Pre-start prep?

[HOWARD O]

As some of you know, I'm the proud new owner of Cuda's 22. I've cleaned it up and gone through it pretty good the last couple of days and now want to fire her up.

Checked the fluids, charged the battery and all that, but peering into those cylinder heads, they look so bone dry. I don't believe it's been run since around April if I recall Joe correctly. How does one go about starting an engine that's been sitting so long? Would it be worth trying to change the cold oil in there beforehand or maybe warm the engine compartment for a while or wait until the warmest time of day so the oil is able to flow it's best? Maybe that sounds dumb, I don't know?

In other words, looking for a way to do the least wear and damage possible on that initial startup. Figure it wouldn't hurt to throw the question out there! :boggled: As you can tell, I'm not excited in the least!

Thanks!

Howard

[MOP]

Don't think it has sat long enough for any drastic action, just pull the plugs and spin it over with no compression load on the bearings that will get the oil up and moving. Put a set of fresh plugs in and fire it up, I got to see Joe's, yours now boat it is a real nice one lots of luck with it.

Phil

[Planetwarmer]

Just pull the motor and put a Merc 1075 in it and you don't have to worry about adding any more wear on that motor ever!

OR

If money IS an object, you can pull the plugs and spray WD40 on the cylinders. Seriously, I doubt it is any more dry than if it sat a month. Or a week for that matter!

[HOWARD O]

I guess it's not much different than sitting a month, but I will pull the plugs and give it some cranks nonetheless. Just want to do right by it!

Now Air 22's old 502 I think is now for sale and he's so close to me it's tempting! But nope, it was all I could do to pull the coin together just for the boat as she is for now! And I'm good with that for a while! :shades:

Thanks fellers!

[HOWARD O]

Pull the lanyard also, kills the ignition...
:thumbsup:

[BigGrizzly]

First hook up a water hose to fill the pump wither water which if ever run dry WILL fail prematurely. as far as engine wear I would pull the coil wire cank for 10 seconds then your good to go.

[mjw930]

Pull the lanyard also, kills the ignition...

First hook up a water hose to fill the pump wither water which if ever run dry WILL fail prematurely. as far as engine wear I would pull the coil wire cank for 10 seconds then your good to go.

Yep, pulling the lanyard is the same as pulling the coil wire.

Whenever my motor sits for more than a day I pull the lanyard and crank it in short intervals, about 10 seconds each, until I see some oil pressure. It usually only takes 2 10 second cranks to get something to register on the oil pressure gauge. You want to make sure you don't run the starter too long or it will overheat and drastically shorten it's life. That moves oil into the bearings and pulls water into the pump to prevent any dry running.

[HOWARD O]

Well, I'll start it as soon as I get some voltage to the key and gauges! I was confounded, had power to tilt but nothing at the key. Checked ground and all connections at the starter motor......no dice. Finally discovered voltage on one side of the 50 amp breaker button and nothing on the other side. But the button does nothing. Hmmm, I do believe I have a broken breaker button.

Anyway, I'll swap it out with the other boat's button, which I know is good. Then hoping to be a happy camper.

Haven't run across a broken red breaker button before, guess it can happen?

Thanks for the tips!

[Donziweasel]

Howard, if you are really worried, you can pull the distributer and use a primer screw driver on a drill and turn the oil pump. Will pump oil through the engine.

[HOWARD O]

I might just remove the plugs and turn it over some. New plugs whilst I have them out. Supposed to be 72 tomorrow and got my new reg numbers yesterday, heck I might even put in and go for a spin! :cool:

[BUIZILLA]

Howard, take a piece of #10 wire and jump from the tilt switch inbound power terminal to the main inbound power terminal on the ignition switch... 5 minute job.. turn the key, see what happens... :wink:

do your tabs work?

[HOWARD O]

Howard, take a piece of #10 wire and jump from the tilt switch inbound power terminal to the main inbound power terminal on the ignition switch... 5 minute job.. turn the key, see what happens... :wink:

do your tabs work?

I've got the new breaker ready to go in the morning. Might as well just fix it permanently at this point. It's dark and chilly out there now.

What tabs? :lookaroun: No tabs on this boat, although they used to be, the rocker switches are still on the dash, wired and all! Strange they were removed at some point.

[BUIZILLA]

if the breaker doesn't work, try my idea..

[Planetwarmer]

Breakers are a wear item. They can only be tripped so many times before they need to be replaced. If the new breaker doesn't work, definitely try to jump it. There may be corrosion that you can't see.

[Ghost]

Pull the lanyard also, kills the ignition...

This sounds very sensible to me. (At the same time, have to say I was stunned to hear the non-functional kill-switch numbers from that thread a few days back.)

[BigGrizzly]

My lanyard cuts all power and won't crank either.

[mjw930]

My lanyard cuts all power and won't crank either.

I've heard of some that do that but if wired correctly you should be able to crank the motor and have gauges.

The kill switch on a Mercruiser harness interrupts the purple +12V lead. The purple lead is the one that supplies 12V back to the engine, specifically to the + side of the coil or ECM, from the ignition switch. If the dash is wired so the purple lead comes from the ignition switch to the gauges and then through the kill switch and back to the engine you will get cranking and gauges. If it's wired between the ignition and the gauges you can still crank but you won't have gauges.

If your kill switch is wired between you 12V source and the ignition switch then you won't be able to crank the motor.

In the following diagram you can crank the engine but you won't have gauges. If you move the kill switch (located on the throttle in this diagram) to a point after the junction just before it feeds back into the harness connector then you get cranking and gauges (and the annoying buzzer......)

http://www.perfprotech.com/store/App_Themes/PPT/images/main-harness-wiring-c.jpg

[osur866]

My lanyard cuts all power and won't crank either.
Mine cranks over with the lanyard pulled. But will not fire. Don't ask how I know this Steve

[BUIZILLA]

I was just looking for that drawing Mark.. thanx :)

[HOWARD O]

I am pleased to report that I have voltage now! It was the breaker button. Nice to have a parts boat handy! Everything works too, blower, bilge pump, all nav lights.

So after removing the plugs and coil wire, I gave it water and cranked it a few times. All seems great. So put the plugs back in, hook up the coil wire and expecting a start. Now no fuel to carb. :confused:
Another thing I found odd was that the tach goes to about 8 grand when cranking? WHAT does THAT mean?

"Pretty sure" I have fuel in the tank, shutoff valve to tank is open. Now I've run out of time today, haven't checked tank venting yet and I guess I'll replace the fuel filter tomorrow........see if it is getting fuel to that point.

Getting to know my new boat though, that's always a good thing! :cool: