What the happened?

[Renken1600]

1989 Mercury 115 2 stroke.

Hey everyone

My wife and I are driving back to the rental cabin tonight and as we are motoring, I remember “forgot to bring up the swim ladder”. Put it in neutral, as I bring up the ladder, engine stalls. Go back to start it... cranks, and cranks... no fire. Check the bulb, it’s firm, no kinks... darn thing wouldn’t turn over and still won’t fire. Friend towed us in.

the motor had been running like a top all day.Turn the key, choke and it would fire up. First day on the lake, both gas cans are full... the vent is open whilst running. Letting it warm up, strong stream coming out of the tell tale.

what gives? What should I be Looking at? I can smell gas when I crank it over. How do I confirm gas or spark on an outboard? It seems strange this would happen so suddenly after a great day of minor cruising.

 

[Renken1600]

It was very hot today... a friend suggested water condensed in the tank but I would that would affect start up.

battery is low from trying to start it

 

[flyingscott]

Did you pull the lanyard by any chance?

 

[racerone]

Charge the battery first.

 

[Renken1600]

Did you pull the lanyard by any chance?

The lanyard? Not sure what that is. I don’t have any kill switches or anything like that in the boat... at least it never came equipped with one. (Just assuming that’s what you meant)

ive been going through everything in my head... if the battery is showing 12volts at the volt meter, is it possible the battery doesn’t have enough juice to restart the engine... this sounds like a dumb question as I’m typing.

the only thing I can think of is a clogged fuel line or something as it just sorta peetered out and stalled

 

[racerone]

A fully charged battery shows 12.4 volts or a wee bit more.--------If these motors do not crank fast they simply will not start !-----Have your battery charged / load tested.

 

[Renken1600]

Battery was very old and even when charged would lose its charge after I trimmed the motor.
have purchased a new battery and a fuel filter and hope this will remedy the issue

 

[prlwng]

Had 84 tracker, 60hp merc. One time it would not start. Tryed all I could think of but only crank. Moved the throtel lever and start. Found the controller was very touchy as to position in nutral.

 

[Renken1600]

Here is a link to a video I made just 10 minutes ago.

the starter clunks and then gets going, like it’s impeded. It hard stumbled to life for a second or two.

now it just spins when turning the crank. Sometimes when I try and start it via the neutral idle, I don’t even get a turn over.

is this electrical?

 

[Renken1600]

Well now it started... I wish I knew why... maybe I flooded the carbs... now water is weeping from the top spark plug hole

 

[flyingscott]

Sounds like your motor overheated. Have your battery load tested and make sure you clean the connections. The water by the sparkplug is coming out of the water jacket.

 

[Renken1600]

Hmm... when an outboard overheats... is there irreversible damage like a car motor?

 

[Renken1600]

Well this can’t get any more hilarious... took it out for a test run and the steering cables snapped

Ill have ave to get the engine serviced and see what the hell is going on. We took it out for a few rips yesterday.

Ran very well, tell tale streaming strong, exhaust plate was luke warm... this may be something that happened before I purchased it.

I can change the waterjacket gasket but I fear the bolts are seized in there good just like the thermostat bolts (one snapped out at the threads)

 

[Renken1600]

And more so... how do I know if the engine is totally fubard? Seems to run fine