Help.....My boat motor is driving me crazy

[imgoing2sleep]

I have been having alot of problems with my 00 Mercury bigfoot 60 hp two stroke. I can start the motor in my driveway with muffs on but when I put the boat in the water, the motor will not start at all. I don't know alot about boats so I took it to my boat mechanic last week. I just talked to him and he says that it's been starting everyday for him and all the test (compression, spark) have been good. I have been to the launch twice now and both times I can't get the motor started. I can see the flywheel spinning but the motor won't turn over. Has anyone seen issues like this before?

[PerchJerker]

You're not flipping the kill switch by accident are you?

[spudhauler]

Are you hand pumping the fuel line ball before starting when at the lake?

[DTro]

That seems very odd. I could see it maybe not running under load or something, but to start on the muffs, then not on the water.....strange

[marine_man]

Did the mechanic take the motor to the lake, or just test it in their tank?

I'd say a spark test in the lake is the first place I'd start.

marine_man

[Valv]

I have the feeling this is something simple that can be solved easily. Ask your mechanic to show you all the steps to start the motor correctly including lanyard switch, etc.

A motor that doesn't start in water has something seriously wrong and it would have been detected by a mechanic.

[shizzy]

if the flywheel is turning the motor is "turning over" its not firing then. is this engine carbutated or fuel injected? does the boat sit at a much different angle when its in the water? it might be a fuel delivery problem.

[imgoing2sleep]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I picked up the boat from the mechanic and took it straight to the lake and it started up fine, just as the mechanic said. Not sure what the issue could be. My mechanic was starting the motor in a tank and on the muffs. I double checked the switch when it was happening and it was set to run. I think that the motor is fuel injected. I think I might be flooding my engine when I try to launch. Part of my launch routine is to squeeze the primer ball until it is rock solid. I can smell gas and see it in the water by the motor when the motor was having issues. Is it possible to flood the engine by over squeezing the primer ball? If I am flooding it what can I do at that point to get the engine started?

[Jim Almquist]

If sounds like you are priming the motor more then what you need to so why not just squeeze it 5 times and try to turn your motor over and if it will not pop give it another 5 squeezes and see what happens. Have you ever tried to turn it over without ever priming the motor ? Once you find out what works you will want to set up a routine so when you go fishing it is not hit or miss if the motor is going to run. When I prime my motor I squeeze it till it feels firm and that is around 7 to 10 times but every boat is different.Hope this helps and let us know what works.

[upnorth]

Typically the bulb is to fill the bowls on the carbs, not sure about fuel injection. Most boat motors(at least the ones with a console and remote start) are primed or choked with the key.

Normally all you have to do is squeeze the bulb until it is firm, mine takes like 4 or 5 squeezes to firm up.

[wishing for walleyes]

Om my 40 hp mercury i just hookup the gas line and never have to squeeze the primer bulb.Starts right up.

[boatfixer]

I'd have to say it's impossible to over prime the system on an EFI to the point of flooding. If you are squeezing to where you see gas in the water, then you might have a leak somewhere.

[FM_Mike]

I have a 2003 Mercury 50 HP EFI and NEVER had to pump the primer before starting. Just hop in and turn the key. Starts right off every time. The boat get used only a few times a year and sometimes sits for 9 months between use. Just stablize fuel after each use.

Same process... Get in start engine. No priming the bulb.

5 years and no issues.

Just my 2 cents worth here.

Mike

[NCLaker]

My 75 HP 2 stroke (no EFI), I never have to mess with the bulb - even when starting when taking out of storage. I just use put the idle trottle about half way, turn key and prime a little until starts. If I think I over primed (doesn't take much if you are not careful), I will put the trottle to 3/4+, turn key once it starts immediately back off on trottle to about 1/4 and let idle till warms up a couple minutes - then good to go. If your motor is an EFI, then I don't think you need to worry about choke.

Is this motor new to you? Routines for staring a motor can/will be different on various motors. So what you may have been doing on your previous motor, may not work for this one.

Valv had a good suggestion - talk to the mechanic that looked at it and go through the steps for starting that worked for him.