NDR - Boat motor won't start when cold

David Robinson

David Robinson

Well-known member
Fellas,

Being duck hunters, we must start our outboards in cold weather (<45F). I've got a 1991 Johnson 25 electric start that will not fire when its cold. I had an tune-up this spring and it ran well during the summer. But when the weather turned cold, it was a pain in the neck to start. I thought I was going to burn up the starter a few times. By late November I had to use a shot of starting fluid to get it to fire (not a habit I want to get into). Once the motor was warmed up, it would fire right up if I didn't have it off for too long. Does anyone know why this might happen and how to fix it? I'm sure there are others that know what I'm talking about.

Thanks.
 
Does it have an electric choke solinoid? If it does, that is where I would look first.If it has the primer, give it a few more pumps in the cold weather. Do not use starting fluid on a 2 stroke, you will fry your cylinders...use a small spray bottle of premix fuel and spritz it in.
 
Good call Lee, check those out first and pop for a new set of plugs. Cheap enough and then you will have a spare set. Double thumbs up on NOT using starting fluid. That stuff is deadly. At Tecumseh factory school they showed us a two piece block that used to be a one piece. If you have to, use WD-40 for starting primer fluid. Make sure your gas is fresh also. Good Luck.
 
Lee and Tom,

Thanks for the tip on using pre-mixed fuel or WD-40 as an emergency primer. I've put new plugs in it twice and a new fuel line in hopes that it was something simple and easy to fix. Lee, how does an electric choke solenoid work? How would I know if it's bad? I appreciate the feedback.
 
Last edited:
When you push the key in it closes the choke. Look at the carb and see if it has one mounted on it. It will be a little cylinder and you should hear it click when you push in on the key.It may have a red lever on it that allows for manual choking and may need to be turned so it works with the key. Is this a tiller model or a remote?
 
The only times my outboard wouldn't start there was water frozen solid in the hose. I learned to keep it in the house and inside the truck till the boat was in the water an we were loaded and ready to run.

I don't know how to break this to you but +45 or even +32 is not cold enough to cause a well tuned outboard nor to run, even a rope start! If your battery is up and the starter is doing the job of spinning it over it shure should start. We run some days well below zero, and have had to break ice both ways to and from the ramp. It's a real pain to have to bust your decoys out of the Ice.

Last week it was -45 but duck season is long over, and you couldn't break ice where I hunt with a Mack truck. When it gets that cold, I don't even run a snowmobile. When it gets to -60 you don't travel if you don't have too, we do sill go to work, and do what ever we have to.
 
http://12.2.215.22/pub/default.asp?SessionId=c4cc43b2101f4acdb0225a3f792c468d&Lang=EN

See if yours has the primer solenoid system like this.
 
Lee,

I really appreciate the help. I have a remote keyed set up on a console. To operate the choke I have to lift a lever next to the throttle and then turn the key. The drawback to this system is that I can't give it some throttle to help the engine fire. There is a small round electric contraption with a red lever next to the carburator that has a gas line that injects into the carburator next to the butterfly valve. I tried to get onto the BRP website but it was not showing the parts lists so I don't know if this is the electric choke solenoid that you've been talking about. I will try again tomorrow...I'm on a mission now:)

Thanks
 
Yep, that is it. The lever deal isn't a choke, it's a fast idle lever. You lift that up,push the key IN for like a five or ten count then start. If it tries to die push the key in and it should squirt some juice in the manifold or carb. It's been about ten years since I had a remote 2 stroke so I can't remember if the key has to be turned to the "run" position to push in for choke/prime. My 35 is a pull start with a primer that you pull out and push in..when it is cold out I sometimes have to give it a few squirts till it warms up.
 
Harker,

The remote choke setup on my tohatsu is similar, it has a switch that activates when the key is pushed in, mine has to be in the run or start position to work (no power to the engine (except to the tilt and trim) when the key is in the off position. That turns on a electromagnet that pulls a hunk of steel back and the rod attached to that actuates an arm on the carb. I don't think the one on mine squirts fuel so much as it changes the throttle butterfly position. Mine was a tiller at birth, so I still have the manual choke on it too, which comes in handy in very cold weather starting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top