98 Sunsetter Vlx Unable To Restart

[mnhays]

I have a 98 Sunsetter VLX and it's trailer kept now, but whenever we go out on the lake she'll start up fine and work perfectly, but if we are out skiing or wakeboarding for a while and turn off the boat to jump in or whatever we're not always able to start it up again. It has perfect cold starts but a "hot" start (when the boat was recently running) it doesn't work and we open the engine compartment and wait it out until it's able to start up again, it's the weirdest thing and I'm not sure where to even start.

Thanks!

[99response]

Run a search for vapor lock and start reading

[REW]

Run a search for vapor lock and start reading

I have actually been proping my motor box open during swim breaks to help with this. And yes that does work for me, I just stick a bumper under the front of the doghouse.

[mnhays]

I have actually been proping my motor box open during swim breaks to help with this. And yes that does work for me, I just stick a bumper under the front of the doghouse.

I mean I saw a few people talking about talking about adding the "vapor lock kits" to their fuel pump, here's one more thing, my dad has been using 87 when filling up the boat for years and I think I saw somewhere that 89 is preferred for that model, I'll be taking a look at that tonight when I get home and read through my manual, could that be any of the reason that I am getting these symptoms? Like I said my boat turns over just fine, it's just not firing, which is why I am straining from a problem with the starter and after being steered towards vapor lock (thank you ^^) I am looking at ways to take care of that problem. Is it always necessary to install those vapor lock kits?

[Steve B.]

Not alway's necessary. Like you will read, opening the engine cover for awhile while you sit, adding ethanol treatment, running a cooler thermostat if it is not already 160, runnning the blower before start-up for awhile can help the issue.

Many people have started noticing the issue as ethanol levels have risen in our gas.

Your issue sounds like just about everybody else with fuel injection. The install kits do sound like they have a lot of success too.

Steve B.

[REW]

I haven't tried the kit. Proping the motor box open while swimming takes care of the issue for me and is a lot more cost effective than a kit.

[mnhays]

I haven't tried the kit. Proping the motor box open while swimming takes care of the issue for me and is a lot more cost effective than a kit.

Do you use 87 gas or 89 to fill up your boat REW?

[REW]

Do you use 87 gas or 89 to fill up your boat REW?

87 mostly, I have recently found a gas station that sells pure gas, I will be useing that this year and we will see if it helps on those occasions when I forget to porp the box open.