I think I broke my motor. Has to be something simple.

UGH. 1998 Evinrude 90HP. The tachometer was getting wonky so I tried to replace it with a nearly-identical Faria off Amazon. Got it in and tried to fire it up to make sure it worked. I can see the starter revs on the gauge but now the motor refuses to start. Disconnected the tach and it still won't start. Just cranks - healthy cranks. It's been running great as recently as Friday. It has gas, I can hear the choke click. Is there a fuse or something I might have shorted or ?

(wonky tach means reading 5000-ish at mid-throttle and tapping it corrects it, etc. Thought this would be easy.)

Checked the main fuse on the motor. It's fine.

There are 2 different 90 HP models in 1998.-----A 90 degree crossflow and a 60 degree looper.----Post the model #

racerone said:

There are 2 different 90 HP models in 1998.-----A 90 degree crossflow and a 60 degree looper.----Post the model #

Click to expand...

Thank you. It's a 90 deg (E90ELECM).

I must've done something stupid like flood it with the primer bulb. In the time I was swapping the tach back to see if that was somehow the problem it struggled and fired. Put the new tach back in and it's fine.

Sorry for the noise.

Ugh it did it again. Been out several times since the first instance and it's been fine. Totally normal.

This morning I backed down the ramp, it started fine. Pulled to the dock, tied up, and shut it off.
Parked the truck, got in to leave, and it wouldn't start. Same thing. Once or twice it fired like one ignition then stopped. Most of the time it just cranked. I tried choked, unchoked, and partially-open throttle out of gear.

Like before, time was my friend and it eventually started. Stopped and started it a few times without issue and went fishing. Fired right up the rest of the day as usual and ran fine.

Wonder if the choke is bad or something... I've never had a problem after it's been running/warm... It starts pretty much instantly when I'm out.

The engine family is W1PXM0105210

I still can not help.------According to your model # it is a 60 degree V-4.

Please excuse my ignorance and thank you for your patience. I am probably confused because it's a 90HP (not 90deg) and it came with an FSM for the 90deg motors when I bought it (P/N 507267).

That is the 60 degree looper with optical ignition.----The factory service manual for a 90 degree crossflow is not much help to you.-----Clean the vapor separating tank.----Replace filters.----Perhaps replace / clean filter screen in the electric primer valve.-----You are pushing the key in AND holding it in while cranking it over ?

Yes, definitely activating the choke at the switch when cold starting. With the cowling off I can hear something happen when I push the key in. Next time I have it running I'll do the RPM drop test. Thanks for the list of other things to do/check.

Another symptom that might be related based on what you mentioned there is sometimes I can pump and pump and pump the primer bulb and it never becomes firm. This has not impacted starting in the past. Sometimes it works exactly as expected.

I got the correct FSM (520210). Thanks.

The bulb has to go hard.----So you have a defective / cheap bulb.----Or a leak in a carburetor / hose or even inside the fuel tank ( pick up tube ) perhaps.