New here and very frustrated!!!

About a month ago I bought a new to me boat, a 1992 Spectrum 1706 boat with a 90 hp Force. Just wondering if anyone can help here a little. Well I thought I had a gas delivery problem, and still might. I bought an external tank and new hose filled it with 6gallons and a quart of oil and put it on the boat (I wont go in to detail about the tank leaking all over the truck bed and the boat!!!!). I can now prime the bulb and seems like there is gas going to the motor (I pulled the plugs and they are wet). Now I try and start the motor and it seems like the battery is dead or almost dead. Tried charging it but the motor tries to turn but very slowly. I hooked the jumper cables up to the truck and to the battery and still the same?!?!

Gas issue, not sure?
Battery issue, not sure now?

One thing I did notice was the starter would pop up to start the motor and not always drop back down when the key was disengaged. The last time I tried to start the motor the starter stayed up and when I took a little pressure off of it from the fly wheel it dropped back down?!!?

Starter issue??

I am going camping with the family in 2 weeks and we are supposed to take the boat to Sampson for a few days. I would really like to have this issue fixed and be able to sue the boat with out being too worried about getting stranded on the lake!!

Thinking I should try and find a mechanic and try and get it fixed, if that can happen it 2 weeks!!! Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks,
Mike

Mike, Does the engine spin by hand with the plugs out?

Welcome!!! Fill out the profile,loction?? You might be close to someone who can help? It sounds like you need to do a compression test.Get a hot battery.Remove all 3 plugs. Install the tester and let it turn over until the guage stops going up. But before you check that: check the battery,load test it.Jumping doesn't always work.Some jumper cables jut don't carry enough voltage and sould be thrown out??? Then check all the connections.The grounds too. Check the starter,it could be dirty,shorted or just bad! The springs and other parts were in a starter that was barely working.Post the results of the compression test.

Yes, I can spin it by hand with AND with out the plugs in. Easier with the plugs out. Sorry I am not much of a motor guy, what does this tell you?? Thank you very much for the quick reply!!

Sorry, I will update my profile soon. I live in Big Flats NY, which is in between Elmira and Corning, about 2 hrs south or Rochester NY. Like I said I am not much of a motor guy, and not sure how to check compression. I will ask around at work to see if some one can help me out with that, I know a few car guys and they may be able to help. Also just to let you know, I did have the battery load tested and it holds a charge but looses charge under load, not tribally bad but it does (checked at interstate battery). The connections seem to be good, no corrosion but maybe a little rust on the negative side, but not bad enough to cause this I would not think. Thanks again for the replies!!!

"what does this tell you??" Just trying to isolate a reason for "motor tries to turn but very slowly" in your first post. Since the engine spins freely you'll need to troubleshoot the starter system.

Does the motor turn over with the starter when the plugs are out? You need to jump it at the solenoid. If someone does do a comp test and they use the key to turn it over. They will need to ground out the plugs. If not then you can blow the power packs. I use a #10 wire stripped back on both ends. View attachment 7302View attachment 7303

Sorry I miss spoke, I put in 16 oz to the recommended 6 gallons. On the back of the bottle was one bottle to 6 gallons = 50:1 mix. Not sure why I said quart?!?!

My battery takes a charge, and holds it. I took it in to and had it tested and under load it looses juice quickely. Maybe I should just get a new battery and start there?!?1

Our department electrical wizzard here at work is going to look at my starter tomorrow morning and let me know what I need to do with it. I wish I took it off last night and brought it in today!!!

Thanks for the relpies!!

Same symptoms mine had, it was the starter.......

I have an '86, 50 horse Force outboard on my fishing boat. It took me two failed family vacations to realize that the ground connections are should be inspected and cleaned regularly. In fact, if you continue to crank with a bad ground you can cause damage to your battery, starter, and who knows what else.Tightening the nut and cleaning it from the top will not be enough.The contact point in between must be excellent. Remember, any time two dissimilar metals come into contact, there will be corrosion in between.

Thanks for the replies! I took the starter off and brought it in to work and it was infact broken. The holder that holds the brushes was broken the they were a bit worn. I took it in to get is rebuilt last night and will get it back today and give it a try.

mixd - The guy at the repair shop told me that I should change the position of the ground (black wire) from the side of the motor and bolt it to the bottom of the starter as the starter calls for the most juice in all of the motor. Is yours bolted to the side of the block it self? This is where mine is and wondring if I should change the location of it to the bottom of the starter? Either way I am going to remove it and clean it up before I reinstal my starter.

Hope this works!! If it works I will be on the water Saturday with the kids!!!

bigflatsmike said:

Thanks for the replies! I took the starter off and brought it in to work and it was infact broken. The holder that holds the brushes was broken the they were a bit worn. I took it in to get is rebuilt last night and will get it back today and give it a try.

mixd - The guy at the repair shop told me that I should change the position of the ground (black wire) from the side of the motor and bolt it to the bottom of the starter as the starter calls for the most juice in all of the motor. Is yours bolted to the side of the block it self? This is where mine is and wondring if I should change the location of it to the bottom of the starter? Either way I am going to remove it and clean it up before I reinstal my starter.

Hope this works!! If it works I will be on the water Saturday with the kids!!!

Click to expand...

Its good that you are being taken care of. I have seen that not all mechanics want to work on Force motors.During my last family vacation, the mechanic there said"may the force be with you,"and "go buy yourself a merc." He did not even check the wiring. He is no longer part of that team and there now is a sign proclaiming that they fix Force motors as well. Progress. LOL. I still have my ground on the side of the block, but i also have one going to the starter.Good luck, and good boating.

The factory put it on the side of the block.Unless the whole motor is suffering from galvanic corrosion??? Then a ground is a ground. You can have a bad connection on the starter as well?? The block uses a 5/16 bolt.the starter base is under a 1/4-20 Which will give a better ground?? A second ground from the original to the starter is a good idea. Just remember the more you put in? The more that can fail.

Thanks for all your hlep guys, I got it started!!! I left the wires all hooked up where they were, but I did look at the ground and cleaned it up. I dont think I had to but I did. Well after getting a new battery the starter wanted to turn over a little faster. I got the starter rebuilt and it wanted to turn over quite a bit faster but still nothing. I got ahold of the previous owner and asked her if they had any tricks that they used to use after is had sat for a while? She told me that they usually sprayed a little bit of starter fluid in the carbs after it sat for a while. Well I went to walmart and picked up a can and took the air intake off. Well I got 5 of the 6 screws off and at least Iwas able to move it to the side adn spray into 2 of the carbs. Just a tiny bit was all it needed and it started!!! I ran it for a little bit (5-10 min) so some of the seafoam could get through the motor and then I turned it off. waited about 15 minutes and it started right back up, let it run for a bit longer and turned it off. Waited a couple hours and restarted it and no problem. I even tried the next morning and started no problem.

Well I am going to try and get out this week and see how she runs but not sure if time will allow. If I am not able to then I will get her out this weekend as we are going camping. I hope I dont have any problems with the internal gas tank and the vent line and bulb not getting hard. That is what I am going to be working on next. Good thing I got the new external gas tank.....

Should I be concerned about having to use the starter fluid, os is it just that the motor is 21 years old and it just needs a little kick to get started?

Thanks again!!

Mike

ANYTIME you need starting fluid,you strip the oils from the metal. If the motor won't start without it??? Then there is still a problem. You do the compression test? If your motor won't start within a 30 seconds, then there is problem?? My motors are 25 and don't need that to start.