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Cold start problem


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I have been having a cold start problem lately and was wondering if some of you can help. It seems when I start, the idle is normal RPM rather than a fast idle until its warmed up. Does everyone else get a fast idle for a couple of minutes when when the engine is started cold? The lack of fast idle might be my problem with stalling for the first few minutes after starting. When I first start up, I have to let it warm up before I can pull off the trailer. I have a 2002 Sunsetter Lxi with a 325hp Monsoon. I have checked the engine temp sensor and everything checks out fine. I did take it to the dealer but they said everything looks ok. How does your engine start cold??

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I have been having a cold start problem lately and was wondering if some of you can help.  It seems when I start, the idle is normal RPM rather than a fast idle until its warmed up.  Does everyone else get a fast idle for a couple of minutes when when the engine is started cold?  The lack of fast idle might be my problem with stalling for the first few minutes after starting.  When I first start up, I have to let it warm up before I can pull off the trailer.  I have a 2002 Sunsetter Lxi with a 325hp Monsoon.  I have checked the engine temp sensor and everything checks out fine.  I did take it to the dealer but they said everything looks ok.  How does your engine start cold??

I would check the fuel filter first??

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This happens to me too...

It is a "cold start" but only when it is also COLD outside (<60)

Starts fine, backs off fine, but once I put it in forward gear, it stalls...

Had the dealer check it out and they said nothing is wrong...

I have a 2002 Sunsetter XTI with the 365hp HH

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Are these carbureted or EFI?

For carburetors, there is a fast idle cam and screw adj. You can adj the high idle a little higher. With the electric heater on the choke coils, the choke pulls off fast, so if you move the throttle, the carb comes off fast idle.

For EFI, I believe it is electronically controlled by the computer.

Have you just tried to wait another min before you head out?

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I believe that both of those engines are EFI (BICBW of course). I've never had a fast idle with my EFI boats & they've always started & run fine in colder weather. EFI does control all of this by computer, so there's no adjustment to make. I'm with R1 & would guess that there's something else causing the problem.

If it is a carby, then you'll have some adjustments as Sunsetter95 suggests.

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Look for a vacuum leak...they can go away once the engine warms up. You can usually hear them (loud hissing sound). If you have a stethoscope use that or any piece of hose to the ear to isolate the sound, if thats what its. Check all the vacuum lines.

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Basic check I always go through when looking for troubles like this are

Fuel - change the filter

Spark - Check cap, rotor, plugs & wires

Electrical - Check for loose connections or corrosion at the connections. Don't forget to check the cannon plug is all the way in.

Vacuum - Check for leaks.

After that have the dealer plug her in and look for fault codes.

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I have been over all the electrical connections including the cannon connector. The timming has been checked and is within spec. I have had several tanks of gass through it. Even tried a higher grade gas, but that did not help. The idle air control motor seems to be ok, I can see it move the valve if I take it out and turn the key on. So at what RPM does your boats run right after start up?

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My Monsoon 325 runs at the same rpm when it is cold as it does hot on startups. I used it all winter on some pretty cold days without the slightest hiccup.

Yours sounds like a vacuum leak to me. That would cause the kind of problem your experiencing.

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OK at least I know my cold RPM is normal. I will go over the engine tonight and look at all the vacuum hoses. Thank you everyone for your help. :)

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A vacuum leak can also be caused by a bad gasket around the intake somewhere. You would not be able to see it but you can sometimes hear it. Those kind of leaks can seal themselves up through expansion when the engine gets hot, and the problem goes away, until its cold again.

Edited by gooddog
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You can seal off the intake with saran rap and elect tape, find a vacuum line, set your compressor reg to about 10 psi and apply pressure to the vacuum line. Get a spray bottle and add some liquid dish soap and some water, squirt around the gaskets and look for bubbles.

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A little Qwik-Start spray can help you find a vacuum leak as well. Just quick little bursts of spray near the intake gaskets, vacuum hoses,... If the engine takes in the Qwik-Start spray (through a leaky whatever) instead of recycled air it will raise the RPM's slightly.

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It's a design "feature" of all 2002 Indmar engines. All 4 of our 2002 Response team boats had Monsoons, and they all exhibited this behavior when cold. For 2002, Indmar added a low RPM rev limiter to the ECU. I don't really know why, as everyone I know with a 2001 loves how theirs runs warm or cold, and they have the knock sensor to adjust timing if someone is a little over-zealous with the throttle on a cold morning.

The solution is to have your dealer re-program your ECU with the most up-to-date flash image. It'll add a very small idle flare (something they added in the '03 boats but too aggressively at first) that's designed to keep the engine from stalling out when going into and coming out of gear.

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Good ideas, im going to give it a try tonight. I did have my dealer flash the ECM to the latest software but that didn't help. The new software did make it idle smoother when it was warmed up though. The thing runs great after a few minutes of warm up.

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You can use carb cleaner or water to spray around the intake and air intake. Listen for rpm changes. The carb cleaner will cause a more noticable change if some gets into the engine. The water makes less of a mess but it does not work as well.

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You can use carb cleaner or water to spray around the intake and air intake.

Like Doug said. The water doesn't make a mess but doesn't work as well either. Carb cleaner works but makes a bit of a mess and doesn't smell too great. That's why I like Qwik-Start, evaporates quick and doesn't leave a residue. Good luck, keep us posted.

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You can use carb cleaner or water to spray around the intake and air intake.

Like Doug said. The water doesn't make a mess but doesn't work as well either. Carb cleaner works but makes a bit of a mess and doesn't smell too great. That's why I like Qwik-Start, evaporates quick and doesn't leave a residue. Good luck, keep us posted.

Isn't Quick Start a flammable starting fluid?

I wouldn't want to spray that at an engine. One spark and Blowup.gif

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Isn't Quick Start a flammable starting fluid?

I wouldn't want to spray that at an engine. One spark and  Blowup.gif

Did I forget to mention...?...be careful. Biggrin.gif

Carb cleaner is flammable too.

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