Is my mixture too rich?

[dispo212]

Yesterday I put in 4 1/2 gallons of gas with 16 oz of Quicksilver Full Synthetic oil and I couldn't get it to fire. It just cranked and cranked and cranked . . . . . over and over again. I thought I might have flooded it so I thought I'd let it sit over night. I got up this morning and tried to get it to fire again, but it did the same thing, but this time a lot of gas/oil came out the back (see pictures).

By the way, I don't have a primer so I have to start it by removing the flame arrestor and putting my hand over it to get it to fire the first time. After that it's good for at least the rest of the day. Not sure if that had an impact.

I hoping the problem is simply my gas/oil misture is too rich.

What could the problem be?

Suggestions PLEASE!!!

thanks!

 

[dispo212]

oops, the pictures didn't come through.

let me try that again.

 

[dispo212]

I can't attach the pictures because a security token is missing (?), but there is a nice puddle of gas/oil that I was trying to show.

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

thats like 36:1 right?

running that much oil in your fuel effectively leans out your fuel/air mixture, so it likely required the CHOKE ( by hand) for the cold start.

mix the next tank at 50:1 and see if its any easier to start, but generally, in my ( extremely limited) experience, if a boat is very cold natured, the jetting isnt dialed in well.

 

[dispo212]

thanks!

 

[dispo212]

Should I be concerned about the gas coming out the back?

 

[tor*p*do]

Should I be concerned about the gas coming out the back?

um, yeah. if it does fire you can blow up the waterbox full of fuel. :shocked:
pull plug, set it on the head and see if you have spark
seach troubleshooting, spark, compression, fuel
carb may need rebuild

 

[WFO Speedracer]

If it has that much gas coming out the back there is no way I would pull the plug and spin it over,do not make any sparks around that machine till you correct the carb problem,we don't want to read about you in the paper anytime soon.

 

[BombThreat]

ditto!

we made that mistake a few years ago on the beach while working on a blaster... just as one guys said dont get too close b/c of the gas smell it backfired and the entire ski was in flames.. along with burns to the face and hair lose to one of the guys. Nothing permanent but it could have easily been worse.

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

gas and oil was going thru, unburned since it wouldnt start, so its perfectly normal for SOME gas and oil to go straight out the exaust after much cranking without firing.

turn the fuel off, crank it a bunch more.
wipe, wash the gas and oil off, and go ride.

 

[steveyz250fpilot]

Might have fouled plugs. Pull 'em and replace them. All that can do is help! I definitely wouldn't lay them on the head to check for spark though! I'd pull the waterbox out and flush it with water and let any gas in the hoses evaporate.

I mix my gas/oil at 40:1

 

[tor*p*do]

I didnt mean to crank them on a fuel flooded ski and blowing it up :Eyecrazy:
I simply meant that a tank of 36:1 wouldnt kill the ski
and to go back to basics of checking spark, etc.
if new plugs dont fix it

 

[dispo212]

THANK YOU for all the suggestions!

time to start trouble shooting.

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

I took this to mean it ran fine after you choked it and all that , and rode it for the rest of the day.

was that not the case?

By the way, I don't have a primer so I have to start it by removing the flame arrestor and putting my hand over it to get it to fire the first time. After that it's good for at least the rest of the day. Not sure if that had an impact.

 

[701superjet]

it shouldnt be to rich 16z of oil in 5 gallons of gas is about 40:1 and just yesterday i ran 32:1 with no problems


make sure your getting a good spark

 

[Matt_E]

A difference between 40:1 and 32:1 (even 25:1) won't make it not run, assuming the engine is working properly and is tuned right.
You may have flooded the engine (with gas) and/or fouled the plugs.

 

[dispo212]

I took this to mean it ran fine after you choked it and all that , and rode it for the rest of the day.

was that not the case?

no i'm sorry i wasn't clear. that's not what i meant. the ski has not been taken out since the early last fall. normally after taking the flame arrestor off and covering it a hand it will fire after a few times. this is to be done because the ski doesn't have a primer. then for the rest of the day the ski starts fine.

i did not mean yesterday. it fired right up on Friday late morning for 5-10 seconds while sitting on the trailer. and fired right up on Friday afternoon for about 5 seconds while sitting on the trailer. But, on Friday I drained the gas tank because it had old gas in it. on Saturday I put in new gas/oil. I did get it to fire for 1/2 a second, but because i had one hand on the start button and the other covering the flame arrestor I wasn't able to hit the throttle quick enough to keep it going. after that i wasn't able to get it to fire again.

 

[dispo212]

by the way, tomorrow on tuesday i'm just going to take it to a local shop to have them look at it. i'm don't know enough to try to figure it out myself, nor do i have the patience to try to figure it out. it's too frustrating for me. i'd rather pay an expert who'll find the problem and get it fixed. I trust him not to over-charge me.

i'm trying my best not to think about it because if i get it too much energy i'll get in a bad mood again. trying to remain optomistic.

 

[steveyz250fpilot]

replace your plugs first

 

[sflsurfrider]

yup. when in doubt, spend a few bucks and replace the plugs.