Where do I stick the garden hose?

[luvtheBU]

Dang ! I wish I could get My Wife to change the boat plugs and the IMPELLER TOO ! luvtheBu your Awesome

Hope you get the boat all tuned up.

I have to learn it cost to dang much and they take too long to fix it if it brakes and you have to take it to the marina, I get PMS when it's over 75 degrees and we aren't out on the water, plus I promised hubby I would so I could fib about the true meaning of BustOutAnotherThousand, I couldn't talk him into a new boat with warrany so I got hopefully a good used boat that just needs basics. So far he has taught me to pull plugs, gap plugs and put back in. Now he wants me to pull out plug leave it attached to coil and try to dry start to check for spark.

I like XT104 idea, because Wakegirl said check distributor, I just wasn't sure what I should be looking for. I am a little confused though, you pull out the center wire, is there a plug in there? Do I put the plastic part of the screwdriver in there and then point it towards the engine and leave it about 1/8 in away and have someone start it?

It's easy.

Locate your distributor (it is where the other end of all the spark plugs come together on the back side of the motor).

There will be nine "spark plug" wires coming out of the top of it. The 8 outside wires are spark plug wires and the center one is the one you are after (the other end goes to your coil).

Unplug the center wire from the distributor. The other end will still be connected to the coil.

Holding the screwdriver by the plastic handle, insert the "driver" or metal end into the end of the wire you just removed.

While holding the screwdriver in the wire, move the metal shank of the screwdriver within an 1/8" of the metal engine block.

Have someone crank the engine and watch for spark jumping from the screwdriver shaft to the block - you can do this in the driveway because the motor will not start (no electric will get to the spark plugs).

Let me know if you have questions. Once again - don't touch the metal part of the screwdriver while cranking the engine. There will be electric flowing through it. Not anything that will harm you, but it hurts.

Oh Gotcha, I am finishing up with a customer and then I'm gonna go check it out. I'll let ya know what happens.

[D-GOOSE]

LTB you are cracking me up with your posts. I like the drive you have YOU GO GIRL!! If you still have my number call me next time you have a problem and maybe we can get you going before dark.

[Baddog]

Dang ! I wish I could get My Wife to change the boat plugs and the IMPELLER TOO ! luvtheBu your Awesome

Hope you get the boat all tuned up.

I have to learn it cost to dang much and they take too long to fix it if it brakes and you have to take it to the marina, I get PMS when it's over 75 degrees and we aren't out on the water, plus I promised hubby I would so I could fib about the true meaning of BustOutAnotherThousand, I couldn't talk him into a new boat with warrany so I got hopefully a good used boat that just needs basics. So far he has taught me to pull plugs, gap plugs and put back in. Now he wants me to pull out plug leave it attached to coil and try to dry start to check for spark.

I like XT104 idea, because Wakegirl said check distributor, I just wasn't sure what I should be looking for. I am a little confused though, you pull out the center wire, is there a plug in there? Do I put the plastic part of the screwdriver in there and then point it towards the engine and leave it about 1/8 in away and have someone start it?

It's easy.

Locate your distributor (it is where the other end of all the spark plugs come together on the back side of the motor).

There will be nine "spark plug" wires coming out of the top of it. The 8 outside wires are spark plug wires and the center one is the one you are after (the other end goes to your coil).

Unplug the center wire from the distributor. The other end will still be connected to the coil.

Holding the screwdriver by the plastic handle, insert the "driver" or metal end into the end of the wire you just removed.

While holding the screwdriver in the wire, move the metal shank of the screwdriver within an 1/8" of the metal engine block.

Have someone crank the engine and watch for spark jumping from the screwdriver shaft to the block - you can do this in the driveway because the motor will not start (no electric will get to the spark plugs).

Let me know if you have questions. Once again - don't touch the metal part of the screwdriver while cranking the engine. There will be electric flowing through it. Not anything that will harm you, but it hurts.

Oh Gotcha, I am finishing up with a customer and then I'm gonna go check it out. I'll let ya know what happens.

However, doing this test will only tell you if you have juice going into the cap. It does not tell you if it is coming out of the cap through the rotor and into each plug wire. Pulling one plug out of the engine then re-inserting it into the plug wire and laying the threaded part of the plug on a non-painted metal engine part then cracking the engine will tell you if you are getting juice into the plug.

Do the plug spark test first but then I would highly recommend removing the 2 screws that hold the distributor cap on, remove the cap and inspect the insides for corrosion, carbon or other crap on the rotor or the contacts inside the cap. This really is easy to check. If any crap is in there, replace both cap and rotor. Costs about $30-$40 and takes ~ 20 minutes. Make certian to only relocate one plug wire at a time when installing the new cap. This is really, really important.

Send me an e-mail if you want another phone number to call for a moderately knowledgeable DIYer to bounce fix-it stuff off of.

Mark

Edited July 24, 2009 by Baddog

[XTI04]

Dang ! I wish I could get My Wife to change the boat plugs and the IMPELLER TOO ! luvtheBu your Awesome

Hope you get the boat all tuned up.

I have to learn it cost to dang much and they take too long to fix it if it brakes and you have to take it to the marina, I get PMS when it's over 75 degrees and we aren't out on the water, plus I promised hubby I would so I could fib about the true meaning of BustOutAnotherThousand, I couldn't talk him into a new boat with warrany so I got hopefully a good used boat that just needs basics. So far he has taught me to pull plugs, gap plugs and put back in. Now he wants me to pull out plug leave it attached to coil and try to dry start to check for spark.

I like XT104 idea, because Wakegirl said check distributor, I just wasn't sure what I should be looking for. I am a little confused though, you pull out the center wire, is there a plug in there? Do I put the plastic part of the screwdriver in there and then point it towards the engine and leave it about 1/8 in away and have someone start it?

It's easy.

Locate your distributor (it is where the other end of all the spark plugs come together on the back side of the motor).

There will be nine "spark plug" wires coming out of the top of it. The 8 outside wires are spark plug wires and the center one is the one you are after (the other end goes to your coil).

Unplug the center wire from the distributor. The other end will still be connected to the coil.

Holding the screwdriver by the plastic handle, insert the "driver" or metal end into the end of the wire you just removed.

While holding the screwdriver in the wire, move the metal shank of the screwdriver within an 1/8" of the metal engine block.

Have someone crank the engine and watch for spark jumping from the screwdriver shaft to the block - you can do this in the driveway because the motor will not start (no electric will get to the spark plugs).

Let me know if you have questions. Once again - don't touch the metal part of the screwdriver while cranking the engine. There will be electric flowing through it. Not anything that will harm you, but it hurts.

Thanks for clarifying

[nuttyskier2002]

If the engine is EFI then do not spray starting fluid in it. There is no need t supply it with starting fluid. when you turn the key on the inj will prime the engine, that is all it needs. If you have new plugs, fire at the plugs and fuel it will start. it may not run good or for long but it will start. An engine is just a air pump, it only needs O2, fuel and fire to start, it needs proper tuning to stay running.

That's true if the fuel system is working properly. If not, the starting fluid will allow the engine to kick and run for a second or two. If that happens then you will know you have spark but no fuel getting to the motor.

Exactly! If you've been following this thread from the start,... that is what we are trying to determine. Right now we don't know if she has water in the fuel tank or what.

[txwakejunkie]

If the engine is EFI then do not spray starting fluid in it. There is no need t supply it with starting fluid. when you turn the key on the inj will prime the engine, that is all it needs. If you have new plugs, fire at the plugs and fuel it will start. it may not run good or for long but it will start. An engine is just a air pump, it only needs O2, fuel and fire to start, it needs proper tuning to stay running.

That's true if the fuel system is working properly. If not, the starting fluid will allow the engine to kick and run for a second or two. If that happens then you will know you have spark but no fuel getting to the motor.

Exactly! If you've been following this thread from the start,... that is what we are trying to determine. Right now we don't know if she has water in the fuel tank or what.

I have been following this thread, It is better to see if there is fuel pressure and check for water in the fuel then it is to spray starting fluid in the engine. If this is the way you would do it then fine but we are not talking about you. We are talking about someone who has very little time working on an engine. What if she doesnt know to just give it a quick burst and hoses down the intake with starting fluid? it would be a nice pop and fire ball right? not worth it.

you say that this is just to check to see if the engine has fire? this Is not the smartest way to find this out!!!

it is best to follow a check list of things and narrow down the symtoms untill you find the issue.

The engine died when he backed her up suddenly, chances of water getting in the fuel and making it to the engine that fast are nearly none. So like others have said, check for fire to the dist cap, if it is not there then it could be points, coil, ign switch, kill switch.....

if there is power there then there is most likely power at the plugs, she just replaced the plugs so they are not fouled, listen for the fuel pump to kick on when the key is turned over and pressure in the fuel line. Also listen for the inj to prime if they are doing so then it should at least try to fire.

something else to check that is cheap is a fuel filter.

just my$.02

[nuttyskier2002]

LTB I'm available now if you need to call. I'll try to talk you through your troubleshooting procedure. It is 2:55 PM where I am. What part of the country do you live in?

[nuttyskier2002]

If the engine is EFI then do not spray starting fluid in it. There is no need t supply it with starting fluid. when you turn the key on the inj will prime the engine, that is all it needs. If you have new plugs, fire at the plugs and fuel it will start. it may not run good or for long but it will start. An engine is just a air pump, it only needs O2, fuel and fire to start, it needs proper tuning to stay running.

That's true if the fuel system is working properly. If not, the starting fluid will allow the engine to kick and run for a second or two. If that happens then you will know you have spark but no fuel getting to the motor.

Exactly! If you've been following this thread from the start,... that is what we are trying to determine. Right now we don't know if she has water in the fuel tank or what.

I have been following this thread, It is better to see if there is fuel pressure and check for water in the fuel then it is to spray starting fluid in the engine. If this is the way you would do it then fine but we are not talking about you. We are talking about someone who has very little time working on an engine. What if she doesnt know to just give it a quick burst and hoses down the intake with starting fluid? it would be a nice pop and fire ball right? not worth it.

you say that this is just to check to see if the engine has fire? this Is not the smartest way to find this out!!!

it is best to follow a check list of things and narrow down the symtoms untill you find the issue.

The engine died when he backed her up suddenly, chances of water getting in the fuel and making it to the engine that fast are nearly none. So like others have said, check for fire to the dist cap, if it is not there then it could be points, coil, ign switch, kill switch.....

if there is power there then there is most likely power at the plugs, she just replaced the plugs so they are not fouled, listen for the fuel pump to kick on when the key is turned over and pressure in the fuel line. Also listen for the inj to prime if they are doing so then it should at least try to fire.

something else to check that is cheap is a fuel filter.

just my$.02

I agree with everything you say here. I suggested the starter fluid early in this thread (actually the original thread) before I realized that she knows little about engines. I said to just spray a "little" inside the throttle body. I'm sure she has enough sense to know how much a "little" is. This is not going to hurt anything. That's what this stuff is made for. Checking the ignition system is also part of troubleshooting this problem and if you read back you'll see where I talked about that too.

LTB, if you want to call me and we'll talk through your problem,... you are more than welcome. If someone else here offers their number and you want to talk to them instead,.... please feel free. I will not be offended. //Brian

[txwakejunkie]

good deal, it all really comes down to getting her back back on the lake this weekend!!

[martinarcher]

good deal, it all really comes down to getting her back back on the lake this weekend!!

Any luck yet? Is that 454 purring like a kitten again yet?

[nuttyskier2002]

LTB keep us posted.

[luvtheBU]

BU is back in the water....na na na na hey hey heyyyy.... Hubby fixed it it was a vaper lock in the fuel lines. But she runs soooo awesome now with her new spark plugs and battery!!!! I am the happiest girl right now. I just have to get the wrenches to fix the shaft, hubby promises to show me what he did to fix her but we stayed on the water till 10:45 in was raining and we said who cares, we even put EJ's snowsuit on. Then it was like glass, it was soooo glassy. I love the BU!!!!!!!!! Thanks for everyone's help I was gonna call Baddog and Nuttyskier but I left my phone in the Burb...Thanks Guys!!!!

[nuttyskier2002]

Super! Now your weekend is saved. Happy boating! Are you a wakeboarder, skier or surfer?????

[Baddog]

BU is back in the water....na na na na hey hey heyyyy.... Hubby fixed it it was a vaper lock in the fuel lines. But she runs soooo awesome now with her new spark plugs and battery!!!! I am the happiest girl right now. I just have to get the wrenches to fix the shaft, hubby promises to show me what he did to fix her but we stayed on the water till 10:45 in was raining and we said who cares, we even put EJ's snowsuit on. Then it was like glass, it was soooo glassy. I love the BU!!!!!!!!! Thanks for everyone's help I was gonna call Baddog and Nuttyskier but I left my phone in the Burb...Thanks Guys!!!!

Early on with my boat I thought I was having vapor lock, but it turned out to be something else entirely. However, in the process I insulated my fuel lines in the engine compartment with pipe insulation from Lowes. Don't know if it helped, but it didn't hurt either and cost next to nothing.

Glad you got your baby (your other one) running again.

[martinarcher]

BU is back in the water....na na na na hey hey heyyyy.... Hubby fixed it it was a vaper lock in the fuel lines. But she runs soooo awesome now with her new spark plugs and battery!!!! I am the happiest girl right now. I just have to get the wrenches to fix the shaft, hubby promises to show me what he did to fix her but we stayed on the water till 10:45 in was raining and we said who cares, we even put EJ's snowsuit on. Then it was like glass, it was soooo glassy. I love the BU!!!!!!!!! Thanks for everyone's help I was gonna call Baddog and Nuttyskier but I left my phone in the Burb...Thanks Guys!!!!

Awesome! Be sure to let us know what he did - you've got me curious.

Dang - I could only add one smiley because of the smiley parade in your post above. :-) That's great!

Edited July 25, 2009 by martinarcher

[luvtheBU]

He checked for the spark like all of you said to do, I was just to chicken to play with fire. We had spark so he went to the fule lines he crack the line going into the vapor thing and gas came out then he cracked the line to the return line and I think he said it hestitated or something, I was upstairs getting the baby ready to go when I heard him trying to turn it over it sputtered and sputtered and then turned over and we knew it was going to start. We finally got it on the water after another downpour of rain at about 9:00 it ran so good, and it fires up immediately it was awesome. We are going out again tonight as soon as I get off work. It put a big old grin on hubby's face too, I think he is digging boating as much as I do, I knew it wouldn't take long.

To answer your question Nuttyskier I prefer to slalom, I'm not great at it but I get it more than I do the wakeboarding. When we bought the boat I had to pick a wakeboard or a ski, so I got a wakeboard for the kids, I'm learning it but I want a slalom ski again, next month for sure.

[mcbean7]

BU is back in the water....na na na na hey hey heyyyy.... Hubby fixed it it was a vaper lock in the fuel lines. But she runs soooo awesome now with her new spark plugs and battery!!!! I am the happiest girl right now. I just have to get the wrenches to fix the shaft, hubby promises to show me what he did to fix her but we stayed on the water till 10:45 in was raining and we said who cares, we even put EJ's snowsuit on. Then it was like glass, it was soooo glassy. I love the BU!!!!!!!!! Thanks for everyone's help I was gonna call Baddog and Nuttyskier but I left my phone in the Burb...Thanks Guys!!!!

LOL! That's awesome! Congrats for getting the BU back on the water.

Sorry for the hijack...but can someone explain what causes vapor lock and how to avoid it?

I live in the desert where I'm sure it gets much hotter than in MT. I'd like to prevent this from happening, if possible.

BTW...next week it's suppossed to reach 112'F!

[WakeGirl]

Heat. Typically it's after you've been running for a while & shut it down to sit for a while. The heat of the day combined with the heat that suddenly builds in the engine compartment when it isn't running heats the fuel lines to the point of turning the fuel to vapor. The vapor in the lines "locks" the system, much like an air lock with a ballast pump. I've seen a lot of people say that raising the engine compartment & even wrapping cool towels around the fuel lines for a few minutes will many times help. Some models are more prone to it than others (XTi models in the past were bad for it). I also seem to see them come in waves on this site, so it makes me wonder if the blends that we get at the pump can make it worse.

[Baddog]

Gasahol is definitely not a boat's best friend.

[wakechick3]

Heat. Typically it's after you've been running for a while & shut it down to sit for a while. The heat of the day combined with the heat that suddenly builds in the engine compartment when it isn't running heats the fuel lines to the point of turning the fuel to vapor. The vapor in the lines "locks" the system, much like an air lock with a ballast pump. I've seen a lot of people say that raising the engine compartment & even wrapping cool towels around the fuel lines for a few minutes will many times help. Some models are more prone to it than others (XTi models in the past were bad for it). I also seem to see them come in waves on this site, so it makes me wonder if the blends that we get at the pump can make it worse.

[Would the engine not make any noise at all or would it try to start but just not turn over from this?

I was out on my friends old nautique 'yesterday' and after several hours of surfing we switched to wakeboard and started under way and the boat just died. It would try to turn over, but no go. We had been sitting a bit and we did go about 150 yards...and we had to expel a LOT of water from the bilge while sitting.

[nuttyskier2002]

Heat. Typically it's after you've been running for a while & shut it down to sit for a while. The heat of the day combined with the heat that suddenly builds in the engine compartment when it isn't running heats the fuel lines to the point of turning the fuel to vapor. The vapor in the lines "locks" the system, much like an air lock with a ballast pump. I've seen a lot of people say that raising the engine compartment & even wrapping cool towels around the fuel lines for a few minutes will many times help. Some models are more prone to it than others (XTi models in the past were bad for it). I also seem to see them come in waves on this site, so it makes me wonder if the blends that we get at the pump can make it worse.

[Would the engine not make any noise at all or would it try to start but just not turn over from this?

I was out on my friends old nautique 'yesterday' and after several hours of surfing we switched to wakeboard and started under way and the boat just died. It would try to turn over, but no go. We had been sitting a bit and we did go about 150 yards...and we had to expel a LOT of water from the bilge while sitting.

I'm kinda surprised the LTB's problem was vapor lock. This is much more common on carbureted engines than on fuel injected. The higher pressures on a fuel injected system usually prevent this from happening.

Wakegirl your issue could be related to vapor lock but I'm thinking if the bilge had a lot of water and if it was being slung around by the spinning shaft,... this could have drowned the ignition system out. Either is a possibilty. A few more details would help determine what the cause was. Did you guys get it going again?

[WakeGirl]

I've never personally had the problem, just seen it mentioned a lot here & talked with a lot of people that have had it happen. So much so, that even though EFI systems are "supposed" to be more immune to it, it wouldn't appear to be the case with how often I see it on this board & in other circumstances. LTB's problem definitely would be different, though I think that it has more to do with the circumstances vs. it being EFI.

[wakechick3]

Heat. Typically it's after you've been running for a while & shut it down to sit for a while. The heat of the day combined with the heat that suddenly builds in the engine compartment when it isn't running heats the fuel lines to the point of turning the fuel to vapor. The vapor in the lines "locks" the system, much like an air lock with a ballast pump. I've seen a lot of people say that raising the engine compartment & even wrapping cool towels around the fuel lines for a few minutes will many times help. Some models are more prone to it than others (XTi models in the past were bad for it). I also seem to see them come in waves on this site, so it makes me wonder if the blends that we get at the pump can make it worse.

[Would the engine not make any noise at all or would it try to start but just not turn over from this?

I was out on my friends old nautique 'yesterday' and after several hours of surfing we switched to wakeboard and started under way and the boat just died. It would try to turn over, but no go. We had been sitting a bit and we did go about 150 yards...and we had to expel a LOT of water from the bilge while sitting.

I'm kinda surprised the LTB's problem was vapor lock. This is much more common on carbureted engines than on fuel injected. The higher pressures on a fuel injected system usually prevent this from happening.

Wakegirl your issue could be related to vapor lock but I'm thinking if the bilge had a lot of water and if it was being slung around by the spinning shaft,... this could have drowned the ignition system out. Either is a possibilty. A few more details would help determine what the cause was. Did you guys get it going again?

has not got it going yet. He thinks something electrical happened and is letting it dry out, sounds like he has not seen so much water in the bilge before, i didnt see how high it was, but it was a lot.

[Baddog]

Heat. Typically it's after you've been running for a while & shut it down to sit for a while. The heat of the day combined with the heat that suddenly builds in the engine compartment when it isn't running heats the fuel lines to the point of turning the fuel to vapor. The vapor in the lines "locks" the system, much like an air lock with a ballast pump. I've seen a lot of people say that raising the engine compartment & even wrapping cool towels around the fuel lines for a few minutes will many times help. Some models are more prone to it than others (XTi models in the past were bad for it). I also seem to see them come in waves on this site, so it makes me wonder if the blends that we get at the pump can make it worse.

[Would the engine not make any noise at all or would it try to start but just not turn over from this?

I was out on my friends old nautique 'yesterday' and after several hours of surfing we switched to wakeboard and started under way and the boat just died. It would try to turn over, but no go. We had been sitting a bit and we did go about 150 yards...and we had to expel a LOT of water from the bilge while sitting.

I'm kinda surprised the LTB's problem was vapor lock. This is much more common on carbureted engines than on fuel injected. The higher pressures on a fuel injected system usually prevent this from happening.

Wakegirl your issue could be related to vapor lock but I'm thinking if the bilge had a lot of water and if it was being slung around by the spinning shaft,... this could have drowned the ignition system out. Either is a possibilty. A few more details would help determine what the cause was. Did you guys get it going again?

has not got it going yet. He thinks something electrical happened and is letting it dry out, sounds like he has not seen so much water in the bilge before, i didnt see how high it was, but it was a lot.

Where did all the water come from?

Got spark?

Checked the cap and rotor?

[nuttyskier2002]

Heat. Typically it's after you've been running for a while & shut it down to sit for a while. The heat of the day combined with the heat that suddenly builds in the engine compartment when it isn't running heats the fuel lines to the point of turning the fuel to vapor. The vapor in the lines "locks" the system, much like an air lock with a ballast pump. I've seen a lot of people say that raising the engine compartment & even wrapping cool towels around the fuel lines for a few minutes will many times help. Some models are more prone to it than others (XTi models in the past were bad for it). I also seem to see them come in waves on this site, so it makes me wonder if the blends that we get at the pump can make it worse.

[Would the engine not make any noise at all or would it try to start but just not turn over from this?

I was out on my friends old nautique 'yesterday' and after several hours of surfing we switched to wakeboard and started under way and the boat just died. It would try to turn over, but no go. We had been sitting a bit and we did go about 150 yards...and we had to expel a LOT of water from the bilge while sitting.

I'm kinda surprised the LTB's problem was vapor lock. This is much more common on carbureted engines than on fuel injected. The higher pressures on a fuel injected system usually prevent this from happening.

Wakegirl your issue could be related to vapor lock but I'm thinking if the bilge had a lot of water and if it was being slung around by the spinning shaft,... this could have drowned the ignition system out. Either is a possibilty. A few more details would help determine what the cause was. Did you guys get it going again?

has not got it going yet. He thinks something electrical happened and is letting it dry out, sounds like he has not seen so much water in the bilge before, i didnt see how high it was, but it was a lot.

Try pulling the distributor cap and rotor and blow them out with compressed air (low pressure). If you don't have air a hair dryer works too. Also blow out the distributor under where the cap sits (cap off of course). Put is all back together and see if she fires. If not check for spark,... if no spark check for +12 volts on + side of coil (key on).