Battery problem on 88' 85hp Force..rope start?

[Dustin099]

I took the boat out today and anchored out for a few hours to do some fishing. When I decided to move spots- the battery did not have the power to turn the motor over. Although it wouldn't turn over my outboard it had no problem powering my trolling motor enough to make it back to the dock (1/2 mile).

I have two questions-

Does the 85hp Force (without power trim/tilt) recharge the battery?

Is there a way to rope crank the engine in these emergency situations?

 

[TwoFish]

Re: Battery problem on 88' 85hp Force..rope start?

Yes it should recharge your battery. Are you sure the battery is OK and the connections are clean? You should be getting 14.5 volts to the battery with the motor running 1500 rpms or above.

You can use a short cord on the flywheel to start the motor in theory. I have a 1998 75 hp & I could not even get it to turn when I tried it. I may just be as weak as and need to man up a bit but I?m not relying on this method to get me going if I have a battery failure. I?ll be interested to see if anyone else can manage it.


Cheers
Dean

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: Battery problem on 88' 85hp Force..rope start?

Profile,fill it out,U might be close to someone who can help.Yes U can pull start the 85.As long as the choke can be held in while your doing it.
It WON"T be easy but can be done.Best thing get a second battery and a switch.Make sure they are hot when U leave the dock.Install a volt meter.J

 

[JB]

Re: Battery problem on 88' 85hp Force..rope start?

What do you mean by "turn it over"? Do you mean the engine turns slowly, turns but won't start or won't rotate at all??

Your troller draws maybe 40 amps, your starter draws maybe 400 amps. The tinyest bit of hidden corrosion in one of the connections from the battery will allow a fully charged battery to run your troller but only turn the starter weakly or not at all. I don't think there is anything wrong with your battery or charging system.

It will cost you nothing but a few minutes to remove and clean every connection from the battery to the starter and to the engine block. My guess is that will solve your problem.

Good luck.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Battery problem on 88' 85hp Force..rope start?

Yes, I do it all the time! Since the ignition system is self energising and not related to the battery charging system, these engines can be rope started just like a smaller magneto ignition trolling engine. And yes, the engine does have a battery charging system.

Take a length of about 4 feet of STOUT cord WITH A HANDLE. Lawnmower starting cord works well. Put a knot in the free end. Turn on the ignition key. If the engine is cold, block the choke closed and set the control handle in fast idle position. Wrap the cord around the flywheel three times. Brace one foot on the splashwell and with two hands on the rope handle, pull hard. The engine will fire and run. Unblock the choke. It is not very easy, but also not too difficult. When properly braced and using two hands, a person of average strength can pull over the engine fast enough to start it. The key here is speed. These ignition systems need about 400 RPM cranking speed to generate enough voltage to fire the plugs.

The rope will whip, so be certain that no one is directly behind or to the side. They will get hurt. Practice a couple of times on dry land so you know what to do when stuck on the water.