90 HP Mercury Won't Start after Initial Use

[lwrlead]

Hello
New to the forum, so I appologize if this topic has already been posted before. I have been experiencing a starting problem the last 3-4 times I have used my boat.

I have a 2002 (I believe) 90 HP Mercury 3-cylinder 2-stroke.

When I first launch the boat, the outboard starts right up, idles, and runs great. Load up the family and head to an island. We hang at the island for about 4-5 hours and then pack up.

When I first turn the key, it will fire, but not start. After that, no fire, no start, just turns over and over and over. The only way I can get it to start again is to just hold the key on for about 1-minute or so. That is a long time to simply hold the key on cranking on the motor. Surprised my battery is able to live that long. Finally, it may fire and eventually I can get it going again.

I make sure that the primer bulb is stiff, I don't smell gas or see it overflowing into the water so I don't believe the engine is flooded, my gas tank is vented so I don't believe it's a vapor lock problem (whatever that is), my tethered kill switch is in the right position, chocking it or giving it throttle doesn't make any difference, and I put new spark plugs in it this year and a new fuel/water seperator. I always use the ethenol stabilizer with each fill-up.

Is this a carbeurator problem or electrical? I'm thinking electrical, but it's weird that it won't restart after use. The engine isn't hot keep in mind because it has been sitting at the island for 4-5 hours. It just doesn't want to start again after I use it initially in the morning. Really frustrating and I don't want to just throw money at it in hope of fixing the problem.

Anyone out there have this or something similar happen to them? Any ideas? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[guyjg]

When I first launch the boat, the {cold engine} outboard starts right up, idles, and runs great.... it has been sitting at the island for 4-5 hours {cold engine} . When I first turn the key, it will fire, but not start. After that, no fire, no start, just turns over and over and over. The only way I can get it to start again is to just hold the key on for about 1-minute or so.

You need to treat the restart like a cold engine. Move the throttle to 1/4 to 1/3 position and hold the key in the choke/primer position for 5+ seconds before starting and see if that solves the problem you are experiencing.

 

[racerone]

You certainly are risking damaging an expensive starter motor when you have to crank and crank some more.---------Put a timing light on it when you experience the " warm no start condition " and see if there is spark.-----------------------A starter motor which is damaged will crank slow and that also leads to a " no spark condition "

 

[lwrlead]

Yeah, I did treat it like it was a cold start and gave it 1/3 throttle while pushing in on the key.