200 Evinrude, hard cold starts

[clifton63]

I just completely rebuilt my 200 Evinrude, rings, carbs, hoses, valves, clean etc. Before the rebuild it was always hard to start cold. Lots of cranking and priming. Once it starts, you are good to go for the rest of the day. fires right up. I figured once I did the rebuild, this problem would go away, but it did not. Its not the carbs (all rebuilt), Its not the priming solenoid, it engages fine and gas spurts out when cranking. The bulb seems nice and tight. I think it just gets flooded ultra easy. Here is the procedure I go through:

-squeeze bulb till hard
-turn to ignition on
-turn key to crank, at same time I hold in the priming switch for about 5 seconds.

I crank for about 20 seconds or so and let it sit for a couple minutes and repeat.

My motor does not have a cold start throttle lever. From the control I can disengage the gearbox and open the throttle a bit. I have tried doing this at 1/2 throttle, but it does nothing, but you can see some smoke coming out of engine exhaust. Like it is burning fuel, but not firing. One time, I had problems starting and opened up throttle all the way and it fired.

The bottom line is that I cannot seem to find a consistent sucessful cold starting procedure. I have read many many posts regarding this and everyone seems to have a procedure, but none of these seem to work for me. I am at a loss. Could it be timing? It has new coils. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[spanishmak]

Re: 200 Evinrude, hard cold starts

I was about to post same thing ,I cannot find any consistant way to start my 1979 200 hp johnson,you have to do something different every time,but I have to prime mine everytime I wanna start it all day long!

 

[daselbee]

Re: 200 Evinrude, hard cold starts

Clif...try this.

Often hard starting when cold is due to improper starting procedures.
I pump the primer bulb til firm, raise the fast idle lever up about 1/2 way, turn key to the start position while holding it in. Holding the key in activates the primer solenoid, which allows fuel from the fuel pump to flow directly into the back of the intake manifold, enrichening the mixture. Once it starts, bump the key in as required to keep it running til it warms up and stabilizes.

Now, you say this is right after your rebuild. You need to check to see if the primer solenoid system is working right.
First thing I would do is...pump primer bulb til firm. Turn red lever on primer solenoid to manual position. Pump primer bulb again, two more pumps. Notice the bulb is not firm anymore....thats because the fuel is flowing directly into the back of the intake manifold. Turn red lever back to normal run position, advance throttle a bit, and turn key. If it fires immediately, something is wrong with the electrical part of the primer solenoid system.
The primer solenoid must click when you press the key in when key is in the ON position.

If it does not fire, check for fuel flow from the primer solenoid to the back of the intake manifold. I usually do this on #2 because it is very easy to get to.
Pull the primer hose off the back of #2 intake manifold. That is on the starboard side, top primer hose going into the back of the manifold. Turn the red lever to manual, and pump the primer bulb. Catch any fuel that comes out of the hose you just disconnected. No fuel, you have a blockage of some sort preventing fuel flow thru the primer solenoid system.

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: 200 Evinrude, hard cold starts

Try pushing in on the key for more than 5 seconds. You may need to keep it pushed in till it first fires.

 

[dragonfly 200]

Re: 200 Evinrude, hard cold starts

I feel your pain,
The last time I started mine I turned the red lever up and pumped the bulb and removed one of the hoses, I could get fuel out of the line, I hooked it back up and pumped the bulb a few more times with the lever up and could hear the fuel spraying into the manifold, I then turn the red lever back down and it still took a couple crankings but it started. Sierra makes a kit I'm going to try on mine to see if I can get the solenoid working so I don't have to switch the red lever everytime I start it. By the way once I get it started that first time it will start every time that day. Sierra Kit number is 18-7044, it looks like this kit fits all the solenoids, you might want to make sure it will fit yours.
Dragonfly 200

 

[reeldutch]

Re: 200 Evinrude, hard cold starts

how did the flywheel magnets look ???

 

[clifton63]

Re: 200 Evinrude, hard cold starts

how did the flywheel magnets look ???

Magnets looked ok. A little dusty but I cleaned them off. the coils under the flywheel (the area where the magnets pass over) has some powdery surface rust, but I cleaned them with a wire brush.

Doug,
I don't have a cold start lever, so is it acceptable to throttle up 1/2 way with gearshift in neutral.

 

[daselbee]

Re: 200 Evinrude, hard cold starts

Doug,
I don't have a cold start lever, so is it acceptable to throttle up 1/2 way with gearshift in neutral.

Yes that's exactly what you are supposed to do. I guess you are using a binnacle...disengage the binn lever, and run the throttle up a bit while still in neutral. This advances the timing. I know QuickStart is supposed to do this, but errrrrrr....sometimes....even when working right, QS is a bear, and you just have to run the throttle up.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: 200 Evinrude, hard cold starts

You cant hardly flood a V-6 as it dont get enough fuel at cranking anyway, it burns it off faster than primer can supply. They best way I have found to start these is to turn key on, pump bulb to rock hard,hold key in for 10 seconds and repeat. They start cranking it while holding key IN and throttle at 1/8-1/4 opening. You get enough fuel in it to wet crankcase it will pop off and go!!

 

[jlemberg]

Re: 200 Evinrude, hard cold starts

You cant hardly flood a V-6 as it dont get enough fuel at cranking anyway, it burns it off faster than primer can supply. They best way I have found to start these is to turn key on, pump bulb to rock hard,hold key in for 10 seconds and repeat. They start cranking it while holding key IN and throttle at 1/8-1/4 opening. You get enough fuel in it to wet crankcase it will pop off and go!!

Haha well finally. This worked for me. It only makes sense to reprime the bulb after the solenoid dumps all that fuel into the intake/carbs. Thats the part I was missing- works good.