickstart motorbike, I'd say the timing was out, but I can't see how the timing could change over the last week, when the motor has just been hanging off the back of the boat doing nothing. Can anyone advise me, please?
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trickyblue
75 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2019 : 18:54:18
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Could be a timing issue, unlikely though as you have been running it OK. Could be technique? Try slowly pulling the cord until it reaches the compression part of the cycle and slowly pull past that, let the cord retract and then that should give you a longer pull the next time you attempt to start it.
I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be along soon to give you more ideas. |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2019 : 19:27:18
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The only way the timing could move is if the woodruff key where the flywheel sits on the crankshaft has sheared and if it hasn't been off for any reason it's pretty unlikely as the taper should hold tightly.
Probably a fuel issue, if it's going to stand for a while you can do the last run on a fuel like aspen (made for chainsaws and the like) as it doesn't go stale like regular petrol, but it's 4x the price.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
 Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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stratford4528
United Kingdom
414 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2019 : 19:37:59
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| I would say its ignition timing. I don't know a lot about outboards but if it has got points and not electronic it could be the points sticking so not opening and closing in the right place. IE the push rod that operates the points is sticking. I have had that happen on other engines. As I said I don't know much about outboards. |
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jud
United Kingdom
113 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2019 : 22:00:40
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hi Tom
sometimes we get a gremlin in the kill switch wiring.
When you started it last week it ran and sounded sweet enough to me.
Probably dodgy connection somewhere.
It's either that or summat else
Jud. |
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Tom Morgan
141 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2019 : 12:22:06
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| I think I might have sussed it, just thinking about it. I thought at the time I might have flooded the motor, but the plugs were dry, so definitely a fuel supply issue, if nothing else. There was fuel in the tank, but not a lot, as I've only been keeping a bit in there just for starting and running-up during the winter. I didn't spend too long on trying to start it after the snatch-backs, but went on to the other things I wanted to do while I was on the boat. What I didn't think of with the small amount of fuel was whether or not the fuel pick-up pipe was below the level of the petrol. I bet it wasn't. Next time I go I'll put 5 litres in, which will half fill the tank. Watch this space. (I'll also follow trickyblue's advice about turning the motor past compression when starting. I should have known that - have been doing the same thing for years to kickstart big single motorbikes. Doh). |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2019 : 12:54:39
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Did you have the vent open on the fuel tank?
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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Tom Morgan
141 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2019 : 15:33:15
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Yes, DF - the vent was open.
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Margaret
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2019 : 16:49:23
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We have a Honda 9.9 from 1990. It always starts straight away, even if it’s not been run for a few weeks. We always pump the fuel line bulb hard,and set it to a fast idle, full choke to start and after a few seconds running push it right in, it doesn’t seem to need the choke for long even in cold weather. Just for the record we have never had any problem with stale petrol. If it runs smoothly when it does start there can’t be a lot wrong with the timing.
J.L mee |
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Tom Morgan
141 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2019 : 17:48:56
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Well, I went over to the boat today, with a gallon of fuel which half-filled the tank. At first, I had the old refusing to start, spitting back through the carb, etc. This lasted quite a long time, with pauses between attempts. I followed trickyblue's advice on technique.
Then after another break, it started second pull and ran like a little sewing-machine. It revved, dropped back down and ticked over nicely - so I don't think there's a timing issue. Stopping the motor and restarting was no trouble.
But after having been stopped for 20 minutes, it wouldn't re-start and was back to spitting back.
20 minutes after that, it started first pull but didn't run so well, with quite a bit of hesitation.
So what do you think it might be? I'm leaning towards a fuel supply issue. I think that when I did recently run out of fuel, the motor might have sucked up some crud from the bottom of the tank. |
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Margaret
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2019 : 21:13:42
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Have a look in the fuel tank, ours is very old but clean and showing no signs of corrosion,if it’s corroded ,rust could be the problem.
J.L mee |
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Tom Morgan
141 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2019 : 21:36:59
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Thanks, Margaret. It's a plastic tank, quite clean on the outside, but I don't know how clean it is on the inside. And there's no fuel filter that I can see, anywhere in the fuel line. Next thing is to take the motor off the boat (I want to change the oil, anyway) and have a look at the carburetter.
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2019 : 08:05:33
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Another thing to check is the fuel pickup pipe inside the tank, I've had one that wasn't very good with modern fuel and split fairly high up so it was fine when full but messed about once the level dropped.
It would be ok once running but getting it primed in the first place was a complete git.
Once the pickup was changed it was fine.
I didn't think it would be timing on a modern motor, unless ely boat chandlers have had it apart as they have no understanding about cam timing.....
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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Tom Morgan
141 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2019 : 10:01:00
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Thanks, df. That's another thing for me to look at.
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Margaret
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2019 : 11:28:35
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Check the fuel line, modern petrol has ethanol in it and this can attack older fuel lines causing them to rot and break up. I would change it if it is quite old.
J.L mee |
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Margaret
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2019 : 11:32:40
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Just another point our Honda outboard has an in-line filter just before the carb, I think this is a standard fitting,we change it every year, they are very cheap.
J.L mee |
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Topic |
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Outboard pull cord snatching back.
