2.3 OMC won't start

[trey144]

I bought a 1989 Bayliner with an OMC 2.3 in March.<br />Don't laugh it is not that funny<br />Previous owner said it ran in last August but needs a tune up. I did one, plugs, cap, rotor, condenser, points, fuel filters, drained gas & refueled, rebuilt carb. Still wont start. Aligned TDC mark on timing cover, removed cover, and checked timing pointer aligned with timing mark on lg. sprocket , All OK, rotor appears to point at # 1 on dist. (however I found 2 diagrams in Clymer manual as to position of # 1, attached wires both ways similar result.) Engine cranks, sparks at all plugs, gets gas, shoots fire out of out drive like a champ but still wont start. Can't check timing or compression as engine won't start to warm up. Is there a way to check dist. 180º out by looking at it? Is there a way to check compression with no start? Is it bad to cook marshmallows on a burning Bayliner?

 

[Don S]

Re: 2.3 OMC won't start

Ok, sounds like the plug wires are in the wrong place. So lets start from scratch.<br />Pull all 4 spark plugs. Now you need to turn the engine by hand to bring #1 cylinder up on TDC. on the compression stroke. It's not hard, just pay attention.<br />Put your thumb or finger over the spark plug hole of #1 cylinder. Turn the engine in the normal direction of rotation till you start feeling pressure building up. You are now coming up on #1TDC (Top Dead Center) continue turning in the same direction till the timing marks alingn. You are now at #1 TDC on the Compression stroke.<br />Now look at the distributor with the cap removed. The rotor is pointing at #1 Spark plug wire. Forget where the book says it's supposed to be, this is where it actually is.<br />Now put the plug wires in the cap so that #1 is over the (Well, at least real close cause the timing is way off.) rotor which is pointing to #1.<br />Now on the cap, set your plug wires from #1 going clockwise. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.<br />Once you get that, put it all back together and try to start your engine again. You will undoubtedly have to twist the distributor around to find the rough timing to get the engine to run, but after you do, use the timing light and set it properly.<br /><br />PS: I'm a marine tech and own a 77 Bayliner, so don't worry about your choice of boats.

 

[trey144]

Re: 2.3 OMC won't start

Found TDC on #1, reset wires to correspond, still would not start but dist. is frozen after loosening bolt on hold down. I sprayed it with rust eater. Will let you know how I make out. Is there a shifter kill switch on this boat, I have seen this talked about in other forums. The previous owner said it did not shift properly into forward, (he had to push on linkage, then all was fine, said it needs adjustment). Kill switch is just me thinking out loud, woud prob. kill spark (hence the name) but I don't know.

 

[jeff13601]

Re: 2.3 OMC won't start

Does the motor fire and try to start?

 

[gregs]

Re: 2.3 OMC won't start

I'm sorry you cant get your boat running, but I'm wondering were you got your cap and rotor. I've taken mine to the parts store and none of them can match it up. Now when I was searching for these items, I had removed my rotor button and the piece of metal from off of the rotor had fell down into the distibutor. But I was still getting a little fire. I just by chance saw it laying in there. My motor is a 2.3 also. Its wanting to stall out went I shove the throttle down fast. But if I do it slowly, no problem.

 

[Don S]

Re: 2.3 OMC won't start

I guess the first question is do you have fire at the plugs?<br />Do you have 12 Volts at the positive side of the coil with the ignition switch in the run position.

 

[trey144]

Re: 2.3 OMC won't start

Tune up kit came from Monahan's Marine, Weymouth MA and match up perfect to what was on motor orig. <br /><br />I have good spark at plugs and turns over will check for 12v

 

[Phantom17]

Re: 2.3 OMC won't start

Stupid-not so stupid question....did it run (with you running it) before you tuned it up?

 

[Don S]

Re: 2.3 OMC won't start

If you have good spark at all the plugs, then you have power to the coil. Have you set the points using a dwell meter or just a feeler gauge. The feeler gauge only gets you close, then you use the dwell meter to get them set properly, then you set the timing.<br />Now, since you have spark, all you need is fuel (gas squirting from the accelerator pump) and air. In this case compression. Have you done a compression test?

 

[trey144]

Re: 2.3 OMC won't start

Points were set using a feeler gauge.Sorry, new coil also, I forgot about that. I have gas (carb rebuilt) squirting from both jets on 2 BBL. Can I do a compression test on a motor that can't be warmed up? How can I get the dist. unfrozen at the block? WD and keep trying, or is this possibly the root of the problem.