new used boat owner

[mikeb200651]

Need to know a simple way to try to start 77chrysler motor without buying new battery. It will try to crank with car battery but don't seem to have the power to turn fast enough. Can't read controls on throttle and prop turns when try to crank. Any help?

 

[fisheymikey]

Re: new used boat owner

if the pro is turning u must have the lower unit in gear...

does the prop move freely? otherwise u might burn the starter

don't know the engine

 

[oldboat1]

Re: new used boat owner

got to either have the lower unit in a barrel of water or have a flusher attached -- need water to cool. In addition, impeller can be destroyed if spun dry. Car battery (maybe using jumper cables?) is likely not supplying enough current to the starter, but could also be a defective starter. As this is a new thread but refers to a motor you referenced before, supply motor description -- hp? Suspicious if prop is actually turning (i.e., in gear while starter is operating) -- should not be able to start in gear. Neutral safety switch.

more info.?

 

[mikeb200651]

Re: new used boat owner

The prop will turn just a little when try to crank. Using battery from wife's car, fully charged without cables. Can't read the labels to find neutral. The starter seems good. Have a flushing kit, just can't seem to get the motor to crank long enough to see if is a fuel issue or if firing. Can't find neutral. Is there a way without being able to read on throttle? I'm New to boats and this is an old 77 120 hp chrysler

 

[MickLovin]

Re: new used boat owner

Take the throttle and gear cable controls off the motor inside, make sure all your electrical connections are correct as in they normally have a colour code reference on the side of the motor, negative is normally last and the negative from the battery is bolted on beneath the starter, not on the starter. There are two cables going to your motor from the remote, one operates the gear and one the throttle. Your motor shouldn't start in gear as there is a neutral safety switch which is in contact with the gear cable.


The first picture is of the neutral safety switch with the yellow/black and yellow wires going to it, the top cable you see running under it is the gear cable, if this gear cable is in neutral, it has a lever on it which engages the neutral safety switch letting you start it, if this isn't in the correct position you might be starting the motor in gear, you may be able to adjust the neutral safety switch. To know you have the motor in neutral, the gear cable engages the neutral safety switch and also stops the throttle from over revving out of gear and stops revving to high when going into gear.My advice is get a MANUAL! they explain everything in regard to setting them up including what I have discussed, I may have not said it all precisely, but it is definately in the manual. The picture above is a 100HP Chrysler.

Just a thought when you try to up the throttle will it go all the way or does it stop 1/4 the way as there is a neutral start pull switch on the remote you need to pull out this stops the gear cable moving therefore leaving the motor in neutral till you pull the remote button out. You will not start this motor in gear if the neutral switch is correct.

 

[Justinde]

Re: new used boat owner

Hey Mike

Firstly, welcome to the best forum on the planet.

Your engine should be in neutral when the control levers are at 12 o'clock, or vertical, when rotating towards 9 o'clock, should engage forward, and towards 3 o'clock engage reverse.

My 1988/125 spins the prop when on the muffs/hose.

Check the compression.

is it a new engine to you??

Any engine needs just 3 things to work- compression/spark and fuel. Missing one, it won't go.

Start with the compression- that's the easiest. Then, the spark...... If you have them both......then check the fuel delivery. Could be a dud tank filter, or a dud pump....... I am sure that some others will intervene and give you more detail as to where to start looking at the fuel line/supply.

Check your compression first and let us know.... Also, your location may help, you may be close to help;-)

 

[MickLovin]

Re: new used boat owner

These motors also have a high cranking current draw, so you need a good battery with a high crank rating. Although in saying that mine starts with either my deep cycle or my little auxilary car battery. Specs for these motors were 145 - 165 psi, but mine runs fine at 125 psi all over, that's the key with compression, normally no more than 10% difference between cylinders or around 10 psi. If you your fuel line off from the carbie and crank your motor with a small container under the fuel line, this will check that your pump is ok and not pumping petrol into your crank. As I said the best place to start is with the manual, more so you get to know your motor. But as Just says compression spark fuel starts a two stroke.

You say you can't find neutral though, the remotes normally lock into neutral or clicks, mine does anyway.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: new used boat owner

If your trying to start it with jumper cables????
They aren't designed to allow enough amperage to turn the motor over.
They allow the battery to charge but won't allow a start
Most jumper cables have a 10 or maybe an 8 guage wire.
Your motor requires at least a 4.

The prop turning while it's trying to start?
Could be just the oil/friction.
The drive shaft always turns when the motor turns over.
The parts in the lower are pretty cllose.
It's thick oil will make the gears move.
Get heavier cables and do a compression test.

 

[mikeb200651]

Re: new used boat owner

Thanks everyone for the help. Found the neutral safety switch. Got that adjusted. I'm using a fully charged battery,( not sure off amps) wired directly to boat (no jumper cables). Can't seem to get enough to crank motor. Cranks just like a dead battery on car. Wife has put her foot down on New battery till she sees it's worth the 250 I spent on it. (With trailer) can't really diagnose further till can make it crank at full speed. Guess what I'm asking is if there's a way to hook 2 batteries together to increase cca without ruining electrical. Like I said am New to this. Guess getting a manual is smart thing to do also. Again thank everyone for the help thus far... I'm getting 12 volts at the starter. Just don't seem to be enough to crank.

 

[bun]

Re: new used boat owner

wee funny mechanic..is the engine turning over . YES .that's yer problem it should be bolted down ..ill get me coat

 

[MickLovin]

Re: new used boat owner

You may also have a problem with your starter motor drawing too much current, I know these motors draw a fair amount of current at start, but as I say I have had mine start on a small car battery. Best way is to get a manual and see if you can diagnose the problem from there. You could try two batteries in parallel it won't hurt the electrics unless you put it in series creating 24 volts then there will be a problem. These starter motors come off the motor pretty easily, why don't you take it off and take it to a auto electrician to test.
These motors are very easy to work on as well.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: new used boat owner

To find neutral, just move the shift selector to a spot where you can easily spin the prop by hand with no resistance. That's neutral. With the motor in neutral, the spray of water from a flusher will spin the prop, just like with your hand.

I agree with the above post. Don't fool around with multiple batteries. Pull the starter and take it to an automotive shop (or marine shop) and have it tested -- sounds like it may need a rebuild. If you have it rebuilt, insist on a marine rebuild (has to be ignition protected -- no sparks that might explode vapors.) I'm not sure I understand your earlier post. Is this a $250 boat, and there will be no more money for a battery? (or, presumably, a starter rebuild?) I think you need to at least have the stater tested to see what you have. That cost will be minimal.

 

[mikeb200651]

Re: new used boat owner

Thanks again for the suggestions.I found the boat and trailer for 250, and figuring the trailer is worth that bought it. Wife doesn't have a lot of faith that I will follow thru with fixing it up do has me on lock down till can show her it was well worth the price.( I'll get a battery when I can get away long enough)lanning on restoring it just wanna make sure motor is worth it. It's not locked up so I'm betting can get going again, just don't wanna start dumping money in it if can't. That's why trying to do what can without spending much yet. The boat hadn't been ran in couple of years.also live 40 mins from town and this gives me something to do without driving an hour

 

[oldboat1]

Re: new used boat owner

get the starter tested.

 

[mikeb200651]

Re: new used boat owner

Already took it off and taking it in tomorrow. Thank you for the help

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: new used boat owner



These were from a stater that worked,barely worked.
Try removing the plugs and turning it over.
If it turns then? the comp might be low on 1 or more cylinders.
The starter is easy to disasemble.

 

[MickLovin]

Re: new used boat owner

To find neutral, just move the shift selector to a spot where you can easily spin the prop by hand with no resistance. That's neutral. With the motor in neutral, the spray of water from a flusher will spin the prop, just like with your hand.

I agree with the above post. Don't fool around with multiple batteries. Pull the starter and take it to an automotive shop (or marine shop) and have it tested -- sounds like it may need a rebuild. If you have it rebuilt, insist on a marine rebuild (has to be ignition protected -- no sparks that might explode vapors.) I'm not sure I understand your earlier post. Is this a $250 boat, and there will be no more money for a battery? (or, presumably, a starter rebuild?) I think you need to at least have the stater tested to see what you have. That cost will be minimal.

I think what he is saying there is that there is no more money till he can prove to the "ONE WHO MUST BE OBEYED" that the motor will actually run and eventually power the boat he paid $250 for, don't worry oldboat1 he's under the thumb like most of us with the family funds . The only thing which does concern me though Mike is that you haven't mentioned compression, if the compression is bad, personally I wouldn't dump money into it. I bought a 100HP Chrysler for $350 and the only reason I bought it was it's condition and compression, plus I took the plugs out and it had been running good before being taken off the boat, the owner's only problem with the motor was that it did not idle properly which turned out to be the fuel diaphragm. But if the compression hadn't of been 130psi on top 3 cyls and 125 on bottom I wouldn't even of considered it. I bought a suzuki 115hp once and this is when I learnt not to buy a motor with uneven compression, the suzi would run great when you could get it to start but I knew it had lost power from new and when I finally did my own comp test I found a difference of 15psi between cylinders, which made it hard to start.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: new used boat owner

yup. familiar with funding issues where boats are concerned -- and the family politics! agree with the need for a basic compression test to see if it's worth saving, but needs a working starter to do that, yes? Maybe he could spin the flywheel enough by hand to get a compression reading -- not sure. And maybe it would be good if he just rocks the flywheel a little to see if there is some compression there(?)

 

[oldboat1]

Re: new used boat owner

wait. Assuming the starter isn't cranking it over well for whatever reasons, he still might be able to get a cylinder by cylinder compression test, as the overall compression in testing would be low enough to let him crank it -- maybe. thoughts?

Mike -- should be cheap just to have the starter checked (see you've pulled it). But before spending money to rebuild, agree compression should be checked if that can be done. Jerryjerry is suggesting you disassemble and check the starter yourself (and maybe rebuild it -- at least replace brushes?) I don't fool around with them, but depends on your skills and energy.

 

[mikeb200651]

Re: new used boat owner

Pulled all the plugs and it seemed to crank pretty good. Starter spins good just think it's not getting enough juice. Pulled off starter and wife taking to get it tested later. I'm not gonna even attempt to open it up. Thanks and I'll post the news when get more of an idea. Manual is gonna be a must for sure..... checked compression, had 120 at all 4.. tried to start using my truck as booster, no fire at plugs. Boat didn't come with ignition or key, have been jumping it off under starter. Is there a kill switch I don't know about? Or am I just missing something?