Fuel tank cleaning

[Capt. Debbie]

There's a lot that could be wrong that clicks. Bad connection. Bad solenoid on Starter. Bad Bendix drive on starter to flywheel. And a bad battery that wont hold a charge.

Dont go blowing money. In my experience batteries well maintained will last three years. Batter use Year 4 is Russian Roulette every time you use it. Get rid of it!!

Best first step takes two people. One to turn key to crank and another at the starter looking what kind of voltage youre getting at the starter. Then do it again, except guy two is taking voltage reading at battery. That will tell you about connections. Same voltage number is good (12vdc-13.8vdc).

Shit battery will drop very low like 10-11 vdc while key is twisted to engage starter.

A shit bendix drive inside the starter is easily checked too with two people again. One turn ignition to start and the other guy banging with a hammer HARD on the starter end which goes inside the motor to the flywheel. Sometimes the Bendix Drive spring leaves the starter gear still mechanically connected to the flywheel gears and the starter must spin up and engage. It cant.
If its engaged to flywheel it can not spin up and just clicks. Many a Tow was not needed after a half dozen or so hammer whacks on the starter. That can not be repaired. Get a new or rebuilt starter.

Hope that helps? Its EXTREMELY rare the actual starter motor itself fails. VERY VERY rare.

Originally Posted by Duffman

Define noise? There’s good noise and there’s bad noise ��

Before condemning the starter I’d look at everything else first. Start at the batteries and work your way to the starter. Check every connection especially since sitting for that long.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Good advise above and you defiantly don't want to run that engine on the gas left in in the tank. Run it off fresh gas in portable plastic tanks first and like Duff said, if it runs good then you invest in cleaning up the permanent tank.

One other thing once you get it running... Since it's been sitting for a while, the raw water impeller which is usually rubber gets hard and the fins break off them... When you first start if it's for any length of time, make sure you get a set of muffs and run to hose to them to keep the engine cool.. If the impeller is good you should see water coming out of the prop hub and the discharge valve. https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=...DytMP5ee1qAM36

It will also be important once you get everything running on land to water test.. A lot of times engines will run fine until you get them on the water and push the throttle down and put them under load. I'd plan to stay close while you are water testing in case something goes wrong.

[jcstriper1]

Thanks guys for the valuable information, keep ya posted.
Duff, the noise i interpreted was that if i fully tried to turn it over it would. just my opinion, i just turned the key to see, and backed off right away. Maybe it wouldn't start. I'm not sure if i'm right or not due to lack of knowledge, but if it was seized i wouldn't of heard anything. Is that right or wrong??

[Gerry Zagorski]

If the engine were seized you would have heard a click and the engine would not have turned. If you’re not sure if the engine is turning, take the engine cowling off and have someone turn the key. If you see the flywheel turning on top of the engine, it not seized.

[jcstriper1]

Thanks Gerry!!