Engine not restarting after running a while

[JetboatBrad]

Hi I have a 18’ Yamaha LSE and after running a while, the port engine doesn’t want to restart and turns over 4-5 times. It’s not supercharged and I think all I’ve read on heat soak were with the supercharged engines. Anyone have this problem?

 

[WREKS]

How long was it working properly before this problem developed? It also helps us to help you if we know your general location, such as zip code or city.

 

[JetboatBrad]

Thanks Wreks, I’m on Lake Tahoe in the mountains. It’s been running fine previously. I’ve had it do it a couple of times before but restarted after 15-20 minutes of letting it sit. It doesn’t lose power or anything before hand and runs perfectly before hand. Water temps are 50-60f and both pissers are working

 

[WREKS]

You probably keep the battery on a trickle charger. The engines recharge the battery but it still is a good idea.

 

[JetboatBrad]

I’m going to definitely do that anyway. The engines do seem to be turning over strong as normal and one fires right up. The one in question however, just keeps turning over. You think it’s a battery thing though? Thanks and always very appreciative of any feed back

 

[WREKS]

If you already have a service manual, good! If not, it is very helpful. The more you can do on your own, the more you get to know and enjoy your boat. Rant over.

 

[JetboatBrad]

If you already have a service manual, good! If not, it is very helpful. The more you can do on your own, the more you get to know and enjoy your boat. Rant over.

 

[JetboatBrad]

I would love to take all mechanical problems or upgrade problems on myself. I have built car engines and do most things myself with vehicles and now my boat. I was just looking to see if anyone else had that problem and maybe give me some advice

 

[WREKS]

Welcome, Brad! You will find plenty of help here.

 

[Beachbummer]

Fuel, Air, Compression, and Spark are the magic ingredients to our modern gas engines. Fuel can be ruled in/out by spraying a little starter fluid in the intake on next expected hard restart to see if it makes any new noises. I just had to replace my Honda Pilot's fuel pump , warm restarts were getting longer and longer...it was the fuel pump check valve.

unrelated to your engine, but random conversation hoping to spark some thoughts.

New Spark plugs also couldn't hurt, but not sure how bad plugs could cause this.

 

[JetboatBrad]

Thanks BB, I’m going to try the starter fluid. I’m guessing it’s fuel or spark issue. Plugs I changed about the middle of last year. I cant remember the starts taking longer than normal previously. Don’t know if yours were consistently taking longer or not. I will let you know what I find out. I’m getting it out of the water here shortly.

 

[buckbuck]

1.8 motors have a reputation for being hard to start if hot. Guys are running blowers every time engines are running and have spent a few minutes running the boats at 20 mph to allow them to cool off before shutting down.

 

[JetboatBrad]

I agree buck. I’m going to do more of a cool off period after running from now on. Just took this pic after the boat came out of the water. Just put it back in and noticed one was stronger than the other. Does that look normal?

 

[buckbuck]

On my older boat it appears the same but I just dismiss it as being un-important due to the distance of the outlet from the point where it exits the exhaust manifold.

 

[F.M.]

I agree buck. I’m going to do more of a cool off period after running from now on. Just took this pic after the boat came out of the water. Just put it back in and noticed one was stronger than the other. Does that look normal?

Completely normal for one to be slightly stronger than the other.

 

[suke]

I've had the same issue on one of my motors on my 2020 212x. My old 2009 didn't care how hard I ran it, how or when I restarted it, etc. This one I make a good run out to our float spot, float for a bit, and one of the motors takes a while to finally start. Other motor fires right up every time. Definitely seems like heat soak to me. I went ahead and changed my plugs and gapped them closer to the lower end of the spec to try and get a stronger hotter spark. Once I get it started I have no issues the rest of the day. Just seems longer runs, and letting it sit it gives me fits.

 

[JetboatBrad]

I've had the same issue on one of my motors on my 2020 212x. My old 2009 didn't care how hard I ran it, how or when I restarted it, etc. This one I make a good run out to our float spot, float for a bit, and one of the motors takes a while to finally start. Other motor fires right up every time. Definitely seems like heat soak to me. I went ahead and changed my plugs and gapped them closer to the lower end of the spec to try and get a stronger hotter spark. Once I get it started I have no issues the rest of the day. Just seems longer runs, and letting it sit it gives me fits.

Yea I guess that’s all it is. After it cooled for a while, fired right up repeatedly. Can’t tell anything was wrong. I’m going to try to run the blower and come down to 3k rpms for a while after a hard run and see if that helps. Let me know if the gapping on the plugs helps.

 

[suke]

Yea I guess that’s all it is. After it cooled for a while, fired right up repeatedly. Can’t tell anything was wrong. I’m going to try to run the blower and come down to 3k rpms for a while after a hard run and see if that helps. Let me know if the gapping on the plugs helps.

Will do!

 

[B0at1n]

I have been having a similar issue on my 190. It did it maybe a handful of times in the first 200 hours but around the 300 hour mark it started doing quite often, but again turn the blower on give it 15-30 seconds and it fires right up and has no issues.

 

[JetboatBrad]

As soon as it does it again, I’ll try that and I’ll post. I wonder what’s actually causing it though. Is it not getting spark or fuel because of a safety feature? Heat maybe in the intake? Plug gapping like what Suke said? I’ll let you all know what I find