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Didn't run the engine since last fall. Just tried to start it and nothing doing. of course I didn't winterizie it, fog it, or anything else.

Do you think I can get it going again by shooting carb cleaner in the bowls and down the intake or do I have to remove those stupid carbs again in the 100 deg Houston heat and have it put in a parts washer?


Thanks


Have to find my Tohatsu manual again since my last move. 1996 Tohatsu 50 2 stroke.

Check the emergency cutoff... I almost always forget it and end up cranking it over and over again until I finally realise my error. The sick part is I've done it more than once.

I wonder how much trouble it would be, for the manufacturer to include a circuit that sounded a beeper, when you attempt to start it with the cutoff pulled. Kinda like a cash register when you push the wrong button, it just sits there saying, "Dummy...Dummy...Dummy".

~Rich

I would charge up the battery, dump the old gas and get a couple gals of high test and try cranking - if it doesn't start shortly, look at electrical, fuel supply, vent closed on the tank - my d@mn I can't believe I did that again - etc. but it should at least try and start if it ran ok last fall. The carbs might be a little dirty but a no start problem IMO is more likely something like Kevin pointed out. Now your service guy will certainly disagree and be glad to take them a part and clean them before he reaches down and plugs in the gas line.

The man overboard switch was not the problem, first thing I checked this time. It did try to run on 1 cylinder and full choke for just a couple seconds, then would quit again. I was using the old gas, so I guess that is step 1, getting new gas. I snugged up all of the fuel line connections, which I installed new last fall, along with a large metal fuel filter from Walmart . I pulled the plugs and they still look new, but were wet from gas. let them dry blew on them and reinstalled them. It was 100 degrees out and I was getting overheated, so had to call it quits for today.

I have had good luck with fresh gas, but better results in flushing the carbs with some Gumout or equivalent . I hook up the input to the squeeze bulb to a can of carb cleaner and pressurize the fuel system. Pressure until te float bowl overfolw slightly. Let it sit for an hour or so, then I drain the float bowls onto a rag. Reinstall the float bowl drain plugs, hook up to fresh gas re-pressurize, and it should start up. I have a 2 cycle carb'ed Nissan DF50 which has oil injection. I would try this method of flushing before I tore them down. If it doesn't work you are only out a little effort and a few ounces of carb cleaner

When an engine won't start, a quick shot of Starting Fluid will quickly tell if it is a fuel or an electrical problem. In 100 degree, I wouldn't want to chase the wrong problem. I do think it is fuel, but if it doesn't hit on Starting Fluid, look at the ignition.

Thanks , i bought some carb cleaner and will try spraying in the carb bowl drain plugs. maybe I will get lucky and not have to pull the carbs.

craiglaforce wrote:Thanks , i bought some carb cleaner and will try spraying in the carb bowl drain plugs. maybe I will get lucky and not have to pull the carbs.

OK so this appears to be a three peat so buy some insurance for say $8.... yep for in or around $8 you can buy the big container of stable and put say 2 oz in every dang 6 gallon tank you buy for the boat ( go by the directions I am guessing) and More Than Likely never have this problem again ..... well at least not fuel related...

If you use Stabil, run the engine long enough to be sure that the mixture is in all of the carb bowls, then run the engine dry of fuel. Note: You cannot do this by just disconnecting the fuel line, the couplers will not pass air. Connect to an empty tank, or rig a dummy line that is open on one end. You may be OK without doing this, but I prefer safe to missing the first weekend of sailing.

~Rich

This time to get the gas to the carbs can be several minutes. I actually once left dock on the Hudson, went 1/2 mile down stream, and my engine (Merc BF 50 EFI) conk out - looking down, I hadnt connected the fuel line and was running on fuel in motor and filter only.

Cat:
BTDT too and it shook me up........ as of coarse ....it was a new boat , with a new motor and NOW whats wrong with it?!?!
OOOppsss I'll just plug THIS little thing in ......hummmm purrrrrrrrrrrr
Hamin:
That's why I suggest adding it to every tank at fill up. You'll no less than reduce all the tom-foolery about running it dry etc.
I add stabil to all my gas cans , 2 strokes and 4 strokes as a regular thing.... just about......each and every fill up. IMHO it Keeps things clean and running better and no more wondering did I or didn't I at the end if the season.... You can pretty much, just grab any piece of equipment around here and hit the key or pull the rope and it will start right up. Weed whackers in the winter time No Problem, Snow blowers in July No Problem either as Everybody gets stabil in every tank and I seldom run any of them dry.... gas doesnt evaporate in the cold winter time like it can in the hot summer time..... Except for some reason with my Toro electric start self propelled mower...... I cannot find a leak a drip a crack and yet its always out of gas and believe me its not because someone is coming by and mowing the yard for me secretly hahahahaha must have something to do with the vent cap

Engine is purring like a wildcat again. Between spraying the gumout in the carb drain plugs and intakes and fixing a stuck float, it is running like new again.

hi
Does anybody know what is the european equvalent of stabil as my carbed 4 stroke 50hp mercury bigfoot (year 2000) is not working as it should have.
There is Redex fluid which i have been using for about 30 years on my autos with good results,but not very effective on the merc,although i suspect i have bad dirty petrol (gas) in my 25 gallon tank (installed by po on stb side in the aft berth of my 1996 macx).
Any suggestions/comments welcome.

If the carbs have never been pulled and cleaned, I would recommend doing it.
When I did mine a few years ago there was an amazing bunch of dirt in there. looked like a spoon full of sand almost in each one.
I installed a large steel truck fuel filter on mine after that and also now use regular fuel hose from an auto place. Those marine grade hoses are not so good. Any air leaks at any of the fuel line connections or on the quick connects will make the engine run poorly.

Don't know about your fuel stabilizer question.