Starboard engine will not start

[Pakmule]

I know how difficult these things are to diagnose over the internet but I am just looking for directions that I might look.

I took the boat over to get gas this weekend. The boat ran fine both on plane and at displacement speeds. I took about 15 minutes to get there however, after fueling, my starboard engine refused start. It turns over just fine but it is just cranking and not even attempting to fire.

I checked the obvious things like if the key was turned on and the switch was on on the panel. I also swapped out the distributor cap as I had one on board. The only thing that has been going on with the boat is that the emergency notification panel on the dash will randomly start screeching and every LED on the panel will light up. It does that even when I am just sitting the dock with the engines off. It will last anywhere from a second to almost a minute.

I am leaning towards something electronic as the motor was running fine one minute and now it won't fire at all.

Any ideas on where to look before I make the one engined trip to the shop?

 

[Bt Doctur]

check all battery connections especially the negative ones, also check the main harness plug at the engine

 

[SeaRenity]

I would check your fuel pump relay. It's an inexpensive part that can cause what you explained. When you click the ignition switch do you hear the hiss from fuel? If not then then the relay is most likely the problem
Rich

 

[Quint4]

also ignition sensor inside distributor cap

 

[Pakmule]

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Dsybok]

Turning over but failing to catch is going to be either no spark or no fuel so start there. I had a recent issue like this and it turned out to be the wiring harness and fuel pump relay melted somehow. Relay stuck open, melted the harness. Replaced and engine starts fine.

 

[Pakmule]

So I went to to the boat today and of course the engine fired right up...

When I turn the switch on I could hear the fuel pump spin up but the starboard pump was running at a much higher pitch leading me to believe that it might be starved for fuel. when it first started up it didn't run long before stalling. I got it to start again by giving it some throttle but it stalled when I backed off to idle. The third time I started it I let it run for a bit just off idle and when I backed off to idle it continued to run.

My only thought was that the starboard tank was pretty low when I got gas. Maybe I picked up something at the bottom of the tank I don't know. I am going to swap out that fuel filter tomorrow just in case.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

 

[HUMPH]

Probably had the shifter out of neutral...

 

[Pakmule]

Probably had the shifter out of neutral...

With the shifter out of neutral the engine will not crank.

 

[ZZ13]

If it's MPI (I think they were around in 2000) you could try the ever popular replacement of the IAC. Cheap and easy.

 

[Pakmule]

If it's MPI (I think they were around in 2000) you could try the ever popular replacement of the IAC. Cheap and easy.

It is an MPI. It seems to be back running but I think I will add an IAC to my spare parts kit.