not firing all the time

[ddeforest]

I have a 97 200hp evinrude.. at this moment it wont fire but yesterday it did the same thing then started firing and started good the next three times. this morning no fire thanks

 

[daselbee]

Re: not firing all the time

Check the safety kill lanyard...make sure it is not intermittent.
Wiggle it around while starting to see if it causes spark to quit.
Try that first, then there are other specific things to try.

 

[ddeforest]

Re: not firing all the time

i dont know a whole lot about the engine but i held the choke in for eight seconds and turned it over and it fired the first time.. could that be the problelm.. also on the left side of the motor is a red lever that points down and you can rotate it. what is that and what does it do thanks

 

[daselbee]

Re: not firing all the time

Well, I am not sure now what you are describing as the problem.

But to answer your questions, you are describing the primer solenoid. It has a red lever that should be pointed "down" toward the base of the solenoid when in the normal run position. Rotate it for manual start mode.

Are you saying you have no spark, or are you saying that it will not start? Different things...these two.

Try this....engine cold...pump primer bulb til firm. Rotate the red lever to manual position as I described above, and pump primer bulb 2 more times. Rotate red lever back to normal run position. Try start.

If it starts, your problem is likely improper starting procedure.

 

[ddeforest]

Re: not firing all the time

just wondering what the red lever was but my problem is it will not fire all the time.. if you keep starting on it it will fire and crank everytime after.. let set over night and no fire the next morning

 

[daselbee]

Re: not firing all the time

Ok...primer solenoid acts like the old style choke. It enriches the fuel mix to the cylinders, and just like a choke, should only be needed when the engine is cold.

Red lever down (aligned with solenoid body) is the normal run position.
When you turn the lever manually, you open the fuel valve inside there, and allow the extra fuel to flow to the cyls.

Pressing the key in causes the valve to click, and opens the valve electrically, from up at the helm, allowing you to enrichen the mixture without having to take the hood off.

Here is my starting procedure; I have the same engine.

Engine cold. Pump primer bulb til firm. Raise fast idle lever a bit. You will have to experiment with how much to raise it for your engine. Press and hold key in... WHILE CRANKING. When engine starts, you may need to bump the key in a few more times as it may tend to stall until it warms up.

Feather down the fast idle lever as it warms up until it will run at a reliable idle.
Don't run it faster than 1500 rpm's or so. No need to race it way up there for a starting procedure.

That's how I do it.