My first on-the-river breakdown

[DAVA390]

Hot and sunny in Baltimore today, we realized it would be slow going in light air. We had to go out early because kids, grandkids, coming for dinner.
We figured if no wind, motor around a while, enjoy early time on river.
Motor out Middle River from Md. Marina (30 minutes?), hunting some wind out on the bay. Finding none, decide to motor out to Hart-Miller, explore, go swimming. (45 minutes?)

18 ft. boat 4hp Yamaha. We bought this boat last summer, motor has ALWAYS run like a champ. Starts first pull every time, after dewinterize this spring same thing this year. I used fresh gas, mix somewhere between 100/1 (Yamaha specified) and 50/1 (my mechanic specified). Now, when I bought the gas this spring, I didn't check to see if it had ethanol. Even so, this is 5th trip out this summer, always runs great. Until today.

On the way to the marina, I stopped and bought 1.5 gallons gas at Royal Farms at Bengies drive in theater. I looked at several pumps, not seeing any stickers indicating they have any Ethanol mix. I find myself doing that at every station now because at work we are having hell with small tools, pumps, plate tampers, saws, etc.

To this 1.5 gallons, I added about 3 oz. of Sthill 2 cycle oil (what was left in can). I know it wasn't a precise measurement, but thought if it was a little heavy,would dilute in rest of gas in 3 gallon tank.

The engine started and ran fine, but when we got out to the island, it wouldn't stay running at slow speeds or idle. I had to hold the choke knob halfway closed to keep it running at low speed to get into gear from neutral.

Same thing when we restarted 30 mins later to return. 1 hr ride in, running great, stalled out at low speed 7 houses up the river from the marina. When restarted, get it running at low, kick into gear, instantly stalled out.

Drifted into someones pier (wind way against me here), walked to marina, got tugged in by their push barge. All of this in 92 degrees after being out 3 hrs plus. The Admiral is not happy with me.

So campers, did Ethanol finally catch up with me, or am I asking too much of a 4HP (1998 2 stroke) Yamaha, or bad Karma? Discuss please, but be gentle.

Dave

 

[dkdoyle]

Sounds like bad luck or clogged fuel filter. Too bad you couldn't sail back.

 

[sailaway78]

Not the small HP

It's not because the motor is too small. I agree that the first place to check is the fuel filter. There is gonna be one somewhere. If not, then pull the float bowl and have a look. If you had to use the choke to get/keep it running, then you are definately having a fuel starvation problem. One thing I would do is get away from that Stihl oil. That is made for little air cooled chain saw motors, and to be run at much higher concentrations than you are using. I firmly believe in the synthetics for little two strokes. Burns clean, and doesn't foul plugs. Cost can't be a problem no more than that motor uses.

 

[JVB]

Re: My first on-the -river- breakdown

I never heard of a two-stroke engine running on 100-1 gas-oil mixture. Is that really what any manufacturer recommends ? It sounds to me that you have been too casual in your approach to what goes into the gas tank, i.e. fuel, oil, and ethanol.

 

[Rick I]

I never heard of a two-stroke engine running on 100-1 gas-oil mixture. Is that really what any manufacturer recommends ? It sounds to me that you have been a too casual in your approach to what goes into the gas tank, i.e. fuel, oil, and ethanol.

All the newer two strokes run on 100:1. That's what the manufacturers recommend.

 

[PuckandTitania]

Re: My first on-the -river- breakdown

I have a 1995 Suzuki 4hp 2 stroke that the manufacturer recommends 100:1 mix. The marine mechanic said 50:1, but that smokes too much.

 

[DAVA390]

Re: My first on-the -river- breakdown

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, the 100/1 flipped me out to,I researched it at local Yamaha dealer, he confirmed it. I guess my mechanic isn`t convinced.Fuel filter is brand new, but.... metal gas can I use for boat gas isn`t. HMM.....Also, I forgot to mention, I ALWAYS disconnect fuel line to motor and run it dry when pulling out at end of ride. (Dry store on trailer, back it overboard every trip.).I hadn`t thought about problems with Stihl oil though. I thought any 2 stroke would do. I will change to Yamaha or WM oil or whatever the jury thinks is best.I guess another fuel filter is in order also. Little tiny filter at Yamaha was over $15.00 this winter at dealer!!

 

[sailaway78]

I use

I use synthetic at 50:1, and there is no smoke. Suzuki 2HP 2 stroke

 

[All U Get]

Re: I use

Hi all,
I have an older 2.5 Tahatsu that I used the 50:1 synthetic oil and premium gas and it ran lousy untill I doubled the oil to 25:1. It then ran better, faster, started quicker. On line I finally got an operators manual and the quote was "ratio is 24:1...too lean or too rich and it won't run well". I use what works for mine.
All U Get

 

[mr c]

If u pump the primer bubble does the motor stay running. If it does your hose connections are sucking in air. Check connectors going and coming from tank and engine.

 

[chp]

You deffinately want to change the oil to a marine or water cooled two stroke oil. Air cooled oil is thicker. Sounds like your low speed jet is clogged. The holes in the carb are very small and can get clogged easily by dirt or even water. Check the float bowl and see if there are any deposits in it. You may have to remove the carb. and soak it in a carb cleaner. Good luck. Just went through my own motor problems. 15HP merc. lost the ignition. Turned out to be the stator coil blew. $200 ouch.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Having to use the choke to keep it running indicates it is starved for fuel at low speed. If it runs fine at high speed then the fuel filter is not the problem.
the great Roosack predicts that varnish has built up in the idle circuit of the carburator and causing fuel starvation. Just needs a rebuild which is owner doable if you have moderate handiness. If you don't have moderate handiness this is a chance to learn. Take some pictures of the carb while it is on the engine so you can reassemble is correctly being sure to get good pictures of the linkages. DO NOT take out ANY thumb screws as they control the mixture and messing with them will only cause problems. soaking in gas and a tooth bursh scrup followed by blowing in all the tiny holes uncovered after removing the float boal should suffice. If you ar brave take out the thumb screws being sure to count the EXACT number of turns it takes to remove them. Write this down on a piece of paper

 

[monkeybars]

if your fuel line primer bulb is more than two years old replace it first,chaneces are it will fix your problem.if not you'll have a spare.the ethanol thing is a big myth. we've had mandatory blended fuel in AZ for almost thirty years now with no problems at all with engine problems auto or marine, the only thing that would cause problems with it would be if you had water in your tank you might get corrosion and filter fouling

 

[fish_bob]

Check gas tank

Had similar problem with an older suzuki, took it to the mechanic twice and they could not find a problem, new mechanic told me to bring in the metal gas can. There was a very small amount of junk in the gas can, he cleaned it out and the motor runs great. It did not take a lot of junk to cause the problem.

 

[rmouton]

welcome to ethanol! keep a spare set of jets on your boat. low speed jet clogged. precision tuned jets. yes choking to stay running is the culprit. learn to do it yourself and you won't look stupid..

 

[mtbque]

One other check

See if idler screw has backed out. This happed to me first year I owned my boat. We were motoring in Solomons Harbor and I slowed down to let a larger sailboat come out of docks and engine died. On each restart, I could not keep it running at idle. I raised the jib and sailed up to a nearby dock and was able to trouble shoot to loose idle screw. My solution was to take it off, stretch screws tention spring a bit, and then reset idle. Never had a problem since.

 

[captainsteveaustin]

I have 2 small 2 stroke outboards and know the scenerio all too well.

Here's what you do. Get rid of the old fuel. Refill your tank with fresh fuel, add Strarbrite StarTron Enzyme Fuel Treatment. 1 8 Oz. bottle treats 128 gallons. You can get it almost everywhere (even Wal Mart) for less than 10 bucks. Don't try adding it to the old fuel mix (been there tried that). Add the correct amount of 2 cycle oil. Shake well.

These little outboards don't like "wet fuel". Ethanol (grain alcohol) is water soluble and makes the fuel "sweaty". The Enzyme Fuel Treatment will address that problem. It's almost like a miracle. Remember, don't try to treat OLD FUEL. It won't work.

Happy Sailing.

 

[jrussnogle]

I've had a similar problem when I got bad gas at a local marina. Not smart/skilled enough to rebuild the carb myself. Marine mechanic had to tear it down twice to clean out all the minute pieces of crud that came with the bad gas. I use a plastic tank, so that wasn't the problem. Next time I started to run low on fuel, checked the contents and there was all kinds of crud floating in the gas mixture. My mechanic also recommends always using premium gas only. Has higher octane and eliminates the ethanol question, whether it exists or not.

 

[isaksp00]

I had the exact same symptoms with an 8HP Honda 4 stroke. I removed the carb and cleaned it, and could see that the low speed jet was in fact clogged, and used a very thin strand of copper wire to clean the orifice, then carb cleaner, then air jet. That seemed to fix it. On my engine, it is possible to remove that jet from the carb without actually removing the carb from the engine - this may be true for yours.

 

[mauruuru]

check for air leaks

I had the same issue many years ago on a Chrysler due to a pinprick in the fuel pump diaphragm. If you can pump the primer bulb and keep it runnig without the choke, you have an air leak somewhere between the tank and the fuel bowl. It could be the fuel pump or the hose connections.