Engine dying

[apegs]

I have a small 6hp evinrude motor. The last few times I have been out when I am throttling the gas it will kill after a while, like its out of gas. Or I will have the throttle at max and its running like I have the throttle a little open then all of the sudden it will kick in to full throttle. Or vice vesra. I did not see a crack in the gas line and I put some sea foam stuff I thinks its called, in with a full tank of gas. Supposed to clean the fuel infector or what ever it is. Anybody got a diagnoses for my sick engine.

[herefish101]

start with all your fuel lines, checking not just for cracks but for leaky crimps at the connection end and the ball. Does the ball stay hard, or is it soft? If all that checks out, you can pretty much go after the carb. Find a rebuild kit or have a shop do it, sounds like your carb is all gummed up. If you do it yourself make sure you know how to reset the idle air screw, low speed and high speed, if it has these, you'll want to dial her back in. good luck.

[apegs]

A few times it would die and the ball was soft and I would ssqueeze it till it was firm. Then it would work for a bit. This problem happens at random. yesterday it happened and the ball semmed to stay firm.

[herefish101]

replace all your fuel lines, even the ones under the hood, and the line with the ball on it. If your problem goes away, then it was easy. if it don't, tear the carb apart. pretty simple system on a little motor like that.

[boatfixer]

I have a small 6hp evinrude motor.

What year is it?

[gregg52]

not sure if theres filters on there somewhere but that would be the first i'd replace

[apegs]

im not sure ,the guy i bought it from did not know. I posted pics of it a month or two ago. I had oil leaks and could not get it started.

[ThaiNinh]

not sure if theres filters on there somewhere but that would be the first i'd replace

Agreed. I would replace the fuel filter first. Usually its the culprit. Fuel filters play a huge role. But always neglected.

[Crusty old Swede]

A couple of ideas, 1 if the gas tank has a manual vent open it or if it's a self venting tank make sure it's acually venting. 2 Where the fuel line connects to the motor does the motor side have a post like fitting with a stiff wire sticking out of the middle? That wire opens the valve on the hose and if the wire gets bent to the side a little it won't open or only partially open the valve and you get pretty much what you say your motor is doing. Re-read your second post - soft bulb = tank not venting or air leak in fuel line or obstruction in fuel line.

[apegs]

Tons of good starting points on here. And all cheap fixes I can try. Thanks very much guys

[apegs]

not sure if theres filters on there somewhere but that would be the first i'd replace

Don't know much about engines so if there was a fuel filter. Where would it be located ?

[marine_man]

Under the hood... follow the fuel line from where it enters the motor to the carb.

marine_man

[wastewaterguru]

Good things to check,

However, after fully checking the fuel system if the problem persists.....

The symptoms you originally described could also be electrical related. Weak spark, bad plugs

[boatfixer]

Apegs, when you say all of the sudden, do you mean as if you flipped a switch? Instantaniously? I looked back at your engine on the other post and it appears to be in the 70's. It has coils under the flywheel and its not uncommon to have cracks or pinholes in the coil itself causing them to short to ground. What I would do in your situation would be to determin if this is an ignition or fuel related problem. I will either use a small squirt can with gas in it and shoot a little into the carb when the problem occurs. Obviously if the engine picks right back up, its fuel related. If not, I will hook up a timing light and watch and listen. If the light goes out, you obviously have an ignition problem. Many of the suggestions that others are giving very good ones. I just like to determine what direction to go by doing a few simple tests before suggesting that you just start replacing parts until the problem goes away. Often times it is as simple as a bad fuel line or connector sucking air and running out of gas. It would be nice and simple for you if this were the case. Lets hope it is.