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Author Topic:   1992 90 hp starting problems

DaveS posted 06-01-2002 10:06 PM ET (US)
I'm about ready for my first sea trial, I've replaced the console of my newport with the Montauk and most things are coming into place nicely, the problem is, when I go to start the engine, it first makes a short chirping sound before I turn the key all the way to ignition.(it makes the sound about half way through the turning rotation) Then, when it cranks and tried to turn over, it doesn't, it doesn't seem be getting enough fuel. I've never started this type of engine before, do I need to hold the key down for a count of 5? Is there a way to control the choke from the throttle? I had a lever on my 30 hp merc that you could play with until the engine was warm.
To start this engine, I need to pull the over off and play with the throttle linkage before it starts, but once it does, it runs very strong and once it's warmed up, idles very smoothly. I know I'm showing my ignorance but with the exception of these "small" problems, things are just about ready to go to sea.
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Thanks again!
DaveS
jimp posted 06-01-2002 11:04 PM ET (US)
DaveS -
Tell us more! What type of 1992 90-hp? Don't worry about "showing your ignorance". The dumbest question is the one not asked.
A month after I sold my '82 Montauk with an '82 Evinrude 90, the new owner called and said that he had just got back from a "bad" first time out. He was taking some friends out for the first time on his "new" boat. They launched the boat at the ramp, the engine fired up and idled fine, then he shut it down. Then, he went to start it again, and just turned the key for a fraction of a second, and before it would start, he turned the key off. Then, since the launch ramp area was crowded, he fired up the kicker and pulled away and cleared the dock using the kicker (not sure why this evolution came about). When he went to start the 90, it did absolutely nothing. So, they pulled the boat out and went home. He called me from the house. So I drove over to help him. I checked the battery first with my multi-meter, good voltage (12.6V or so). Next, I pulled the engine cover off and before touching anything, I just looked for something out of place. You know what the inside of your engine should look like, and its usually easy to see something "out of place". Well, for sure, the starter motor gear was jammed up in the flywheel. It likely happened when he went to start it the second time and just turned the key for a fraction of a second, just enough to move the gear up to the flywheel and jam it. This had happened to me with this engine 5 or 6 years before. So I grabbed the flywheel and wiggled it. The starter gear dropped back in place. We put the "ear muffs" on and the engine fired up.
About as far as I can help you now, with out more info follows. Is your "chirping" sound the "low oil" warning for the VRO? It should go off when the sensor figures out there's oil in the tank. Or the way it was explained to me, if your oil tank is empty, the "chirping" will continue. Maybe the "chirping" is some other alarm. I don't know. You lost me with your commets following, ""getting enough fuel."
I'm curious to see what others say.
JimP
DaveS posted 06-02-2002 12:08 AM ET (US)
Jim,
Thanks for the response. The best I can describe the starting situation is when I'm cranking, someone adjusts the linkage to the carborator, kind of like when I first learned how to do it on a car...just to make it rev...then it'll kick over and once warmed up, just keeps on going. The VRO pump was replaced last year by the previous owner who took good care of the engine...it just purrs nicely...once it starts. My 96 merc had a lever that allowed you to adjust the choke until it was warmed up...the chirp/beeping sound happens when I start to turn the key...when it's on the run setting, it just lets out a little noise...but when I turn the wheel all the way, it stops...I'm not sure if it's a warning (in gear or low oil...which it has plenty) or a reminder to let me know I'm about to start the engine...like the dump trucks backing up...but only one short beep. Having not had an evinrude before...from what I've been told, it's one of the cross-flow engines.
Thanks again.
DaveS
Hope the clarifies things a bit.
andygere posted 06-02-2002 01:18 AM ET (US)
The typical set up to choke these motors requires you to push the key in while you turn it to crank the engine. This engages a solenoid that works the choke. Also, make sure you open the vent on your fuel tank and squeeze the bulb on the fuel line until it gets firm. I'd also check the little mesh fuel filter (under the engine cowl, follow the fuel line to find it). Often a little rust or sediment on this can make an engine difficult to start because it gets poor or intermittant fuel flow.
Clark Roberts posted 06-02-2002 08:56 AM ET (US)
DaveS, sounds like you are accustomed to a separate little lever (a la most side mount controls) and now have a single lever binicle (sp?) control with no separate little lever for "neutral idle speed control". This lever has nothing to do with the choke (or enricher) but simply gives you control of the idle speed for starting/warm-up! Now, if I'm correct and you indeed have a single lever binicle control, there is a neutral speed control built in which uses the big lever! It works in one of two ways: The lever is placed in neutral and then pulled straight sideways to disengage shift and then you push forward for neutral/idle speed ... second> there is a separate button on the control unit which must be pushed to disengage shift! In either case shift is re-engaged by simply returning lever to neutral and shift (fwd/reverse) is effective for normal operation! Check it out! Happy Whalin'.. Clark... The Old Man and the Sea
DaveS posted 06-03-2002 12:16 AM ET (US)
I think I've found the solution to my problem. Today I wasn't getting any cranking from the engine, just an the starting chugging along. I pulled the morse control and ignition switch off to check the wiring and I found that underneath the pivot of the throttle, (the tongue like plate that, once the contol is mounted, is inside the console), had two wired that seemed to be loose. I started to play with them, sometimes it would try to start w/o fuel and sometimes it wouldn't do a darn thing. After playing around with the wired, must to my horror, broke off one of leads from the switch these wired connected to. I pulled out the switch and noticed that when I held the wired together, it would start but then they weren't, nothing would happen. I had an old on/off switch that I decided to try out for a quick fix...it worked. I guess the switch started going bad and I just killed it a little faster. I'm going to assume this was connected to the choke in some way but I'm not sure how. After the engine has been started, I can turn the switch to the off postion and it continues to run. Now I need to decide if I'm going to keep the setup as is or just mount the on/off switch on the dash somewhere. Any thoughts?
Thanks again for the help...I'm going to have to check out the gear disengage mechanism...and as Clark has noticed, I was attached to my little lever...but if it starts like it did today, I won't miss it much longer.
Thanks again...looks like it's almost time for that first shakedown cruise!!!
DaveS
DIVE 1 posted 06-03-2002 01:01 AM ET (US)
Dave,
It sounds like you have a bad neutral safety start switch. This is a very important safety item on your boat. It ensures that the engine will not start unless it is in neutral. If this is the defective part, replace immediately before you have a major accident.
I have seen people bypass these switches and upon the engine starting, the boat cleared the trailer and landed in the back of trucks. They did not realize the boat was in gear and the throttle was cracked open. The safety switch prevents this problem.
Jim
DaveS posted 06-03-2002 11:50 AM ET (US)
Thanks for the advice. I'm in the middle of hunting one down. I couldn't figure out what the switch was for but once you've mentioned it, it made perfect sense.
Have a great day!
DaveS
jstachowiak posted 06-03-2002 01:11 PM ET (US)
I have a 40hp '92 Johnson and the chirp sound is a warning sound. When you start the motor it chirps to let you know the the alarm is working. Then there is are patterns of chirps that indicate what is wrong with the engine. Like long chirps indicates overheating, etc. I have a little decal on my dash that tells you what the chirps are. As well, the choke is in the key switch and you push the key in while you turn the key to choke the engine. Once the engine starts you might have to push the key (choke it) in to keep it running while it warms up. The throttle (forward and reverse) single lever, should let you throttle up the engine to start without having it in gear. If it is in gear the neutral safety switch will (should) not let it start.

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Author	Topic: 1992 90 hp starting problems
DaveS	posted 06-01-2002 10:06 PM ET (US) I'm about ready for my first sea trial, I've replaced the console of my newport with the Montauk and most things are coming into place nicely, the problem is, when I go to start the engine, it first makes a short chirping sound before I turn the key all the way to ignition.(it makes the sound about half way through the turning rotation) Then, when it cranks and tried to turn over, it doesn't, it doesn't seem be getting enough fuel. I've never started this type of engine before, do I need to hold the key down for a count of 5? Is there a way to control the choke from the throttle? I had a lever on my 30 hp merc that you could play with until the engine was warm. To start this engine, I need to pull the over off and play with the throttle linkage before it starts, but once it does, it runs very strong and once it's warmed up, idles very smoothly. I know I'm showing my ignorance but with the exception of these "small" problems, things are just about ready to go to sea. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks again! DaveS
jimp	posted 06-01-2002 11:04 PM ET (US) DaveS - Tell us more! What type of 1992 90-hp? Don't worry about "showing your ignorance". The dumbest question is the one not asked. A month after I sold my '82 Montauk with an '82 Evinrude 90, the new owner called and said that he had just got back from a "bad" first time out. He was taking some friends out for the first time on his "new" boat. They launched the boat at the ramp, the engine fired up and idled fine, then he shut it down. Then, he went to start it again, and just turned the key for a fraction of a second, and before it would start, he turned the key off. Then, since the launch ramp area was crowded, he fired up the kicker and pulled away and cleared the dock using the kicker (not sure why this evolution came about). When he went to start the 90, it did absolutely nothing. So, they pulled the boat out and went home. He called me from the house. So I drove over to help him. I checked the battery first with my multi-meter, good voltage (12.6V or so). Next, I pulled the engine cover off and before touching anything, I just looked for something out of place. You know what the inside of your engine should look like, and its usually easy to see something "out of place". Well, for sure, the starter motor gear was jammed up in the flywheel. It likely happened when he went to start it the second time and just turned the key for a fraction of a second, just enough to move the gear up to the flywheel and jam it. This had happened to me with this engine 5 or 6 years before. So I grabbed the flywheel and wiggled it. The starter gear dropped back in place. We put the "ear muffs" on and the engine fired up. About as far as I can help you now, with out more info follows. Is your "chirping" sound the "low oil" warning for the VRO? It should go off when the sensor figures out there's oil in the tank. Or the way it was explained to me, if your oil tank is empty, the "chirping" will continue. Maybe the "chirping" is some other alarm. I don't know. You lost me with your commets following, ""getting enough fuel." I'm curious to see what others say. JimP
DaveS	posted 06-02-2002 12:08 AM ET (US) Jim, Thanks for the response. The best I can describe the starting situation is when I'm cranking, someone adjusts the linkage to the carborator, kind of like when I first learned how to do it on a car...just to make it rev...then it'll kick over and once warmed up, just keeps on going. The VRO pump was replaced last year by the previous owner who took good care of the engine...it just purrs nicely...once it starts. My 96 merc had a lever that allowed you to adjust the choke until it was warmed up...the chirp/beeping sound happens when I start to turn the key...when it's on the run setting, it just lets out a little noise...but when I turn the wheel all the way, it stops...I'm not sure if it's a warning (in gear or low oil...which it has plenty) or a reminder to let me know I'm about to start the engine...like the dump trucks backing up...but only one short beep. Having not had an evinrude before...from what I've been told, it's one of the cross-flow engines. Thanks again. DaveS Hope the clarifies things a bit.
andygere	posted 06-02-2002 01:18 AM ET (US) The typical set up to choke these motors requires you to push the key in while you turn it to crank the engine. This engages a solenoid that works the choke. Also, make sure you open the vent on your fuel tank and squeeze the bulb on the fuel line until it gets firm. I'd also check the little mesh fuel filter (under the engine cowl, follow the fuel line to find it). Often a little rust or sediment on this can make an engine difficult to start because it gets poor or intermittant fuel flow.
Clark Roberts	posted 06-02-2002 08:56 AM ET (US) DaveS, sounds like you are accustomed to a separate little lever (a la most side mount controls) and now have a single lever binicle (sp?) control with no separate little lever for "neutral idle speed control". This lever has nothing to do with the choke (or enricher) but simply gives you control of the idle speed for starting/warm-up! Now, if I'm correct and you indeed have a single lever binicle control, there is a neutral speed control built in which uses the big lever! It works in one of two ways: The lever is placed in neutral and then pulled straight sideways to disengage shift and then you push forward for neutral/idle speed ... second> there is a separate button on the control unit which must be pushed to disengage shift! In either case shift is re-engaged by simply returning lever to neutral and shift (fwd/reverse) is effective for normal operation! Check it out! Happy Whalin'.. Clark... The Old Man and the Sea
DaveS	posted 06-03-2002 12:16 AM ET (US) I think I've found the solution to my problem. Today I wasn't getting any cranking from the engine, just an the starting chugging along. I pulled the morse control and ignition switch off to check the wiring and I found that underneath the pivot of the throttle, (the tongue like plate that, once the contol is mounted, is inside the console), had two wired that seemed to be loose. I started to play with them, sometimes it would try to start w/o fuel and sometimes it wouldn't do a darn thing. After playing around with the wired, must to my horror, broke off one of leads from the switch these wired connected to. I pulled out the switch and noticed that when I held the wired together, it would start but then they weren't, nothing would happen. I had an old on/off switch that I decided to try out for a quick fix...it worked. I guess the switch started going bad and I just killed it a little faster. I'm going to assume this was connected to the choke in some way but I'm not sure how. After the engine has been started, I can turn the switch to the off postion and it continues to run. Now I need to decide if I'm going to keep the setup as is or just mount the on/off switch on the dash somewhere. Any thoughts? Thanks again for the help...I'm going to have to check out the gear disengage mechanism...and as Clark has noticed, I was attached to my little lever...but if it starts like it did today, I won't miss it much longer. Thanks again...looks like it's almost time for that first shakedown cruise!!! DaveS
DIVE 1	posted 06-03-2002 01:01 AM ET (US) Dave, It sounds like you have a bad neutral safety start switch. This is a very important safety item on your boat. It ensures that the engine will not start unless it is in neutral. If this is the defective part, replace immediately before you have a major accident. I have seen people bypass these switches and upon the engine starting, the boat cleared the trailer and landed in the back of trucks. They did not realize the boat was in gear and the throttle was cracked open. The safety switch prevents this problem. Jim
DaveS	posted 06-03-2002 11:50 AM ET (US) Thanks for the advice. I'm in the middle of hunting one down. I couldn't figure out what the switch was for but once you've mentioned it, it made perfect sense. Have a great day! DaveS
jstachowiak	posted 06-03-2002 01:11 PM ET (US) I have a 40hp '92 Johnson and the chirp sound is a warning sound. When you start the motor it chirps to let you know the the alarm is working. Then there is are patterns of chirps that indicate what is wrong with the engine. Like long chirps indicates overheating, etc. I have a little decal on my dash that tells you what the chirps are. As well, the choke is in the key switch and you push the key in while you turn the key to choke the engine. Once the engine starts you might have to push the key (choke it) in to keep it running while it warms up. The throttle (forward and reverse) single lever, should let you throttle up the engine to start without having it in gear. If it is in gear the neutral safety switch will (should) not let it start.