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1993 Euro F3 will not start


bp93malibu

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I purchased my 1993 Malibu Euro F3 last wednesday 10/5/11 and everything ran fine. Since last wednesday I took the boat out everyday except Monday (10/10/11) and the boat started well except a couple times I had to use the choke. The boat sat all day Monday and then Tuesday I went to launch the boat and it would not start. The boat would turnover but it would not start. The boat has a new fuel filter as of two weeks ago, the starter was rebuilt this year and it has all new fuel in the tank.

Is there a problem with the starter or is it possibly the fuel pump?

Anyone ever have this problem?

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If its turning over fine, then I would guess your starter is fine...

If your sure the fuel is OK I would check spark.

Your carb could need a rebuild though. Does it fire at all, sputter and die? or just crank over with nothing?

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You make an interesting comment that you had to use the choke. I am guessing that the engine is a Mercruiser based on year, which should be equipped with a Weber carb that has an electric choke. If it does have an electric choke, is it adjusted properly? When you pump the gas, do you see some fuel spraying down the carb in to the intake manifold? There is a fuel filter in the carb, located right at the fuel line inlet (if a Weber carb). As commented by Levi, does the starter spin the engine over properly? If yes, then spark or fuel is the issue. If it simply spins over with no intent to start, might be ignition although a rare occurance, did you hook up a battery charger or something that would cause an electrical issue. If it does attempt to start, then probably fuel.

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If its turning over fine, then I would guess your starter is fine...

If your sure the fuel is OK I would check spark.

Your carb could need a rebuild though. Does it fire at all, sputter and die? or just crank over with nothing?

The engine just cranks over with nothing. I was unable to get the boat started.

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You make an interesting comment that you had to use the choke. I am guessing that the engine is a Mercruiser based on year, which should be equipped with a Weber carb that has an electric choke. If it does have an electric choke, is it adjusted properly? When you pump the gas, do you see some fuel spraying down the carb in to the intake manifold? There is a fuel filter in the carb, located right at the fuel line inlet (if a Weber carb). As commented by Levi, does the starter spin the engine over properly? If yes, then spark or fuel is the issue. If it simply spins over with no intent to start, might be ignition although a rare occurance, did you hook up a battery charger or something that would cause an electrical issue. If it does attempt to start, then probably fuel.

When I say pulled the choke, I was talking about the little knob next to the accelerator. I just wanted to clarify because this is my first ski boat. When I first turned the key to start the boat the engine came on and then shut off a second later. I tried starting the boat four more times but only got it to turn the engine over. The guy I bought it from put premium gasoline in the engine and we ran that until the tank was about emptyl. The next day I filled the boat with regular unleaded fuel. Would that cause any problems having mixed the regular gas with the premium gas?

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When I say pulled the choke, I was talking about the little knob next to the accelerator. I just wanted to clarify because this is my first ski boat. When I first turned the key to start the boat the engine came on and then shut off a second later. I tried starting the boat four more times but only got it to turn the engine over. The guy I bought it from put premium gasoline in the engine and we ran that until the tank was about emptyl. The next day I filled the boat with regular unleaded fuel. Would that cause any problems having mixed the regular gas with the premium gas?

that knob is not the choke. When you pull that knob out, you put the transmission into neutral so you can rev the boat w/o it being in gear and lurching ahead or back.

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I will guess that you are not priming the engine before you start it, try moving the throttle arm 3-4 times from the neutral position to full throttle, then leave it in the neutral position and turn the key to start the engine (pull that knob before you do so you don't accidently put it in gear). It should start and run at this point. These engines (carburated version) can be a bit tempermental during the cold start process and might require some throttle to keep it running.

Note: If you are starting the engine with the engine cover down, make sure you run the blower for about 2-3 minutes before you start the engine. I would actually recommend, as a new user, to open the engine cover and then go through the starting process.

Note 2: You should read through the manual you recieved with the boat, or get one online and review the safety sections of the manual, a direct drive boat has some specific nuances that make it different from others.

Have fun!

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I will guess that you are not priming the engine before you start it, try moving the throttle arm 3-4 times from the neutral position to full throttle, then leave it in the neutral position and turn the key to start the engine (pull that knob before you do so you don't accidently put it in gear). It should start and run at this point. These engines (carburated version) can be a bit tempermental during the cold start process and might require some throttle to keep it running.

Note: If you are starting the engine with the engine cover down, make sure you run the blower for about 2-3 minutes before you start the engine. I would actually recommend, as a new user, to open the engine cover and then go through the starting process.

Note 2: You should read through the manual you recieved with the boat, or get one online and review the safety sections of the manual, a direct drive boat has some specific nuances that make it different from others.

Have fun!

:plus1:

good call wood. The lever may have to go in the reverse direction for a full throttle prime in neutral. On mine the neutral button stops the forward movement of the lever.

Edited by Shine
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:plus1:

good call wood. The lever may have to go in the reverse direction for a full throttle prime in neutral. On mine the neutral button stops the forward movement of the lever.

:plus1:

Edited by Levi900RR
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There's a chance there is no choke on your boat or it isn't working properly. I may get flamed for this, but personally I'd pull off the air cleaner and give a shot of starting fluid in the carb and try it again.

Now that you've learned that the neutral lock knob is not the choke, make sure you pull that out whenever you are starting the boat with a fake-a-lake (or probably right at the launch too). If you don't have a fake-a-lake system of some sort, you should get one, it makes diagnosing issues much easier so you don't have to launch the boat in order to try starting it, you can do it right in the driveway. Don't be afraid to be the new guy or worry about asking lame questions, we were all the new guy once and there will always be someone that knows more than you. Ask questions, do research and you'll be able to learn a ton, especially from this site and it's members!

Good luck!

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:plus1:

Thanks guys! I appreciate the feed back. I will try priming the engine next time I take the boat out. Its a little cold and rainy in Indianapolis today. Again, thanks for the help.

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No lanyard in the old boats.

I almost always have to pump the throttle to prime in my '94 when cold as described above.

1. Open engine cover and/or run blower.

2. Pull neutral knob out.

3. Pump throttle to WFO in reverse 3-4 times.

4. Leave throttle in reverse position just beyond neutral. (Outboard guys call this "high idle").

5. Turn key and start motor.

6. May have to rev motor once or twice to keep running until idle smooths out.

7. Return throttle to neutral, push in neutral knob and drive away.

Every carb engine acts a bit differently, you'll figure out what works for yours. That is what works for mine.

  • Thanks 1
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Thanks guys! I appreciate the feed back. I will try priming the engine next time I take the boat out. Its a little cold and rainy in Indianapolis today. Again, thanks for the help.

JK and Wood are right on, I have to do the same thing that they described to my boat too ('94 Echelon LX with 350 Merc.). Follow their instructions, and your boat is gonna fire right up.

Just to clarify, you have it in the water or hooked up to a water source when starting, correct?

Here's the engine I have:

post-8942-012979400 1318538978_thumb.jpg

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I miss the new style T-stat housing on the Merc. My 88 had it, the 87' has the old one......it's not near as nice to pull the t-stat. Cry.gif

Back on track......these guys are right on. You engine will need primed as described to get it to fire when cold. If mine is really being stubborn I'll leave it at wide open throttle with the neutral safety switch pulled out and crank the boat until it fires and immediately pull the throttle back to the high idle position before the engine is fully running (to prevent it from revving up). This is a good trick to starting a flooded engine as well.

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