Hard starting sportjet fix [Archive]

glowball

02-13-2008, 08:14 AM

Jedcraft

02-13-2008, 06:03 PM

That's excactly what I did and it worked fine. Originally took awhile to pump the fuel up to the carbs when cold. Now pump the fuel bulb up firm and it starts right away even when cold.

snit

02-13-2008, 08:38 PM

Kris, that's the easiest fix. FYI, I believe that there's some "Coast Guard" type regs regarding fuel primer balls and inboards. I've seen rumors of it before here on the boards. You might want to have the primer outside the dog house for legal reasons. Just some info to check out.

Also, a few years ago a dude posted a remedy that consisted of wiring a hot lead to the key and the fuel pump solenoid (push the key in to prime prior to ignition). I did it on my SJ and it helped, but it was still cold blooded for the first fire of the morning. After that it ran great all day.

HntnFsh

02-14-2008, 07:45 AM

I wired up a switch to my fuel pump so I could prime the engine.It was probably a coincedence,but I started having some problems.Within a few start ups.I ended up disconecting mine.

Back to the old fashioned way.

I may consider a primer bulb sometime.I'll have to look into the legalities of it.And see exactly where to place it to be legal.

fergy61

03-06-2008, 12:22 AM

Pickles did the fuel pump mod & posted great pics to go with it here (http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?t=2231&highlight=Sport+jet+Fuel+pump+mod%3F)
I used his tutorial & it worked great, still does. Unfortunately the pics are not on the post anymore. You might try pm'ing him to see if he still has them. I don't remember what ignition wire was used now.:eek:

Edit
The post tells which wires, just doesn't have the pics to go with it.

HOOKUP

03-06-2008, 01:39 AM

you can have a "ball pump" on an outboard but not an inboard thanks to the coast guard.

What did I have on my SJ? A ball pump! best easy fix out there. Not sure what the CG would do if inspected?

Redneck

03-08-2008, 04:05 PM

primer bulbs do not pass the the coast guards 2 minute burn test. marine fuel hoses do and that's why they cost so much. fires on boats = bad. wire in the switch or run the fuel hose outside the motor box/connect primer bult/run hose back into motor box. i figured i would have to make some tight bends in the fuel hose to route it out and back in the motor box. wiring up the switch takes about an hour. with the switch you don't have to open the motor box (even though it's only on the 1st start of the day).
redneck

Jetboatgreg

05-22-2009, 11:45 AM

I also have a hard starting sport jet...i spent over $600 with my local mechanic changing parts only to have the same problem.

I found out through the master mechanic here on this forum that i did not have a ck valve at the tank so i put one in. The boat started better but i still had problem so i put a primer bulb in line b4 my fuel pump.

Although it starts quicker, from time to time after it warms up...i will hit the throttle and its like the fuel system has an air bubble in it and the motor will die out...then i have to crank and crank again and it will spit and sputter.

Once it gets primed up and clears it will run beautiful the rest of the day and fire right up when you turn the key.

I tried priming the bulb and then running the fuel pump (by pulling the in line fuel pump fuse and touching to the hot starter selonoid) but it seems to do more worse than good.

I am going to try "not" priming the bulb and see what happens this weekend.

Any suggestions? and where is the water separator and where would you put a priming bulb there???

Getting very frustrated in PA!!

G

Finny Business

05-23-2009, 07:22 PM

ive heard about hard start issues with sport jets but are those issues only with the older ones?? ive got an 02' 200hp SJ on my jetcraft and it starts instantly even after it has sat for a week or more... it is fuel injected though and if im not mistaken when i turn the key to on it primes the fuel. just wondering though if the issues you all are discussing are for all SJ's or just the older ones.

TheRogue

05-26-2009, 06:10 AM

It's the difference between the carb'd 175's and the 200-240-250, which are fuel injected.

Jetboatgreg

05-28-2009, 12:45 PM

It's the difference between the carb'd 175's and the 200-240-250, which are fuel injected.

So my ? is.......If i installed the primer bulb (which i did) SHould i bypass the fuel pump????? Presently it is in line b4 the fuel filter, then the fuel pump.

I tried it this weekend. And although it started ok once...it spit and sputtered one other time on start up. In other words it started ok...and idled but when i put the throttle forward it bogged down as if it lost its prime. THen on restart it cranked and cranked and finally took off.

THis is driving my nuts!!

G

cmb1998

05-29-2009, 08:37 AM

Well I think I stumbled onto a fix for our hardstarting sportjet on monday. A buddy of mine is pretty caddy with boats. He helped me finish up my oiler removal and priming of the mixed fuel. When we went to start the boat it did it's usual crank crank crank and nothing for the first minute. He came to the conclusion that my system was taking way too long to get fuel to the plugs. So we rigged up a primer ball off of the fuel water seperator and I gave it the test yesterday morning. Pumped it up first thing in the morning and it fired right up. So I guess after it sits the fuel must drain back out of the system and it is taking a long time to prime back up.

He said per coasty regulations. No primer ball under the motor box. So I will have to figure out a way to rig it up with it outside the box yet still out of the way.

Hope this helps
Kris

I have posted this before, and have not read all the posts in the thread...but the problem with the slow starting SJ's is usually the fuel pump.

The SJ's use a diaphragm style fuel pump, a small hole in the diaphragm, or even just age, will make it harder for the pump to pull the fuel to carb's. This is especially true when there is no check valve, as the hole in the diaphragm will allow and fuel in the pump / fuel lines to return to the tank.

The easiest fix is to swap the std. diaphragm pump for an electric fuel pump. Mine starts right away now, 99% of the time on the first crank.

Good luck.

Chris

Jetboatgreg

05-29-2009, 08:59 AM

I have posted this before, and have not read all the posts in the thread...but the problem with the slow starting SJ's is usually the fuel pump.

The SJ's use a diaphragm style fuel pump, a small hole in the diaphragm, or even just age, will make it harder for the pump to pull the fuel to carb's. This is especially true when there is no check valve, as the hole in the diaphragm will allow and fuel in the pump / fuel lines to return to the tank.

The easiest fix is to swap the std. diaphragm pump for an electric fuel pump. Mine starts right away now, 99% of the time on the first crank.

Good luck.

Chris

Chris, mine (i believe has an electric fuel pump already standard) is a 2005
tracker 185 jet with the 175 sport jet. The pump runs off the motor so i assume its electric already?????

cmb1998

05-29-2009, 09:47 AM

Chris, mine (i believe has an electric fuel pump already standard) is a 2005
tracker 185 jet with the 175 sport jet. The pump runs off the motor so i assume its electric already?????

The standard pump is an electric diaphram pump. Info here-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaphragm_pump The pump works great if there is a complete vacume between the pump and fuel tank. The problem is:

1: The pump is a fairly low volume pump, and when you shot your motor off, if there are any air leaks in the fule system between the pump and tank, the fule is allowed to flow back to the tank and your fule lines are full of air. So when you turn the pump back on the diaphram pump has to pump all the air out of the fuel lines, hence you have to crank and crank.

2: The diaphram is prone to holes / craks. Even a small one can lead to problem #1. They also push better than they pull.

You need a Rotor Pump. http://www.holley.com/712-802-1.asp

Just an example. Do a search. I posted all of this before.

Good luck.

Chris

cmb1998

05-29-2009, 10:12 AM

Chris, mine (i believe has an electric fuel pump already standard) is a 2005
tracker 185 jet with the 175 sport jet. The pump runs off the motor so i assume its electric already?????

Where are you at? I would be glad to show you how mine is setup.

Just as an FYI, this is a two stroke it's a little different from a 4stroke. I had to figure out how mine wanted to start. When it's cold.

1) Turn key to ON (this starts the fuel pump) and Flip the Choke - Hold to the count of 10.
2) Let go of the choke and count to 10.
3) Crank engine. Starts instantly...

When warm:

1) Turn key to ON (start fuel pump) and just flip the choke for 1/2 a second. (wait 10 seconds).
2) Start engine.

It took awile to get to the point where I am now though. And a little help from my mechanic. I had also had a short in my choke wireing with the key mechanisim, my choke wasn't operating at all initially and thats why I was having so many issues. Rewired it to a seperate switch and all is good to go.

Had my anchor bust loose on the lewis in high water. Ran up to start the main and it just cranked and cranked. Could not get it started for the life of me. Scary feeling seeing that rapid approaching and no motor. I got it all dialed in after that.

Good luck.

Chris

Jet-Man

05-29-2009, 10:53 AM

:excited:
Well here I go again sorry to bust in. I have an 03 sport jet with carbs and it to can be tuff to start. There is NO choke or primer bulb. What happens when you shut it off for an extended time IE over night. all the gas drained out of the fuel lines that is a good thing but it's hard to start. Your giving up trying about the time you get the gas lines filled again and let go of the key it will all drain back down and you have to start all over. DON'T give up and keep the starter running till it kicks out. Then its primed and will start. You have to keep your boat battery in good shape or it will die to soon. I run our boat in near "0*" temps and don't have any problem. I do have 3 battery's on board that I can select from to start the boat.They all do it to some extent so if you keep on cranking and DON'T give up and release the key It Will Start,try it.
" No Picture of a dead animal "

cmb1998

05-29-2009, 11:00 AM

Jet-Man

05-29-2009, 12:22 PM

[quote=Jet-Man;2561151]:excited:
There is NO choke or primer bulb.quote]

The SJ has a choke. Do you have the factory merc key assembly. You should have push the key in when in the ON position to choke?

Chris.

Yup Factory switch and it has the push thing you mentioned BUT on my Hewes it's not connected to any thing. No mater it starts every time.

cmb1998

05-29-2009, 12:48 PM

[quote=cmb1998;2561163]

Yup Factory switch and it has the push thing you mentioned BUT on my Hewes it's not connected to any thing. No mater it starts every time.

Wow thats odd. Do you have a purple & Yellow wire coming out of the carbs?

Chris

Jet-Man

05-29-2009, 01:07 PM

[quote=Jet-Man;2561251]

Wow thats odd. Do you have a purple & Yellow wire coming out of the carbs?

Chris

Yes but they don't go to any other other wires they have plugs but I have never found any corresponding wires???
I have looked before.

chummer

05-29-2009, 01:48 PM

A few years ago when I owned a SJ, I had this same issue, and asked for help here. The main problem is that the SJ fuel pump only operates while the engine is being started. I thought about the primer bulb also to pre-prime the engine before starting, and it worked great other then there are coast guard regulations that make this illegal. Someone here came up with a solution to run a wire from the ignition switch to the fuel pump, so that before actually turning the engine over the fuel pump would acivate, preventing that long ignition period. They presented a pictorial on where and how to complete this project, try a search in the archives, it must have been back in 02 or 03.

HntnFsh

05-29-2009, 06:14 PM

[quote=Jet-Man;2561151]:excited:
There is NO choke or primer bulb.quote]

The SJ has a choke. Do you have the factory merc key assembly. You should have push the key in when in the ON position to choke?

Chris.

The SJ does not have a choke.Pushing the key in does nothing.No matter what your salesman or mechanic says. You can wire your switch up to work with your pump.But its not like that from the factory.

The SJ has an enrichener valve.If you look at your motor its on the left side between the carbs and the starter.

The enrichener valve opens letting fuel flow into the carbs to prime them.
The fuel pump only works when turning the engine over.Or its running.
Have someone turn the key while your next to the enrichener valve.You should hear a click.If not.Its not working.You can also operate it manually by pushing down on the top of it.(enrichener valve.)

If you dont have fuel to it.It does you no good.

baitsauce

05-29-2009, 10:34 PM

Pushing the key in does nothing.No matter what your salesman or mechanic says.........

:yeahthat:

Pacific Fisher

05-30-2009, 09:50 AM

Great tip on installing an aftermarket fuel pump CMB 1998.

Jetboatgreg

06-04-2009, 07:27 AM

I am in PA....

and yes the SJ doesnt have a choke...say it does...but does not.

Thanks for the info. I will look into the different fuel pump.

Right now i have been taking out the in line fuse to the pump and touching it to the selenoid on the starter to run the fuel pump b4 i start the motor.

So far so good.....someone also said about waiting 5 seconds b4 starting the motor to let the enrichner work. I have been doing that and it seems to help.

Thanks!

G

cmb1998

06-04-2009, 08:51 AM

You can call it an enricher or a choke, my 2001 has one and it does somthing. It will start the engine right up from when it's cold, and if I hit it while running it will bog the engine down.

Good luck.

Chris

HntnFsh

06-04-2009, 01:47 PM

There is a big difference between an enrichener and a choke.
I wish my sj had a choke.

cmb1998

06-04-2009, 03:20 PM

There is a big difference between an enrichener and a choke.
I wish my sj had a choke.

The end result is the same. Why does everyone want argue about immaterial stuff. That’s why I get tired of posting to these threads. I am done with this one.

Good luck. If you want any info feel free to PM. My 175 SJ starts as well my 2008 Suzuki Kicker or any other 4 stroke carb’ed motor I have.

Later,

Chris