Periodic hard starting....help needed!

[OntheWater77]

Is anyone having this sluggish start issue with the new 1.9 engines Yamaha switched to in 2023 for the 222 models? Sounds like there is no real mechanical solution to this and wondering if it was addressed with the engine upgrade.

 

[Woodrow]

I have a 2025 ar250 with bout 12 hours and this evening my port engine was hard to start. had to crank several times.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I have a 2025 ar250 with bout 12 hours and this evening my port engine was hard to start. had to crank several times.

Please describe how the boat was being operated prior to shutdown, how long were the engines shutdown and what was happening during the time the engines were shutdown.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

May be the neutral safety switch if you crank it and it does not fire try moving the control for that engine back and forth and then retry starting it

 

[suke]

I will say I had this issue semi frequently at one point. However, it was very early on when it had low hours. I have 140 hours now and we haven't had the problem ever since we hit the 100hr mark. Only thing I've done different is when we're surfing we never turn the boat off while switching riders and such. Granted we'd have hard start issues even just cruising across the lake and then anchoring to swim. I don't run the blowers the whole time or idle a while before shutting down either. It just vanished literally at the 100hr mark. Like a switch flipped. When I was having the issue lifting the engine hatch for a couple minutes cleared out the heat and it would start. Sometimes even just lifting the hatch for a minute was enough to clear out the heat to get it to start. Wonder if the 1.9l have the same issue?

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I will say I had this issue semi frequently at one point. However, it was very early on when it had low hours. I have 140 hours now and we haven't had the problem ever since we hit the 100hr mark. Only thing I've done different is when we're surfing we never turn the boat off while switching riders and such. Granted we'd have hard start issues even just cruising across the lake and then anchoring to swim. I don't run the blowers the whole time or idle a while before shutting down either. It just vanished literally at the 100hr mark. Like a switch flipped. When I was having the issue lifting the engine hatch for a couple minutes cleared out the heat and it would start. Sometimes even just lifting the hatch for a minute was enough to clear out the heat to get it to start. Wonder if the 1.9l have the same issue?

The fuel system is not going to vapor lock like carbureted engines go because it’s under pressure. I can see the built up heat being an issue in so far as the MAP and IAT sensors go and it pulling the fuel way back. So running the bilge blowers for a few mins before start up would get some cooler air into the engine bay.. no clue as to why it would just stop being an issue.. doesn’t matter since it has stopped. Recently I was taking the temp of the engine bay, both at best cruise and at WFO. I hung a thermometer very close to the air intake and it read 135* on a day when it was 92* outside, this was after cruising for roughly 15 minutes. At WFO the temp was 125*, which makes sense since there is a lot more air flow at max rpm.

Ever since I have been using the no wake mode at level 3 for 15 seconds after trolling for long periods of time I have not had a single issue of longer cranking to get the engines started. I think @anmut or @AZMark has been doing the same thing after surfing and no more hard start issues. Haven’t heard anything from @MrBubbaGump about his hard start issues in a while.. apparently based on his posts there was an issue with the 21’ FSH and hard starts while sitting and the boat rocking back and forth. I think @lazergeek had an issue this summer when they were out and had been swimming for a while or perhaps it was at dock and swimming and people were walking across the swim deck rocking the boat.

That’s why I asked @Woodrow what the situation was about his hard start issue. We will see what he has to say…

 

[lazergeek]

The fuel system is not going to vapor lock like carbureted engines go because it’s under pressure. I can see the built up heat being an issue in so far as the MAP and IAT sensors go and it pulling the fuel way back. So running the bilge blowers for a few mins before start up would get some cooler air into the engine bay.. no clue as to why it would just stop being an issue.. doesn’t matter since it has stopped. Recently I was taking the temp of the engine bay, both at best cruise and at WFO. I hung a thermometer very close to the air intake and it read 135* on a day when it was 92* outside, this was after cruising for roughly 15 minutes. At WFO the temp was 125*, which makes sense since there is a lot more air flow at max rpm.

Ever since I have been using the no wake mode at level 3 for 15 seconds after trolling for long periods of time I have not had a single issue of longer cranking to get the engines started. I think @anmut or @AZMark has been doing the same thing after surfing and no more hard start issues. Haven’t heard anything from @MrBubbaGump about his hard start issues in a while.. apparently based on his posts there was an issue with the 21’ FSH and hard starts while sitting and the boat rocking back and forth. I think @lazergeek had an issue this summer when they were out and had been swimming for a while or perhaps it was at dock and swimming and people were walking across the swim deck rocking the boat.

That’s why I asked @Woodrow what the situation was about his hard start issue. We will see what he has to say…

On that trip last month, the last day it dook over 30 min to start the starboard engine that morning wtih a cold engines. After 3 famiily members were fishing in the boat at the dock the night before. I had given up on it starting and was heading to the Marina 15 miles away to pull it our of the water on 1 engine when I finally desided to fire up.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Overheat cause? sounded similar to this issue with ballast especially when the engine would start if the boat was moving forward by the other engine. food for thought

 

[Woodrow]

Please describe how the boat was being operated prior to shutdown, how long were the engines shutdown and what was happening during the time the engines were shutdown.

engines were ran for bout 45 minutes to our destination . Shut them off then restarted to drop the kids off for cliff jumping..idled around while kids played for 15 minutes then shut down just free floating for a good 30 minutes. Then had the hard starting issues.

 

[lazergeek]

Overheat cause? sounded similar to this issue with ballast especially when the engine would start if the boat was moving forward by the other engine. food for thought

Thats what I was thinking but it was 15 min of moving before it would start, 10 wakeless and 5 at full throttle with one motor (yes i had the inlet water line pinched with a clamp) When it did start it was running rough for a few min before it ran normally.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

engines were ran for bout 45 minutes to our destination . Shut them off then restarted to drop the kids off for cliff jumping..idled around while kids played for 15 minutes then shut down just free floating for a good 30 minutes. Then had the hard starting issues.

Thanks!

Just to check, you’re running regular unleaded 87 octane gasoline correct?

Next time you’re out, and unless you’ve been cruising at speed try running the no wake at level 3 in neutral for 15 seconds then back down to normal idle then shut the engines off. With the TR-1 engined 21’ boats, either long periods of idling / trolling, or at rest and the boat rocking side to side will result in excessive water in the water locks (mufflers) creating excessive back pressure at start up making the engines hard to start, and in at least one case I know lead to water in the cylinders. Running the engines at no wake level 3 increases the idle to around 2200 rpm or so and removes the excess water, and I assume creates a bit of an air bubble that allows the engines to start easier and keeps water from getting into the engines.

M

Post in thread 'Hard to start'

May 26, 2025

I had been doing the throw it in reverse trick before shutting it down, but yesterday had the hard start issue again on the starboard engine took multiple attempts to get started. Going to be calling the dealer and bringing it in for inspection tomorrow since last time this happened the engine got water in it. Hate to say it, but I have about given up on this boat, probably going to be trading it in on something else. Want to get out of Yamahas altogether, but might give it another shot on a 255 FSH, just can't beat the price for what you get. It's unfortunate because it really is a nice...

• MrBubbaGump

• 

In another thread a guy talked about how he approached a sand bar or some type of gathering, he approached at a good rate of speed and cut the engines and coasted into the “anchorage”. Since he was going so fast when he cut the engines water got forced up into one of the engines and hydro locked one engine, this was discovered when they went to leave the engine wouldn’t move when the starter was engaged. (You’re not supposed to go over 5 mph with the engines off-unless you’ve got the coolant lines pinched off) He had a friend along who is a mechanic and he suggested they pull the plugs which is how they discovered the water, cranked the engine over and blew out the water, put the plugs back in and the engine ran. They ran back to the dock and pulled the boat out, I’m pretty sure (could be wrong) there was no visible sign that water had gotten into the oil but he changed the oil as a precaution.

 

[Woodrow]

im running ethanol free 87 octane