Motor problem

[somers12]

I have a 1995-6 Nissan 9.9 NS9.9C short shaft. It's on a sailboat and I just use it to leave and return to a heavily used dock. It’s an electric start and starts just fine, and runs great until I hit the kill switch to shut her down and sail. Sometimes it starts up fine when I try to restart, other times after a few tries. It’ll run for a few minutes then stop, and won’t start. I installed a carb and fuel pump kit after I cleaned it thoroughly, checked the tank and hoses, new 50:1 fuel, and the problem persists.
A couple of times when I hit the kill switch, the motor sounded like it was still running, but very quietly and in the background. I leave the prop in the water when I shut her down, and the water is so dirty with mountain run off that I can’t see if the prop is turning.
I’m wondering if a wind milling prop, with the engine left in gear, could be causing my problems? Could it be causing the engine to turn over, operating the fuel pump, and flooding the engine? Or is it some kind of a heating problem? Or, can there be a problem with running the motor too low in the water?

Thanks for any suggestions
Steve

 

[Stu Jackson]

Kill switch

We had our 1990 Evenrude 9.9 2S repaired a few years ago, just wasn't running right, hard to start. One of the items was to replace the kill switch components INSIDE the engine. Evidently the circuit inside can go bad. Doesn't have anything to do with the prop.

Why not have the repair shop check it out, or do it yourself if you're so inclined?

 

[somers12]

Actually had a mechanic look at it... top of his class, so he said. He bypassed the kill switch and checked for spark. He said all was fine. It ran fine when I took it to him, in pieces when I left. I put it together at home and got it running.... but still have the same problem. Another fellow recommended that I check the stator, which should be putting out 300-350 volts, after that, the cdi unit, or the coil. Looks like if no one gives me a simple solution... I'm going to become a mechanic.

Steve

Steve

 

[Joe]

Don't leave it in gear.... put it in neutral... then turn it off. Leave it in neutral while sailing. If you think it's windmilling, shift it into reverse. Once the motor quits running put it back in neutral.

If the motor still diesels then call your mechanic and tell him "the motor diesels in neutral" If he can't tell you what's wrong, get another mechanic.

 

[Stu Jackson]

a mechanic look at it... top of his class, so he said. Looks like if no one gives me a simple solution... I'm going to become a mechanic.

Better you than him from what you've advised! Good luck, and leave no parts unreplaced.

 

[petersea]

couple of things come to mind here one being maybe it is getting vapor lock from the engine heat after you shut it down. This could explain why it is an intermittent problem (how much time as passed from when you shut it off). The other is check and make sure the fuel bulb is working correctly (stays hard when running). Try putting the engine up once while sailing and see what happens,this will answer your "windmill question" Good Luck...hope this helps

 

[somers12]

Sorry about the delay but I hadn't realized that anyone else had responded. I shut the engine down and sail for an hour or more before I try and restart. I noticed a couple of times that the bulb did get soft. Wouldn't that make it a fuel pump problem? Where exactly would a vapor lock be effecting the unit. There seems to be a difference of opinion of whether a windmilling prop, if the engine is left in gear, could flood the engine.

Thanks... Steve

 

[Joe]

I'm failing to understand why you haven't simply tried sailing in neutral, or reverse. If you sail in forward gear at moderate speed the prop is certainly capable of spinning this low compression, 2 stroke, no valves motor. I know because it's happened to my tohatsu 9.9 hp. This problem has a very simple solution. If you already have tried sailing in neutral or using reverse gear to stop the motor from dieseling, I apologize for the lecture, however your posts indicate that you are leaving it in gear.

Sailing in neutral is preferred. I asked my Tohatsu mechanic many years back about what gear to sail in after I had a similar problem to yours. (I was leaving the motor in gear because some dockside expert told me so and it would putter along quietly for a few minutes, then be difficult to start later on) The mechanic said simply... leave it in neutral. Problem solved. Now when I start her back up I check the filter glass, them crank it over. Starts up fine every time. If you think it's flooded, pull the kill switch then run the starter to clear out the extra gas.

 

[somers12]

[FONT=&quot]Oh, I’ve been lecturing myself over and over again over these long winter months. There’s still a foot of ice on my sailing grounds. As I stated, I can’t see if the prop is turning or not because of dirty mountain run off. And, I don’t remember whether I’ve been leaving it in gear or not[/FONT][FONT=&quot], but I suspect I have a few times, because of the dieseling.[/FONT][FONT=&quot] You want to believe, it’ll be the first thing I check come April.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]It's a learning process, because I've never had too much to do with outboards. Most of my life, I've sailed small cats and skiffs. I've now graduated to a 22 foot Chrysler, 3000 lb sloop, and the outboard is a necessity for safety. With the motor dying before I return to the pier… It’s been a nerve wracking experience.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thanks... Steve
[/FONT]

 

[catsailor]

I have a Nissan 18 electric, much like yours.

[FONT=&quot]Oh, I’ve been lecturing myself over and over again over these long winter months. There’s still a foot of ice on my sailing grounds. As I stated, I can’t see if the prop is turning or not because of dirty mountain run off. And, I don’t remember whether I’ve been leaving it in gear or not[/FONT][FONT=&quot], but I suspect I have a few times, because of the dieseling.[/FONT][FONT=&quot] You want to believe, it’ll be the first thing I check come April.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]It's a learning process, because I've never had too much to do with outboards. Most of my life, I've sailed small cats and skiffs. I've now graduated to a 22 foot Chrysler, 3000 lb sloop, and the outboard is a necessity for safety. With the motor dying before I return to the pier… It’s been a nerve wracking experience.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thanks... Steve
[/FONT]

Yes, leaving it in gear will cause that. Once or twice I got busy with something and did not get the engine into neutral and tipped for a minute. And it was hard to start. My normal routine, poor ingrained habit, is: kill switch, neutral, up, all in one motion practically.

It's a sail boat: tip the motor EVERY TIME!

 

[somers12]

I pray to God that it's the problem... maybe I can slink out of becoming a mechanic.

I'll develop your ingrained habit fast.

Thanks.

 

[petersea]

Steve, sometimes the fuel bulb can go bad so it is a bulb issue not the fuel pump, It should stay hard for a reasonable amount of time (one hour) UNLESS the pressure is somehow released ( a windmilling engine could do this) Maybe borrow a friends fuel line some day and try it to see if that stops the problem. The very FIRST THING I would try is to either put the engine in neutral or lift the engine out of the water while sailing . Try the easy stuff first. While vapor lock is not common in today engines it vaparizes the fuel into a gas rather then liquid while still in the fuel supply rather then carburetor. Cure it to wrap heat reflective material around fuel line inside motor cover, BUT try the other stuff first this is not real common, just thought it might be helpful if all else failed Good Luck !

 

[somers12]

The mechanic who ripped the engine apart tried one of his pump and lines on the Nissan, and he said my system was fine. I'm hoping for the windmilling prop solution. Perhaps I'm being too harsh on the mechanic, he was after all only Mercury certified, and did spend over 6 hours on my beast, and only charged me 50 bucks. A very friendly guy, who I'll probably never see again... unless I buy a Murcury.

Steve (yes I bought him lots of beer... could be the problem)

 

[Nicky17000]

I had similar problems on our Nissan9.9d(manual start)
I took the risk and dismantled the carb and gave it a good cleaning. I'm also in a habit of putting it in neutral before switching it off and if the weather is fine and I don't forsee that I need to start it in a few minutes, I lift it up from the water. Also, I like to give the fuel bulb a couple of squeezes before I re-start. I switch it off without fuel at the end of the day. Other things that I feel have helped are, fitting a fuel filter in the line and occasionally adding some fuel system conditioner. There are many products on the market and while they don't perform miracles, they do reduce deposits especially in the carburrettor. I used 'Silkolene pro-boost'

 

[somers12]

I believe that I have the original two position engine mount, and with short shaft engine and a three foot free board, I have trouble (especially alone) to lift the motor to the top position, then tilt it forward. I just bought a block and tackle setup that I hope will aid in the process.They want a fortune for new four or five position mount, so I'm trying to avoid the purchase. I will add the in line fuel filter, and will definitely get into the habit of shutting her down by shutting the fuel, and will definitely be placing her in neutral.

Thanks... very good advise.
Steve

 

[catsailor]

For 15 years I never had the habit of running the bowl dry.

I believe that I have the original two position engine mount, and with short shaft engine and a three foot free board, I have trouble (especially alone) to lift the motor to the top position, then tilt it forward. I just bought a block and tackle setup that I hope will aid in the process.They want a fortune for new four or five position mount, so I'm trying to avoid the purchase. I will add the in line fuel filter, and will definitely get into the habit of shutting her down by shutting the fuel, and will definitely be placing her in neutral.

Thanks... very good advise.
Steve

You wouldn't do that to a car, if you could. As long as you take the boat out every few weeks or at most once a month, I think that advise is urban legend. The bowl won't dry out in that period if full, but it will dry out if partly emptied, promising gum.

Just an opinion, but it has been my practice and I have NEVER worked on a carb in 20 years of boating.

Sail more often. Cures attitude and temperament problems too!