97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

[BoatinJoe13]

I recently picked up a boat with 5.7 GL PLKD engine. Initially it was running but only for a short time and any throttle would kill the engine. The previous owner said it sat for 2 years and he was sure it was just bad gas, as did I. It is a Holley 2300 2V carb.

I ordered a repair kit and took it apart. Several metering holes were fairly plugged. Put back together (took my time and it appears to have gas flowing fine, accelerator pump will squirt gas with full throttle. No way to check float level on these carbs that I know of). Problem is I can't get it to even run for a little bit now.

I've looked at many threads here. Initially I wondered if the kill switch was an issue. I finally removed that temporarily. With it gone and Key On I get 11 or so volts at the coil (checking on engine ground). I do get spark when tested with a spare plug on the block. Also after cranking a while the plugs do have gas on them. Put in new plugs to be safe. Checked compression and all 8 were 165-170.

I even tried to remove the grey wire from my tach as someone pointed that out. Any help or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Menard666]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

Have you checked the timing? Carb'd engines are very basic. You need fuel, spark and air. You say you have fuel and spark, I'm assuming your intake is clear. Is your spark a nice blue or is it a weak white?

 

[BoatinJoe13]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

I did not check the timing. I will say I've heard it run for about 20 seconds at a fast idle and it sounded really good. Perhaps my rookie assumption but I'd assume that means timing should be good, as it did run. When I had the carb off intake looks clear.

As for the spark, to me it was a dim white. I will also say that initially I tested with the kill switch and a spare plug on a wire touching the block. I got a white spark. I then pulled the lanyard and repeated. I still got a white spark! That part I don't understand.

More testing tonight.

 

[Don S]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

Pour some gas in the carb and see if it will start and run for a second or two on that gas.

 

[BoatinJoe13]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

Pour some gas in the carb and see if it will start and run for a second or two on that gas.

Don, I didn't pour any in but I did give it 3 full squirts of gas from the accelerator pump. Still nothing. I can see gas in the intake past the butterflies. Would you consider that a valid test?

I could try again now that I've bypassed the safety lanyard. Thanks for the ideas so far everyone.

 

[Don S]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

I've looked at many threads here. Initially I wondered if the kill switch was an issue. I finally removed that temporarily. With it gone and Key On I get 11 or so volts at the coil (checking on engine ground). I do get spark when tested with a spare plug on the block.

For one thing, with under 12 volts, it's not going to start. You might get spark, but I would bet it's yellow.

1. Charge the batteries up it will probably start.
2. If it doesn't start, pull the coil wire out of the center of the distributor cap, hold it 3/8 to 1/2 inch from a good clean un-painted ground and crank the engine. You should see a blue white spark easily snap across the gap.
3. Are you sure that is gas coming out of the carb and not water ?????????

 

[BoatinJoe13]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

1. Charge the batteries up it will probably start.
Swapped with a fresh battery 12.48, with key off. Key On Coil measured 11.68 V.

2. If it doesn't start, pull the coil wire out of the center of the distributor cap, hold it 3/8 to 1/2 inch from a good clean un-painted ground and crank the engine. You should see a blue white spark easily snap across the gap.
Did this and I saw a nice blue/yellow spark. Would not want to get hit by that.

3. Are you sure that is gas coming out of the carb and not water
100% sure, I'm bypassing the tank and getting it from a 5 gal can.

Odd, first time I hit the switch after sitting all day it burped maybe 3 or 4 times and since then I can't get it to fire at all. Only time it even sounds a little like it wants to start is with the throttle held wide open.

I did spray a pretty sizable about of gas down the carb just to make sure, but nothing. ??? Seriously this thing is stressing me out! Don you are great with all the help you provide on these forums!

 

[Don S]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

When was the last time it had a full tuneup, plugs, cap, rotor, a compression test etc.?

have you looked at the spark plugs to see if they are wet?

As far as voltage to the coil, how exactly are you testing the voltage? Where are your meter test leads?

 

[BoatinJoe13]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

Just put in new plugs R43TS gapped to .035. I did a compression test all were 165-170 with plugs out (5 pumps per cyl). I did pull the cap off to look inside briefly and it looked ok, but I did not take apart and inspect (is it possible I didn't get cap on right? I didn't touch the wires). I'm assuming cap/rotor/wires are all original.

Plugs are damp when I pulled a couple to look at them.

Coil has 2 purple wires, I'm using Red lead on that. On the other side is one black and one gray. I'm not using that, just engine ground for my black test lead. I took your advice from other post and removed the gray wire from my tach to make sure it's not interfering.

 

[BoatinJoe13]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

Sorry to put 2 responses back to back.

Do you think it's wise for now to continue jumping the purple wire that is normally interrupted by the kill switch? Obviously I won't leave it like this but it's one less variable to worry about, but I want to make sure I'm not hurting anything either.

 

[Don S]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

It may be flooded.

Remove your jumper and see if you still have the same spark, that will answer that question.

 

[BoatinJoe13]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

I tested same voltage at coil with jumper wire and with safety lanyard and I get no voltage with the lanyard either connected or disconnected so I'm assuming #1 that's bad. (when I get an assistant I'll verify that finding with a spark from the coil wire).

As for flooding this is going on 4 days so far and it's never once tried to fire over.

One other variable, every so often I can't get the starter to engage and I have to wiggle on the shifter for it to engage the starter. Is there a kill switch or another safety mechanism with the throttle linkage that could be doing this? I would think there would be no spark if that's the case.

 

[Don S]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

Got me...........

 

[BoatinJoe13]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

I'm even more confused on that safety lanyard. I tried 3 scenarios:

Jumper wire
- I get 11.6 volts at coil, I get a great spark

Lanyard connected
- I get no voltage at coil and I get a great spark

Lanyard pulled from switch
- I get no voltage at coil and I get a great spark

How are those things supposed to work? Time to break out the Whisky? I'll continue any further tests with the jumper wire.

 

[Don S]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

You have a purple wire coming from the starter (outboard small terminal) that supplies power to the coil during cranking. That's why you have spark when cranking.

 

[BoatinJoe13]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

Great info. So in reality, the jump wire may not be needed right now simply because it's not even trying to start. If I did get it to fire and it won't keep running then perhaps the jumper wire would come back into play, if I'm following the right line of troubleshooting.

 

[BoatinJoe13]

Re: 97 5.7 GL PLKD will not start, not even briefly

Well good news to report, and hopefully this helps someone else as a multi variable problem is never easy.
1. Stator was cracked after removing it. It would actually turn several degrees on the distributor shaft due to the crack. Obviously threw the timing way off. $7 part and it wanted to fire immediately but ...

2. Safety lanyard was indeed shot. It would try to fire with Key in Start position but immediately die in Run. If one person pulled on the switch (further than the lanyard would) it ran like a champ. So the fix until I get a new one, was a zip tie that forced it out further than the lanyard.

3. To be safe I drained all the gas and will run in lawnmower for the year. The carb kit now makes me barely hit the starter and it's idling without any additional throttle.

Many thanks to all who posted here for help. Hopefully I can just watch the forum and not post for a while!