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Boat dies when driving


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I joined 2 years ago to the day and it's time for my 1st post.

I have a 1999 Malibu Sunsetter with a Monsoon 325 HP EFI engine. While skiing a few weeks ago, the boat abruptly shut off and would not restart. It would start with the help from a little starting fluid but would not run. After putting the boat on the trailer and waiting about an hour it started, but as soon as I drove it, it died again and would not start. I replaced both fuel filters and had the same results. It would start and run on the trailer for an hour but will die when driven after a few minutes and not restart. I also replaced the ignition switch – same results. I took the boat to a local dealer and they replaced the fuel pump and ran it for about 20 minutes and said it was fixed. I put it on the water and after about 5 minutes it died and would not restart for about an hour.

The boat seems to not be getting fuel after it is driven for a few minutes. It runs perfect until then and when it dies, it just shuts off. No sputtering like it is running out of gas – it feels like someone turned the key off. After an hour or two, it fires right up. I can run it on the trailer for over an hour, at different RPM’s, shut it off and it will start right up but when driven, it dies after a few minutes and will not restart. Also, when it will not start, I cannot hear the fuel pump. It's going back to the shop next week, but i thought I would look for some help here also.

Thanks in advance.

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My boat did that about a month ago until I ran a couple tanks of fresh fuel through. Now it is fine. This is the first year my boat has ever acted like this. The station where I fill up is supposed to be no corn gas.

Edited by eyepeeler
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Since your running it on the trailer (assume with a fake lake) that would also mean at idle only. On the lake it under various spends. Correct?

Since it idles for long periods on the trailer I would rule out bad fuel. Could something be restricting air flow? What about a crimped fuel line?

Finely, how did you go two years without a post? I have withdrawal after two days!

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Did your dealer actually check the distributor cap? My 2004 actually acted similar a few years ago. It was running fine and then all of a sudden ran like crap. The inside of the cap was so bad that I can't figure how it even ran at all.

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An abrupt shut off sounds more like cutting the electrical system rather than running out of fuel. Perhaps a temp sensor is sensing an overheat condition and cutting the power to the fuel supply. You can't load the boat on the trailer like out on the lake so it probably won't get up to operating temperature. When using the starting fluid you are running purely on that by your description.

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I agree with woodski, I had the same problem with my 98 sunsetter. We changed everything that you had and had no success. As most electrical problems go you try things until something works. We replaced the temp senser and that fixed the problem. I will say that I was not showing a heating problem on the gauge, that what was throwing me off. Good luck. Also along with that check your main electrical coupler at the engine, one time my connection was loose and on the water the bouncing caused the plug to disconnect with out comming unpluged. just a fer thoughts.

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I'm thinking along the same lines, that there has to be something electrical somewhere preventing the starting circuit from completing. I could see it being mechanical (blocked fuel or air flow) if it only took place under higher loading conditions, but then when you remove the load on the lake it should re-start right back up after it dies. But it takes an hour. Along the lines of cooling, how are you running the boat on the trailer? Are you supplying cooling water differently than through the pick-up under the boat? Maybe there's a water blockage somewhere that you are bypassing on the trailer or your raw water impeller is weak and on the verge of failing (doesn't have enough suction to pull water from the lake but is able to keep the engine cool off of high pressure garden hose water). Just trying to throw out ideas. Any chance you do have a real overheat on the lake? I would think a bad sensor would do the same thing on the trailer.

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vapor lock can sputter, mine usually restarts and runs like crap for about 30 seconds then dies. Your problem sounds more like a flaky kill switch.

:plus1: I used a jumper wire to "fix" my kill sw last year on the water after it quit again.

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An abrupt shut off sounds more like cutting the electrical system rather than running out of fuel. Perhaps a temp sensor is sensing an overheat condition and cutting the power to the fuel supply. You can't load the boat on the trailer like out on the lake so it probably won't get up to operating temperature. When using the starting fluid you are running purely on that by your description.

Wouldn't theOP get an alarm with a temp sensor "sensing" an overheat? Just a thought. I have never heard mine but I know it has the alarm.

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I normally would agree that the kill switch is the most likely suspect, but, since it will start briefly when using starting fluid, it sounds more fuel related. Any chance there is a loose battery connection that causes the boat to stall if the boat sees some rough water?

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martinarcher

An abrupt shut off sounds more like cutting the electrical system rather than running out of fuel. Perhaps a temp sensor is sensing an overheat condition and cutting the power to the fuel supply. You can't load the boat on the trailer like out on the lake so it probably won't get up to operating temperature. When using the starting fluid you are running purely on that by your description.

Totally agree. Not hearing the fuel pump prime when it won't start is another indication that the boats electrical system has cut power to the fuel pump. You could always rig up a fuel pump jumper on the boat, take her out on the lake with the jumper disconnected until it dies. When it dies, jump the fuel pump to +12V and see if she'll fire right back up. If it will, you certainly chasing an electrical problem.

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Totally agree. Not hearing the fuel pump prime when it won't start is another indication that the boats electrical system has cut power to the fuel pump. You could always rig up a fuel pump jumper on the boat, take her out on the lake with the jumper disconnected until it dies. When it dies, jump the fuel pump to +12V and see if she'll fire right back up. If it will, you certainly chasing an electrical problem.

right on with the fuel pump noise, I had an issue on a 96 sunsetter where the big plug that went into the main computer over the transmission had come loose and it would cut out. Tracked it down to that. There is a hose clamp on the wire harness plug, try to loosen that up and then re seat the harness and re tighten the clamp. It is a large bundle of wires that goes in on the drivers side. There is a cover over the computer that you may need to take off, again it can be located over the transmission.

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Thanks for all of the replies - now I've got some idea where to start - again. As far as the boat heating up, it usually runs around 160, which is what it was running at last weekend when it failed. I do use a fake a lake on the trailer and run it at different RPMs for several minutes and I can get the temp to a little over 170 and I have ran it for over an hour with no failures. I even turn it off and on several times while doing this.

Thanks again!

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm skisalot's boat storage attendant/mechanic.

Just saw this thread. Curious. Are there any relays in the fuel pump circuit?? or fuel injection?? I'm thinkin that a relay is heating up and dropping out.. Possible? Any body have wiring schematics for ignition and fuel??

Thanks so much.

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I'm skisalot's boat storage attendant/mechanic.

Just saw this thread. Curious. Are there any relays in the fuel pump circuit?? or fuel injection?? I'm thinkin that a relay is heating up and dropping out.. Possible? Any body have wiring schematics for ignition and fuel??

Thanks so much.

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  • 2 years later...

I've been having the same problem on my 2000 sunsetter lxi with the monsoon. I discovered a loose fuel hose connection on the suction side of the pump that was leaking air. It wasn't leaking gas because it was on the suction side-i guess. This particular connection is hard to tighten, as the fuel pump is not bolted directly to the engine block, but is attached with a yoke/strap affair, so... it's hard to get the connection really tight without the pump body rotating in the yoke. Anyway was able to get the connection tight , insulated my fuel lines, and no more problems. I was able to literally remove the suction side fuel line by hand (where it goes into the pump) without the use of any tools....just my 2 cents.

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Please research the symptoms of the IAC valve going bad. If you are experiencing this at idle, the IAC or Idle air control valve is a very possible culprit. Please read about the symptoms of this issue and see if it is what you are seeing.

If so,,, OReilleys auto parts stores sells marine parts. They can then cross reference this part from the automotive counterpart and it will be half the price. 35 to 55 bucks. Take out your old one and bring it in to make sure they are the same.

I really feel many people mistake this for vapor lock and fuel or fuel pump issues. Dont throw parts at it trying to trouble shoot!!

Woodshed

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  • 9 years later...
Agirlatthehelm

Hello all! 

I am new to boating and today the issue you are all chatting about here happened to me today. 
 

the boat just died. No sputtering. No bogging down. Just died. I have a 1987 Four Winns 195 Sundowner with an OMC Inboard 5.7 L engine. I checked the lines from the coil to the distributor cap. All good. BUT when I lifted the dog house there was a huge amount of heat. 

this is the second time this has happened. The first time I was able to restart it but it failed pretty quickly. Today however it wouldn’t restart at all. I turned on the blower to see if that would help cool things off and it did a bit. 
 

I have been thinking it was a battery issue seeing my brand new Helix 5 shuts off too. 
 

now that I have read these posts as old as they are, I have some ideas as I was thinking a possible fuel delivery issue but given the heat I am thinking the cooling may be it. 
 

welcome thoughts! 
 

Lou - a girl at the helm of her first boat. 

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1 hour ago, Agirlatthehelm said:

Lou - a girl at the helm of her first boat. 

Lou - welcome to the crew, and congratulations on your first boat.

Your boat is probably inboard/outboard, not inboard.  I'm pretty sure OMC didn't make an inboard, but I could be wrong.

You probably have a carburetor, not fuel injection.  That would probably rule out vapor lock, but maybe it could still happen.

If you have a kill switch, grab some wire and jumper the terminals together in the back.  Maybe that will do it.  If not, we will need to determine if you have a carb, whether the fuel pump is electric or mechanical, and whether you have spark when the engine dies.

I would also recommend that you change the distributor cap and rotor, plus the plug wires if they don't look new, and the plugs off they don't look new.  It is easier to do it now and start with good consumables than to chase your tail and find out that you have a bad rotor.  Use a marine rated cap and rotor with brass contacts.

When you take it off, look to see if you also have a points ignition instead of electronic.  If so, you'll want to clean the plate and change the points and condenser (and gap the points properly).  None of this is hard to do.

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Agirlatthehelm

Hello and thanks for the heads up come and reply.

you are correct; I have an inboard motor and outboard prop etc. 

I do have a carburetor. The wire that goes from the carb to the coil when I took it off the carb end was dirty and looked a bit corroded. How’s ver when I put that part back on she started. Ran really rough but she started. So I do think I need a new cap and rotor. I have asked the marina for a quote to do a tune up and I have no idea when the last one was done.

thinking the same as you and love the fact I can chat about things here :) 

have a great weekend!!

 

Lou

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The wire to the carb is no doubt the electric choke.  You may need to consider a carb rebuild, or at least a can of carb spray that you can do yourself.  Follow the directions on the can.

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