Do you want to use your outboard motor again after the winter season? Or have you not used your outboard motor for a long time for some other reason? In both cases, your outboard motor may not start. Or your outboard motor breaks down and no longer starts. This has several causes. We give you tips on how to enjoy using your outboard motor again during the summer season.
Starting problems with the outboard motor
In many cases the outboard motor is not used during the winter. This causes the engine to stand still for weeks or even months. This can prevent your outboard motor from starting. It is therefore important that you check whether the outboard motor will still start when the sailing season arrives.
Outboard motor does not start
Are you trying to start your outboard motor, but it won’t start? There is a good chance that this is due to old gasoline. Gasoline that is older than 4 weeks can no longer be used for your outboard motor. The old gasoline causes blockages in pipes and possibly in the carburetor. This is because the old fuel starts to clot. The result is that the outboard motor does not start.
Outboard motor fails and will not start
Your outboard motor breaks down and will no longer start. How is that possible? In this case too, old gasoline or damage to parts is often the cause. Here too, we recommend running the carburetor engine empty and sailing entirely on clean petrol.
Outboard motor does not start electrically
Your electric outboard motor does not start. The cause may be due to the power of your engine. Little or no power may be due to the starter motor or battery. Check that your battery is charged and that the battery cables are secure. If this all works properly, it could be the starter relay. Even more causes why your electric outboard motor does not start are a broken battery or starter motor, corroded main fuse, a ground switch or electrical connections that are not clean or poorly connected wiring.
3 quick checks you can do
Your outboard motor will not start. Then there are a number of things you can quickly check. A simple but often forgotten check is the dead man’s cable or the key for the ignition system. In addition, there are 3 things an outboard motor needs to start: a spark, fuel and air.
1 Spark from spark plugs
Your outboard motor does not start? The first thing to check is whether the spark plugs produce a spark. You can check this by removing the spark plugs and placing them in the spark plug cable. Then hold the spark plugs against the engine block and start the engine. Make sure you hold the spark plug cap, otherwise you may receive an electric shock.
Do you notice no spark? Then you can:
- check whether fuses are broken;
- check whether all cables are connected;
- check that the cables are not damaged;
- replace the spark plugs.
2 Fuel
An outboard motor will not start if the engine is not supplied with fuel. This could be due to a kink in the fuel cable, old gasoline or water in the tank, or a vacuum tank. You can squeeze the pump ball to see if fuel is going to the engine. If nothing works, it may be the fuel pump or carburetor. You will then have to clean or readjust this.
3 Air supply
And finally: your outboard motor will not start if the air supply is insufficient. If the engine is equipped with an air filter, you can check whether it is clogged or dirty. You can then clean or replace this. This will give the engine air again.
Prevent starting problems
If your outboard motor does not start, it is already too late. It is of course best to prevent starting problems instead of having to solve them. This saves you a lot of time and money. Are you going to stop using your outboard motor for a while? Then make sure that the gasoline is preserved immediately after refueling or let the engine run empty. It is also important to maintain your outboard motor every year. This prevents your outboard motor from not starting.
Outboard motor maintenance
If you have a (second-hand) outboard motor, it is inevitable that the motor will need maintenance from time to time. Consider replacements, cleaning and repairs of the outboard motor. Periodic maintenance of the outboard motor is important to keep the motor running properly. This prevents your outboard motor from starting.
At Outboard Occasions you can have maintenance and repairs carried out on your outboard motor. We check your outboard motor at various points during both minor and major maintenance. You can read more information about maintenance at Outboard Occasions on our maintenance and repairs page.
