Yamaha Saltwater Series II - bugger to start

[Jarrad stevenson]

Hi, trying here as have been to the marine mechanic and didn’t help.

2008 model 130hp, when starting it will turn over for ages before finally starting to fire. Will generally then stop as soon as it starts to fire (like maybe only 1 or 2 cylinders try to fire) for quite a few goes then eventually fires. Once it’s going it will then fire easily as soon as the ignition touches. Almost like it’s starved of fuel when it cold. Wondering if anyone may have a thought as to why it’s so hard to start:

- recently serviced, new plugs, thermostats etc
- push in choke works fine, normally hold key in to start and then just give it a little on the idle lever (if I bang idle lever too far up seems to flood it)
- bulb stays hard
- compression is 100% across all cylinders
- did have an issue a while back where connections to battery weren’t great and would turn starter motor but not quick enough to make it start, that’s all fixed and you can tell by the cranking speed whether it’s all good now. Battery is fairly new.
- worse when hasn’t been used for a bit, as in if I start the motor at home the afternoon before going out it def starts much easier the next morning, but if not used for 2weeks or more it becomes a bugger

At a bit of a loss, and as said put it in to the boat shop and returned with an ‘it’s all good’ but definitely no improvement. Thanks

[ozscott]

If it fires nicely when warm and runs well when warm I would be looking at the choke.

Do the choke plates completely close using the key to energise the solenoid? If not do they close completely using the manual pull lever under the front of the cowling? Have you tried the manual lever then cranking?

The Yammy V4 cold starts very well but several things...if you over prime the bulb it will flood and Can make it hard to start cold (if the bulb is rock hard try going lighter next time) and the second is it must be fully choked.

Failing all that...crap in The carbs but that's a very distant third.

Cheers

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[Jarrad stevenson]

Thanks Ozscott, just had a crack with the ‘semi-primed’ bulb and seemed to help a little in getting to the ‘firing’ stage a bit quicker. In saying that it still spluttered and died so many times when trying to first start (so for prob less than a sec, doesn’t actually start properly), and playing around with idle level position and choke on/off didn’t seem to make any difference - but eventually ‘caught’ and then you couldn’t get it to not start even if you wanted to

[Jarrad stevenson]

From what I could see both the manual and electric choke seems to open carny flaps fully

[ozscott]

Ok then carb kit for the 2 twin throat carbs may be necessary. Have you checked the bowls for water droplets?

Cheers

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[Noelm]

You sure it's got butterfly chokes?

[ozscott]

My 2 salties did (I have had a Merc with squirt 'choke') but my latest was 2003 from memory so maybe worth checking what Noel said.

Cheers

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[scottar]

Does it blow a bucketful of smoke when it eventually starts?

[Jarrad stevenson]

No not a great deal of smoke

[Noelm]

I thought that model would have the "quick start" that had an automatic primer and advanced the throttle a tad too, just double check if it has butterflies for a choke though, if it's a quick start, the start procedure is slightly different to a normal old choke start.

[Jarrad stevenson]

Noelm, are you able to explain a bit more, I’m handy but far from a mechanic. FYI the manual choke on the engine pulls the physical rods up on the double barrel carbie so I assumed this means it has butterflies for the choke but maybe I’m wrong as didn’t pull the air filter housing off the front to be able to view the carnies properly.

The mechanic had said to always use the key push choke when starting for what that’s worth. Maybe I should go the partial bulb prime and no idle lever at all and see how we go - maybe I’m flooding it a bit and that’s causing it to splutter when trying to start?

[billfisher]

I doubt that no idle lever will help. I'd make sure that the idle lever is pushed all the way forward and past the first point of resistance. Keep the choke/ key in and make sure the primer bulb is firm. Tilting the motor all the way down helps too. You could also try replacing the primer bulb and the fuel line connector. By the way where is the primer bulb positioned?

[ozscott]

So it appears they retained conventional choke. Good that is easy. So if it key push closes the choke flaps completely they are sorted. Get the fast idle lever up say half way or even higher, but beware that it will rev like mad (when completely cold and not under load which is not ideal) if the fast idle lever is fully up.

And the primer can be firm but you shouldn't get it firm and squeeze more as they can flood this way.

Check for air leaks in loose hose clamps etc but if it holds the prime and the bulb stays firm for a few minutes at least that isn't your problem.


Cheers

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[billfisher]

It won't rev like mad until it starts to warm up. As the revs go up then you can back it off. Another tip is to hold the primer bulb vertical as you prime it.

[ozscott]

My 2 115's used to rev their ring off if the fast idle was fully up....both started very quickly when cold and if you had the lever up high you could hardly pull it back (half way) before it was screaming...that is how fast a 115 well sorted starts and gain revs when cold.

Cheers

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