Hard Starts
09-17-2002, 12:35 PM
#1
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Hard Starts
My 454 mags have a hard time starting after a week of not being started. After the initial start they fire up fine. This was the case before and after installing Whipples. The timing is set at A+31 degrees total. Thunderbolt IV ignition. 650 Holley carbs. Would electric fuel pumps help this or is this just a trait of these motors?
09-17-2002, 01:08 PM
#2
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Fuel evaporates out of the carbs while it sits.
Electric fuel pump will eliminate the problem.
Other choice is to do like everybody else:
1A) Crank one engine 5 full seconds (or longer, which you will need to determine with experience with your particular motors)with the throttle closed.
1B) Repeat for the other motor.
2A) Pump the throttle on the first engine from idle to WOT three times, move it up to 1/3 throttle, crank for 5 more seconds (if it lights, pull her back to 1500rpm).
2B) Repeat for the other motor.
3A) If motor #1 did not light, repeat 2A.
3B) If motor #2 did not light, repeat 2B.
It does no good to savagely pump the throttles until you actually have some fuel in the bowls. 5 seconds sometimes isn't enough. You will need to monitor your motors and find the proper amount of "precrank" time to get fuel in the carbs for the accelerator pumps to have something to shoot.
M
Electric fuel pump will eliminate the problem.
Other choice is to do like everybody else:
1A) Crank one engine 5 full seconds (or longer, which you will need to determine with experience with your particular motors)with the throttle closed.
1B) Repeat for the other motor.
2A) Pump the throttle on the first engine from idle to WOT three times, move it up to 1/3 throttle, crank for 5 more seconds (if it lights, pull her back to 1500rpm).
2B) Repeat for the other motor.
3A) If motor #1 did not light, repeat 2A.
3B) If motor #2 did not light, repeat 2B.
It does no good to savagely pump the throttles until you actually have some fuel in the bowls. 5 seconds sometimes isn't enough. You will need to monitor your motors and find the proper amount of "precrank" time to get fuel in the carbs for the accelerator pumps to have something to shoot.
M
09-17-2002, 03:29 PM
#3
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That sequence pretty much what I've been doing. I thought evaporation may be the problem because once it starts its fine. I've heard pros and cons on electric fuel pumps, more cons. I'll just fine tune my starting technique. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.
Thanks
Thanks
09-17-2002, 09:04 PM
#5
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Cool Fuel hard starting
This may not have anything to do with Quiet Storms problem but I would like to pass on something that I learned at Mercruiser Service School last February. The cool fuel system cools the fuel similar to the way an oil cooler works. The cool water comes in from the lake and flows through a fuel cooler. When the engine is shut off some of the hot water from the thermostat housing/engine reverse flows back into the fuel cooler and heats up the fuel. This may boil some of the fuel inside the fuel cooler (vaporizing the fuel). This creates vapor lock (the fuel pump can't pump vapors) causing some starting problems. Mercruiser has installed some water check valves between the fuel cooler and the thermostat housing to keep this from happening.
Hope this helps someone!
Sincerely
Dennis Moore
FAMILY AND PERFORMANCE BOATING MAGAZINE
Hope this helps someone!
Sincerely
Dennis Moore
FAMILY AND PERFORMANCE BOATING MAGAZINE
