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Hard Starting 93 Euro F3


j.robinson389

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As the title says our 93 Sunsetter Euro F3 is getting harder and harder to start. We've only had the boat 2 years, but it was a real barn find. Only 250 hrs and 50 of those were put on it over the past two summers.

I'm a real rookie when it comes to engine problems so forgive my ignorance. . .

So the boat has a Merc 350 Magnum Tournament Ski with a Weber carburetor, i'm pretty sure that the engine has the oem electronic ignition (how can I be sure though). The hard starting seems to be getting worse with time. It starts ok when it is cold, and ok if you start it within a minute or two of shutting it down. But if you run it then shut it down to swim for a bit, it is very hard to restart. The only way to get any real success is to hold the throttle wide open. This leads me to believe it is flooding. Do you agree?

I'm figuring that a new carb or rebuilding the current one would help. So if you agree am I better off just buying an Edelbrock 1409 or should I buy a kit and rebuild mine? I am definitely mechanically inclined and handy with a wrench, I just have no experience with carburetors. I grew up in the EFI generation. :)

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As the title says our 93 Sunsetter Euro F3 is getting harder and harder to start. We've only had the boat 2 years, but it was a real barn find. Only 250 hrs and 50 of those were put on it over the past two summers.

I'm a real rookie when it comes to engine problems so forgive my ignorance. . .

So the boat has a Merc 350 Magnum Tournament Ski with a Weber carburetor, i'm pretty sure that the engine has the oem electronic ignition (how can I be sure though). The hard starting seems to be getting worse with time. It starts ok when it is cold, and ok if you start it within a minute or two of shutting it down. But if you run it then shut it down to swim for a bit, it is very hard to restart. The only way to get any real success is to hold the throttle wide open. This leads me to believe it is flooding. Do you agree?

I'm figuring that a new carb or rebuilding the current one would help. So if you agree am I better off just buying an Edelbrock 1409 or should I buy a kit and rebuild mine? I am definitely mechanically inclined and handy with a wrench, I just have no experience with carburetors. I grew up in the EFI generation. :)

I am so happy with my holly "quadrajet." It rocks.

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How much does ambient temp affect vapor lock. I don't remember it being very hot on the days we had it out last year.

Is it common for the remedy for vapor lock is to hold a wide open throttle in order for the engine to fire up?

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@jrobinson389: Your description matches vapor lock symptoms, a couple of items will help or correct that: carb rebuild might help if some debris, worn out or out of adjustment items are the cause, insulating the fuel lines to reduce heat soak or perhaps a weak fuel pump might be the issue. It is probably a good idea to rebuild the carb anyway, particularly since that vintage boat is not designed for the ethanol fuels now common. I would recommend a carb rebuild rather than a new Edelbrock version as the Weber has a three stage needle rather than the 2 stage on the Edelbrock variant. The Weber unit is also well calibrated for the marine application and is an excellent carburetor of that design (Edelbrock/Carter/Weber all basically the same, very different from Holley). The ignition assuming you have a Mercruiser is a Thundervolt IV. The resources guide on this site has a manual there that you can look and compare to what is on your boat (pictures).

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  • 2 months later...
Just to close this out for anyone who may happen upon it in the future. . .


Threw a new fuel pump on it, IT STARTS BETTER THAN EVER NOW. When it's warm, just bump the key and she fires right up. Almost like an EFI motor.



Moral of the story: If there is fuel in your sight tube, replace the fuel pump.



The extra fuel being dumped into the carb through the sight tube from the faulty fuel pump was flooding it out.

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