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40 ELO fuel & starter questions

Floydha

Member
Hi, I just bought a 17’ Jon boat fitted with a 40 HP Oil Injected Mariner motor ( 40 ELO, lE9L, SN: 430989 ). The seller told me that it ran well last season and hasn’t used it this year at all. He said that all “should” be fine ‘EXCEPT’ that he thought the key switch was broken because the electric start didn’t work and that the pull start would start it up ok….. (at 64 I can’t see myself pull starting a 40hp though).

First thing I did was to take the entire rig home for a cleaning and vacuuming. The wiring to the battery was a real cob job – I haven’t traced any of the wires yet until I know what should/shouldn’t be there in the first place. The fuel tanks were pretty cruddy with stale gas, and the oil injection unit was nothing more than a big mess.

Since I’m unsure of the nature of this beast I decided to replace any items that might cause problems….. I bought a new Marine Battery, 2 new fuel tanks and a new fuel line w/primer bulb.

Here’s where I need help from you folks:

1: What year is the motor?
2: I don’t trust the fuel injection unit, can I by-pass mixing the gas/oil at a 50:1 directly in the gas tank (as I did with my old Evinrude 40)?
3: To test the starter motor, can I use jumper cables from the new battery just to see if the unit spins?

I’ve been to the lake a few times in the last few days watching and learning the correct way and correct manners of boat launching. Towing isn’t a problem, been pulling trailers around most of my life…. I just want this to be a safe & enjoyable way to do a little, quite fishin’ without bothering anybody….. Thanks for helping.
 
..."To test the starter motor, can I use jumper cables from the new battery just to see if the unit spins?"

Yes, but be damn careful that you don't reverse the polarity or you'll fry the spark box.

Jeff
 
If your starter works when you jump it,might want to check the starter sileniod,could be that rather then key switch.
 
Ok, I installed the battery, and on a 'hope' I turned the key switch - it 'popped' the starter for just a fraction of a second and then nothing. So I took the battery off line and jumped it directly to the starter & it worked fine. It's probably a bad key switch. I'll order one tonight.

I'll keep you posted.
 
Ok, I installed the battery, and on a 'hope' I turned the key switch - it 'popped' the starter for just a fraction of a second and then nothing. So I took the battery off line and jumped it directly to the starter & it worked fine. It's probably a bad key switch. I'll order one tonight.

I'll keep you posted.

Try it again but don't turn so hard and back off a bit from full clockwise. The switch has a stop to keep the key from going too far clockwise and going right through and past the start contacts. Yours is worn to the point that it momentarily hits the start contacts as it goes past. Back off the turning pressure a bit and it should work fine while you are waiting for the replacement.
 
Don, You hit the nail squarly on the head with the key switch trick....!! I connected the battery back into the system, turned the key & ZILCH NADA, a VERY QUIET engine, THEN I tried it 'slowly' and sure enough, the 'sweet spot' is about 4-5 degrees short of the full turn. That was a darn good call on your part, thanks. I did order a new switch but now I know it IS a defective switch AND it let's me get on with my other wiring repairs.
 
Don, You hit the nail squarly on the head with the key switch trick....!! I connected the battery back into the system, turned the key & ZILCH NADA, a VERY QUIET engine, THEN I tried it 'slowly' and sure enough, the 'sweet spot' is about 4-5 degrees short of the full turn. That was a darn good call on your part, thanks. I did order a new switch but now I know it IS a defective switch AND it let's me get on with my other wiring repairs.

It is a lesson I will never forget because it drove me crazy on a 27 ft Carver I bought with dual stations and dual starting switches. I had the same problem and checked everything except the switches because 2 switches would never be bad at the same time and cause the same symptoms - WRONG - it was a 15 year old boat and both had the exact same worn stop problem - I discovered it after accidentally releasing the key a little bit on the flying bridge - went inside the cabin and sure enough - same worn pattern on both switches.
 
Don, "OUCH"!! I would never have looked at the switches on a dual system like you had.... fact is I didn't look at my own simple setup. Thanks again, you really helped me out.
 
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