4.3 motor electrical gremlins

[gfenning]

Serial Number: 0M011624 Model Number: 4211015N1 Outdrive Alpha1, Gen II

Previous owner was impeccable. I can eat off the block. When I went to pick it up, it was on the hard. With water to the muffs the engine fired up with the help of a bit of ether. Ran strong and temps were coming up as they should have. When owner hit Trailer switch on throttle, engine died. Hasn't re-started since, but will run on the ether.
1. Electric fuel pump and oil pressure sensor are both new.
2. Checked emergency cutoff at throttle assembly, even bypassed it. (I have a lanyard on order to go in it's place).
3. Fuel level is 50%. I do not know how old the fuel is but it ran strong till Trailer switch was hit.
4. Battery is strong. I've ordered new ground bus and will be replacing all ground wire terminals at the bus when it arrives.
5. Trim up, down, trailer up, and guages all work. All circuit breakers under column and in engine compartment are good.

Electric fuel pump was just installed as he thought that was the problem. I feel it is an electrical gremlin. My next step is to call in a priest and have an exorcism on it.

 

[alldodge]

Howdy

First, stop using either, that is hard on the motor. If it won't start on gas, it has a problem

Pull the fuel filter and dump the contents into a clear container and let it sit for a bit. It should be clear, with no yellow and no water in the bottom.

Smell the gas, and it should smell like gas

Take a gas can and a short piece of fuel line and place line in can and connect to the fuel filter housing. Fill filter with clean fresh gas and try again

If it does not start
Pull distributor cap and look
Run thru the TBV troubleshooting guide

 

[Rick Stephens]

Need three things to run: Fuel, Spark, Compression.

See if you have fuel going into the carburetor. Pull the line off the carb, stick in a empty bottle and crank the motor - anything coming out?

Use a $12 spark gap tester and pull a spark plug wire and hook it up. Crank the motor - any spark?

Do a compression check on your motor. Need to know baseline on a new to you motor anyway.

 

[gfenning]

I've ordered a spark gap tester. Once the new ground bus gets here I will install it (and new terminators) and go through the other items mentioned. The TBV troubleshooting guide is priceless. I had seen it before and was thinking the problems were more electrical (ground) than fuel. I'll keep you informed of my progress.