# Motor turns over but won't start. Any ideas



## grino21 (Aug 29, 2006)

I have a 9.9 hp evinrude. Got out on the lake tonight as it started up fine. About a minute into the ride it just died on me. The motor will turn over but it just won't start. Sometimes it will start but then die within 5 seconds. It has good gas in it, seems like it is getting fuel because the ball is hard when I try to prime it.


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## johnrude (Mar 29, 2009)

spark issue ? what condition are the coils and condensers ? spark plugs ? can you test for spark ?


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## big_b16 (Oct 17, 2004)

johnrude is spot on. If it was running fine, then it wasn't...it's not the timing. All it can be is spark (if you've got fuel and air). Since it's turning over, it isn't siezed. I'd check for spark, then work from there. If there is spark, it has to be at the right time. If there isn't spark...you have to find out why (coil, stator, etc.).


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Heres one that I learned the hard way with, make sure the vent on the gas tank is open..DUHHHH, It ran for 10 minutes and then spent 2 hrs trying to restart it before getting towed in. Boy did I feel like an idiot...

Salmonid


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## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

Then you have spark. Obviously you have air unless you are running in a vacuum. So that leaves fuel. Even though the primer bulb is hard, that doesn't mean the engine itself is getting fuel- that just tells you that the fuel is getting to the carb.
Will it start on the choke? My thought is a clogged carb. It doesn't take much to block a passageway and cut off the fuel. My suggestion would be to take the carb off and give it a thorough cleaning. Pull the bowl and clean it out. Spray carb cleaner through every passageway in the body of the carb. Make sure the float is ok and make sure the needle and seat are impeccably clean. 9.9's aren't terribly complicated so it's not that big a job. 
If the carb is clean and you are still not getting any action, look at the fuel pump to be sure it is working. It is a vacuum operated pump- engine pulses work the diaphragm and that is what pulls the fuel from the tank. Leave the fuel line off the carb fitting and crank the engine- fuel should dribble out of the supply line. 
If the engine is more than a couple years old and sits for periods of time like most outboards, the fuel in the bowl will evaporate and leave residue behind. That stuff builds up and eventually clogs a jet or passageway. Even with ethanol that dissolves this stuff, you can still wind up with a clog. Good luck with it. 

UFM82


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Salmonid said:


> Heres one that I learned the hard way with, make sure the vent on the gas tank is open..DUHHHH, It ran for 10 minutes and then spent 2 hrs trying to restart it before getting towed in. Boy did I feel like an idiot...
> 
> Salmonid


Ditto on that. Closing the vent creates a vacume and the carb can't suck any gas....


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

make sure the gas hose flow is in the right direction.


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## nixmkt (Mar 4, 2008)

UFM82 said:


> If the engine is more than a couple years old and sits for periods of time like most outboards, the fuel in the bowl will evaporate and leave residue behind. That stuff builds up and eventually clogs a jet or passageway. Even with ethanol that dissolves this stuff, you can still wind up with a clog. Good luck with it.
> 
> UFM82


One thing my Dad taught me to prevent that is to disconnect the gas hose when approaching the dock at the end of the trip and let the motor run out of gas.


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## big_b16 (Oct 17, 2004)

nixmkt said:


> One thing my Dad taught me to prevent that is to disconnect the gas hose when approaching the dock at the end of the trip and let the motor run out of gas.



Not necessarily a good idea. 2-strokes use oil in the fuel for lubrication. If you're still running cylinders as the other ones die from starvation...they're running dry. Doesn't take long to score the walls and possibly sieze the engine. Granted...as a boy, I did this everytime I was done running the old 9.9 Merc and never had it sieze up. But when I thought about it...I didn't want to risk a large dollar engine block on the chance.


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## nixmkt (Mar 4, 2008)

big_b16 said:


> Not necessarily a good idea. 2-strokes use oil in the fuel for lubrication. If you're still running cylinders as the other ones die from starvation...they're running dry. Doesn't take long to score the walls and possibly sieze the engine. Granted...as a boy, I did this everytime I was done running the old 9.9 Merc and never had it sieze up. But when I thought about it...I didn't want to risk a large dollar engine block on the chance.


Good point. Have only had small outboards, a 6 and a 9.9. Experience has been similar to yours with your old 9.9 Merc. Probably 20+ years of use on each. Maybe we've just been lucky.


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