Cold Start Issue - Merc 4.3LX

[jrclocks]

Hi,

I'm new this forum.

Recently bought a 1995 Rinker Captiva 190 with the Merc 4.3LX engine. I've been out of boating for a while. Previously, we had a 1989 Rinker Captiva 186 with the same engine.

As I recall, to start our previsous boat when cold, I neutral pumped the throttle to WOT once and pulled it back to a fast idle and the engine started right up.

We've only had the new boat out once, but it is harder starting that the old 186 was.

All other aspects of performance are fine (warm start, idle, acceleration, WOT rpm, etc). Only a cold start issue.


Questions:

How many times should I have to pump the throttle to get a good cold start? Hoping others with this engine will chime in with their experience. Maybe my old boat was a fluke.

If others have the one pump experience like my old boat, what should be my first step? New fuel filter? New accelerator pump? Choke adjustment? Check the anti-syphon valve? Other thoughts?

Thanks for the help,
JR

 

[Volphin]

Re: Cold Start Issue - Merc 4.3LX

More than likely a minor choke adjustment will clear it up. Remove the Flame arrestor and examine the choke position and the upper butterfly position. The butterfly should be closed or have a slight gap. If it does not, loosen the choke screws and rotate it until it is properly set, then retighten the screws. The choke is simply a concentric spring that heats up and expands with voltage... opening the butterfly slowly as the engine requires a less rich fuel condition. Also check that the linkage is not binding and the fast idle linkage is working properly. If this checks out, look down the carb throat with the engine off. Have a friend move the shifter full forward. Examine the fuel streams entering the carb. Are they strong? If not, an accelerator pump or carb rebuild may be in order.

This is not a fuel pump nor filter issue if it is only a hard start when cold condition.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Cold Start Issue - Merc 4.3LX

Hi,

I'm new this forum.

Recently bought a 1995 Rinker Captiva 190 with the Merc 4.3LX engine. I've been out of boating for a while. Previously, we had a 1989 Rinker Captiva 186 with the same engine.

As I recall, to start our previsous boat when cold, I neutral pumped the throttle to WOT once and pulled it back to a fast idle and the engine started right up.

We've only had the new boat out once, but it is harder starting that the old 186 was.

All other aspects of performance are fine (warm start, idle, acceleration, WOT rpm, etc). Only a cold start issue.


Questions:

How many times should I have to pump the throttle to get a good cold start? Hoping others with this engine will chime in with their experience. Maybe my old boat was a fluke.

If others have the one pump experience like my old boat, what should be my first step? New fuel filter? New accelerator pump? Choke adjustment? Check the anti-syphon valve? Other thoughts?

Thanks for the help,
JR

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,.... Yer motor's got the Merc/ Webber 4 bbl. don't it,..??

That carb is known to bleed off it's fuel bowls into the intake, causin' hard starts quite often,...

Short term shut downs, say 1/2 hour, it might be flooded, 'n ya need to restart at Wot,...

Long term, say a week, the carb is empty of fuel, 'n ya gotta crank the motor over to let the fuel pump refill the bowl,...

Then pump it a time or 2 to Wot, I haul back to 'bout 3/4ers, 'n Light her off,...

 

[jrclocks]

Re: Cold Start Issue - Merc 4.3LX

Thanks for the insight.

The boat is in storage at the lake. I'll follow up on everyone's suggestions this weekend.

I had the 2 bbl in my old boat. I haven't had the cover off this carb yet, so I printed the section of the manual on choke adjustment for all 3 carbs. I'll also check for a stream of gas from the accelerator pump while I'm there.

While reading other threads, some have mentioned "seafoam" for the carb. What is this and would it help my issue?

Thanks again,
JR

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Cold Start Issue - Merc 4.3LX

SeaFoam is a fuel system additive. You add it to the fuel to stabilize the fuel. It also acts as a great fuel system "cleaner". Some call it snake oil, some call it other things, and I use it in every internal combustion I own. You cannot use too much of this stuff as it does not hurt anything and can only help with certain fuel related issues. It will not correct a carburetor adjustment, leakage, or engine mechanical issue. In other words, it is not a bandage in a can.

 

[jrclocks]

Re: Cold Start Issue - Merc 4.3LX

Follow up...

Spent yesterday on the water, 2nd time out with the boat.

It is the Weber 4bbl. I believe this makes it a 205 hp, correct?

After setting in the storage lot for a week, I removed the flame arrestor and checked the choke clearance. It was to spec. So I had the wife push the throttle to WOT. Nice stream of fuel shot down the primaries. So 1 week wasn't long enough for the bowl to evaporation or bleeding into the intake.

At initial startup, I primed it 3 more times and it started up great. Short term shutdowns (like changing skiers), it started up in neutral. Longer shutdowns (2 hours) and it needed a single priming pump to start up.

Ran well all day, great family time!

So I guess I just needed a little more time to figure it out.

I added Seafoam to the fuel tank as a preventative measure.

Thanks to all for the advise.
JR

 

[achris]

Re: Cold Start Issue - Merc 4.3LX

It is the Weber 4bbl. I believe this makes it a 205 hp, correct?

Correct...

 

[alldodge]

Re: Cold Start Issue - Merc 4.3LX

Follow up...

Spent yesterday on the water, 2nd time out with the boat.

It is the Weber 4bbl. I believe this makes it a 205 hp, correct?

After setting in the storage lot for a week, I removed the flame arrestor and checked the choke clearance. It was to spec. So I had the wife push the throttle to WOT. Nice stream of fuel shot down the primaries. So 1 week wasn't long enough for the bowl to evaporation or bleeding into the intake.

At initial startup, I primed it 3 more times and it started up great. Short term shutdowns (like changing skiers), it started up in neutral. Longer shutdowns (2 hours) and it needed a single priming pump to start up.
Ran well all day, great family time!

So I guess I just needed a little more time to figure it out.

I added Seafoam to the fuel tank as a preventative measure.

Thanks to all for the advise.
JR

My 95 7.4 Rinker has simular issues but most the time after it has warmed up it just takes a bit more cranking (sure love efi). Other then the priming for first start it does great

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Cold Start Issue - Merc 4.3LX

You all make good points. But truthfully, EFI is great. Easy, efficient, dependable, the list goes on. Carb & old school distributor has it's positives too. Ease of care, traditional, cheaper parts, pride in a (complicated) job well done, no scanner.

 

[flynnhart1]

Re: Cold Start Issue - Merc 4.3LX

I added this circuit to my 1997 Sea Ray 185 with an Edelbrock 1409 4bbl carb. The 1409 is basically an exact copy of the Weber and it too seems to “drain” the fuel bowls after long periods of sitting. This circuit supplies 12V to the the fuel pump for 10 seconds (adjustable) when the ignition key is turned on and then transfers the 12V to the normal fuel pump circuit (i.e. - via the oil pressure safety switch). With this circuit I don’t have to run the starter for the time necessary to fill the fuel bowls; I just turn the ignition key to the on position, wait ten seconds (fuel bowls fill) and then start the engine. A momentary switch will do the same thing, but I wired this into the ignition switch and the stock wiring harness and it is essentially transparent to the boat.



EDIT: While this may be some good information to leave on this thread, let's let this one settle back down into the archives again. Thank you, iboats Moderation team.

flynnhart1 did start a thread of his own of this same subject if interested,
http://forums.iboats.com/mercruiser...s/4-3l-4bbl-hard-cold-start-issue-634912.html