Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

[Canadian Gunner]

I own a 2000 Evinrude 115 HP Ficht which I have had for about six years. It has always run like a top until this season when I was traveling at about half throttle and it cut out like someone had turned off the ignition switch. I tried to restart and it cranked fine but it wouldn't fire. Bulb was hard. I returned on my trolling motor that night and the next morning checked things out. Oil reservoir was a little low so I topped that up. Had lots of gas and was about 1/3 through a 110 liter on board tank. I was able to get the motor to fire a few times and it did run for a few seconds but would not stay running. Did some research on line and found that I should have been changing the fuel filter annually or after 100 hours and even though I do not put that many hours on every year, I changed the filter hoping that that was causing my issues. When I removed the old filter it was full of fuel. I tried starting the motor again with only limited firing of cylinders. The bulb was hard after priming. I removed the new filter to check it and found that the new filter was not full of fuel and wondered if that was an indicator of fuel pump issues. After attempting to start, you can hear a buzzing sound from the motor for a few seconds. The four warning lights go through their quick test on turning the ignition key and there are no issues with that. I am hoping that someone can point me in the right direction to sort this out as I am reluctant to pull my boat to the dealer and lose a big chunk of the boating/fishing season.

Thanks

Steve

 

[woody66912]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

Go to your local auto parts store and get a fuel pressure gauge, it has to read at least 40 psi at key on you should get 32-36. you check it on the return side. you should see a shrader valve on the fuel lines on the back of the engine.

 

[Canadian Gunner]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

Go to your local auto parts store and get a fuel pressure gauge, it has to read at least 40 psi at key on you should get 32-36. you check it on the return side. you should see a shrader valve on the fuel lines on the back of the engine.

Thanks, I will pick one up. If I get a value below 32-36 will that mean my fuel pump needs to be replaced?

 

[woody66912]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

Check it first and get back to us.

 

[dalc4life]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

WOW! I just bought a 01 lowe 180w with a 2000 115hp ficht attached to it last Friday. Didn't really get a chance to run it more than a couple of hours Friday and it ran like a top. Took it out TODAY and fished for a few hours, and on the way back to the boat ramp running at WOT the thing just bogged down and shut off like it had starved itself of fuel. It wouldn't refire and so i made the trolling motor ride of shame loading it onto the trailer. I haven't had a chance to look at it yet but could definitely use all the help anyone is giving. Will also post to this thread as far as results.
Mike

 

[woody66912]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

Hey guys I forgot to add, that if you do get 32psi on key up it should hold at 20 or so for 15 to 20 min. after you key off.

 

[boobie]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

When's the last time the plugs were changed and indexed ?? How's the compression and spark on it ??

 

[Canadian Gunner]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

I purchased a fuel injector pressure tester rated to 100 psi. Used the supplied adapter to directly connect the hose gauge to Schrader valve. Tested the fuel pressure using the Schrader Value at the rear of the engine. There was no pressure after turning ignition on. I can still hear a pump of some kind for a few seconds after turning the key. After disconnecting tester gauge I depressed the needle in the Schrader valve directly and no pressure was released.

 

[Canadian Gunner]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

When's the last time the plugs were changed and indexed ?? How's the compression and spark on it ??

The plugs were changed about 300 hours ago and not sure about the index question/issue. I have not done a compression test but have been getting some firing of the engine since it shut down while returning to my dock.

 

[woody66912]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

I purchased a fuel injector pressure tester rated to 100 psi. Used the supplied adapter to directly connect the hose gauge to Schrader valve. Tested the fuel pressure using the Schrader Value at the rear of the engine. There was no pressure after turning ignition on. I can still hear a pump of some kind for a few seconds after turning the key. After disconnecting tester gauge I depressed the needle in the Schrader valve directly and no pressure was released.

OK now we know we have no fuel pressure. Let's do a flow test. On top of the fuel pump is the discharge side, you will see a 90 degree fitting on that fitting is a red release button push it in and pull it off with you hand. "don't pry it" or you could bust the fitting off the pump. Place a piece of 3/8s hose on the discharge side on fuel pump, make sure it's long enough to put in some type of can. When you key on, you should see a stream fuel that is 3/8s. If you don't I would suspect that the screen on the fuel pump is clogged, or the pump is toast.I should also add that you will need to key on multiple times. And make sure you are priming your bulb while the pump is running.

try this and get back.

 

[boobie]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

Where is the screen on the fuel pump ?? Inside the vst or what ??

 

[woody66912]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

Where is the screen on the fuel pump ?? Inside the vst or what ??

There are two, one is on the return side, inside of the brass fitting on the bottom of the vst the other is in the inlet side of the pump neither are removable but can be cleaned somewhat, since the one in the brass fitting is on the return side you can't back blow because of the pressure regulator, the one in the pump is up inside about 3/4" and I have good luck just using compressed air.

boobie, I have had two jobs this summer where I have seen something I the fuel I have never seen. When you pull a fuel sample and let it separate the top layer is fuel next is something that looks flower it's pure white in color then of course if water is present it's at the bottom In both cases I was able to clean both screens. That white stuff has me confused as to what it is?.

 

[boobie]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

The only thing I can tell you about that is probably hear-say, but I've heard that if you mix ethanol fuel and non-ethanol and leave them sit for awhile you can get some weird reactions.

 

[Canadian Gunner]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

Just finished the flow test and heard the pump running for a few seconds each time key was turned. Turned the key several times and Bulb remained hard the entire time and there was no fuel flowing from the hose.

 

[woody66912]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

Ok let's back track, If no fuel flowed and the pump ran and the bulb stayed hard. then maybe you have a failed bulb, remove the bulb and splice the line together key on several times, if in fact the pump is good it will pull fuel if it does then the bulb has failed.

 

[Canadian Gunner]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

Bypassed the bulb. The hose coming off the discharge side of the pump was making some gurgling sounds and some drops of fuel did appear but no flow. I replaced the bulb and repeated the flow test and no fuel flowed. Repeated the fuel pressure test with the new bulb in place and still no pressure.

 

[woody66912]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

I think you are going to have to take the pump out of the vst. There is only one torxs screw holding the pump in place remove it and slide the bracket up, then pull the pump out and look at the screen and see if it's plugged.

 

[Canadian Gunner]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

I pulled the pump and used compressed air to clean the screen at the bottom of the pump. The air nozzle had a rubber tip and provided a good seal. I could feel air coming out the top of the pump. I replaced the pump and tried the flow test again and no fuel exited the pump and the bulb remained hard after it was initially primed.

 

[woody66912]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

well it's not looking good for the home team. One ? when you removed pump was the vst full of fuel. If it was then that means the pump is toast. this will come as a shock, but you can't just replace the pump this whole unit comes as a assembly. for a mere $728.00.
part # 439347
part# suppression # 5004428.

 

[Canadian Gunner]

Re: Evinrude 115 HP Ficht 2000 Stalled and will not restart

How would I have been able to tell if the vst was full of fuel? would fuel have come out of the hole left by the bottom of the pump?