My Yamaha 90 hp 2 cycle on my Tolman has always been hard to start if
she has not been run in over a week. I will crank and pump the bulb
crank some more, pump etc for a Looooooooong time before she catches
and runs in a cloud of smoke. If she has been run recently, she
starts right up.
Tonight, I started her after a lapse of a month and I was not sure she
would ever start but she finally did. I then shut her down 3 times
and started her again. I think, but am not sure that she may be
getting flooded because more throttle makes her not start. Maybe the
starting problem is getting worse, I cannot really tell. Maybe I am
squeezing the bulb too much and flooding here, cannot tell. Ideas?

On Nov 25, 5:47*pm, Frogwatch wrote:
My Yamaha 90 hp 2 cycle on my Tolman has always been hard to start if
she has not been run in over a week. *I will crank and pump the bulb
crank some more, pump etc for a Looooooooong time before she catches
and runs in a cloud of smoke. *If she has been run recently, she
starts right up.
Tonight, I started her after a lapse of a month and I was not sure she
would ever start but she finally did. *I then shut her down 3 times
and started her again. *I think, but am not sure that she may be
getting flooded because more throttle makes her not start. *Maybe the
starting problem is getting worse, I cannot really tell. *Maybe I am
squeezing the bulb too much and flooding here, cannot tell. *Ideas?

I don't' know for any kind of a fact, and of course, I could be
wrong, but I take it the Yammy is a two stroke? I don't believe your
squeezing the bulb too much, But I think you might have low
compression, and/or a vacuum leak somewhere.

two cycle engines depend on good compression and no vacuum leaks,
whether it be vacuum at the carbs or in the crankshaft seals.

i bought a used 115 hp v-4 Evinrude that had a new power head
installed. run for a couple years, then it sat for about another 10.
I gave a hundred bucks for it. (Which was a steal!) and even though
the power head was extremely low hrs. I was concerned about the crank
seals being bad (brittle, cracked etc.) just from sitting.

Actually on inspection they seemed in really good shape. so after
cleaning the carbs, changing the impeller, and putting it on a make
shift stand, w/the lower end in a garbage can full of water, we put
some fresh fuel in it and I was really suprised, that it started
rather easily.

You have spark, and fuel, so I'd say it would have to be the
compression or vacuum.

On Nov 25, 6:38*pm, Tim wrote:
On Nov 25, 5:47*pm, Frogwatch wrote:

My Yamaha 90 hp 2 cycle on my Tolman has always been hard to start if

I don't' know for any kind of a fact, and of course, I could be
wrong, *but I take it the Yammy is a two stroke? *

Duh. of course it's a 2-stroke.

Sorry, for me it's a numb-skull day!

?;^ Q

On Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:42:26 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:

On Nov 25, 6:38Â*pm, Tim wrote:
On Nov 25, 5:47Â*pm, Frogwatch wrote:

My Yamaha 90 hp 2 cycle on my Tolman has always been hard to start if

I don't' know for any kind of a fact, and of course, I could be
wrong, Â*but I take it the Yammy is a two stroke? Â*

Duh. of course it's a 2-stroke.

Sorry, for me it's a numb-skull day!

?;^ Q

I thought it was Thanksgiving Eve.

On Nov 25, 6:44*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:42:26 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:

On Nov 25, 6:38*pm, Tim wrote:
On Nov 25, 5:47*pm, Frogwatch wrote:

My Yamaha 90 hp 2 cycle on my Tolman has always been hard to start if

I don't' know for any kind of a fact, and of course, I could be
wrong, *but I take it the Yammy is a two stroke? *

Duh. of course it's a 2-stroke.

Sorry, for me it's a numb-skull day!

?;^ Q

I thought it was Thanksgiving Eve.

I thought that was yesterday!

If the compression is a bit low 2 strokes can be hard to start. Pull the
plug and see if it's wet. That will tell you if it's flooded. Might want
to keep a can of ether in the boat. Just give it a squirt and it'll
probably start right up. Some people will tell you ether is bad for a 2
stroke but used in a small quantity it won't hurt anything. You're putting
a lot of wear on the starter by cranking it a whole lot all the time.

"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
My Yamaha 90 hp 2 cycle on my Tolman has always been hard to start if
she has not been run in over a week. I will crank and pump the bulb
crank some more, pump etc for a Looooooooong time before she catches
and runs in a cloud of smoke. If she has been run recently, she
starts right up.
Tonight, I started her after a lapse of a month and I was not sure she
would ever start but she finally did. I then shut her down 3 times
and started her again. I think, but am not sure that she may be
getting flooded because more throttle makes her not start. Maybe the
starting problem is getting worse, I cannot really tell. Maybe I am
squeezing the bulb too much and flooding here, cannot tell. Ideas?

In message ,
writes
On Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:47:42 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:


I agree with Tim, low compression and this is exacerbated by it just
sitting. Without the oil around the rings it has even less.
The blue smoke indicates you are flooding it but sometimes that is the
only way to get a "cranky" 2 stroke to start.
Once you know it is flooded, open the throttle all the way and crank
it. You will lean it out to the sweet spot and it will start ... if
you haven't oil slugged the plugs.

Question. If you are tied up at the berth, how can you open the
throttle all the way - which will drop it in gear - or are you presuming
that the propeller has been removed? I'm not being inflammatory, it's a
serious question, partly because I have a Yamaha 50HP 2-stroke that is
equally finicky to start.

--
Jonathan

Did you realise that we spend 14.3% of our lives on Mondays?

On Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:54:25 +0000, Jonathan Spencer
wrote:

In message ,
writes
On Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:47:42 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:


I agree with Tim, low compression and this is exacerbated by it just
sitting. Without the oil around the rings it has even less.
The blue smoke indicates you are flooding it but sometimes that is the
only way to get a "cranky" 2 stroke to start.
Once you know it is flooded, open the throttle all the way and crank
it. You will lean it out to the sweet spot and it will start ... if
you haven't oil slugged the plugs.

Question. If you are tied up at the berth, how can you open the
throttle all the way - which will drop it in gear - or are you presuming
that the propeller has been removed? I'm not being inflammatory, it's a
serious question, partly because I have a Yamaha 50HP 2-stroke that is
equally finicky to start.

Are you serious?

Throttle controls have a detent that disables the gear shift -
sometimes its located on the throttle itself, sometimes its located on
the binnacle. You either press the button and move the throttle, or
pull up on the detent on the throttle handle and move the throttle.

Years ago, there was a throttle system, I think it was OMC, where you
pulled out the throttle handle which disabled the gear shift.

In any case, it's on your throttle control - look for it.