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  Hard Starting After A Few Days On Non-Use

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Author Topic:   Hard Starting After A Few Days On Non-Use
sammysbeachfront posted 04-11-2010 11:03 AM ET (US)   Profile for sammysbeachfront  
Why would oil be getting in the carburetor bowls [of an OMC 115-HP two-cycle motor on a Boston Whaler RAGE 15] after a few days of not running the boat? It makes it really hard to start and smokes like a tar pot.
vikingasia posted 06-22-2010 08:00 PM ET (US)     Profile for vikingasia  Send Email to vikingasia     
Yes, [oil accumulating in the carburetor bowls after a few days of non-running] is common. [Gasoline] evaporates, leaves the oil, makes starting REALLY HARD.

Solution: drain both upper and lower carburetor's bowls using rag or paper towels to soak up oil that drains out. It is easy to do with a screwdriver with a big blade. The starboard side screw in bottom of each bowl. An aluminum bright silver. Take out. Hold paper-towels there for 30 seconds. Put screw back in, and snug it up

Still might take some starting fluid. NAPA 16 is what you want if you like NAPA stores. After you've drained the bowls it will then be EASIER to start.

jimh posted 06-23-2010 08:41 AM ET (US)     Profile for jimh  Send Email to jimh     
I do not recall hearing a recommendation to tear down the carburetors after each use of an two-cycle motor. This recommendation is outside my range of experience. I do not recall ever hearing of this technique before. A more typical technique is to disconnect the fuel supply to the engine and to let the engine run until it stalls from lack of fuel. This will reduce the amount of fuel in the carburetor bowls. This technique is very common.

I have never heard of a recommendation to use starting fluid on an two cycle motor on a long-term basis. Any two-cycle motor that is in good condition and proper tune should start on a few revolutions of its crankshaft, even with a fuel mixture that is slightly rich. If your engine is hard to start, you need to determine the problem. A slightly rich oil mix in the fuel should not inhibit starting to the point where a starting fluid is necessary.

Fuel in the carburetor bowls may be subject to some evaporation, and there may be some oil residue left behind. However, when the engine is primed for the next start, fresh fuel enters the carburetor bowls. The fresh fuel should mix with any oil residue, returning it to solution with the fuel.

At worst case--all the fuel in a carburetor bowl evaporates and leaves only oil behind--the fuel mixture becomes more like 25:1 instead of 50:1. This richer fuel should burn off in a few minutes.

jollyrog305 posted 06-23-2010 10:42 AM ET (US)     Profile for jollyrog305    
(Per Jim’s referenced technique) When flushing the motors disconnect the fuel line and let the motor run out of fuel. Then (try) to start the motor again applying the choke to ensure all the fuel has been burned off.
adlert posted 06-23-2010 03:17 PM ET (US)     Profile for adlert  Send Email to adlert     
When I was receiving my factory training the use of starting fluid in conventional 2-stroke engines was strongly discouraged. I was taught that not only is it a lousy lubricant but also so flammable that you run a unacceptably high risk of combustion within the crankcase - a bad thing. As Jim points out, the cause of the problem should be determined. If a proven engine doesn't start quickly and reliably you've got a problem to fix, not work around.

I was also taught that although very commonly done, running a 2-stroke engine out of fuel after each use is undesirable. I know many have done this for decades with their engines with no apparent ill effects. That does not however negate the fact that you are also running the engine nearly free of lubricant and leaving it that way until its next use. I can also say from first hand wrenching experience that "running an engine dry" in many, possibly most carburetors does not actually lift all of the fuel from the bowl.

Some of the VRO equipped engines have suffered continued oil delivery problems after engine shut down. I don't recall ever seeing this problem occur after only a few days. Usually an over-winter sort of symptom in my experience. Do you have a VRO system? If your engine does not have a separate oiling system I cannot imagine how you could possibly wind up with a high concentration of oil in the carbs after only a few days.

weekendwarrior posted 06-23-2010 05:52 PM ET (US)     Profile for weekendwarrior  Send Email to weekendwarrior     
Unless you've got oil injection that is somehow dumping in oil while it sits then I doubt the problem is excess oil. If you have a bad float valve then it might just be flooded, assuming pressure in the tank is allowing fuel to seep into the motor while it sits. Next time it won't start pull a spark plug and see if it's wet.

It could just be low on compression. Hard cold starting is one symptom of worn piston/rings/cylinder on a 2-stroke. Run a compression test when the engine is cold and see if it's very low. Spinning it fatser might help, charging the battery for a few minutes before starting might be enough. Good spark plugs are important. Also try opening the throttle while trying to start it, just be ready to cut the throttle the second it starts.

You need to find the root cause before declaring victory with a solution. :)

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