Hard starting Yamato 102

[BillCNC]

Hello all, ...

I took my boat out on her maiden voyage, ... this past Sunday. http://youtu.be/NbFi5swVMdg

I had fun but starting the Yamato in the water, ... god what a pain. It starts on the 1-2 pull out of the water and I started it up just before I put it in the water and ran it for 20 seconds. I then put the boat in the water, ... and dear god, ... it starts in 10-20 pulls. By that time, I'm almost to tired to go out.

The only thing I can think of is the resistance of the prop from being in the water is the cause. How do I get it to start in the water more easily?

Thanks
Bill

[Tim Weber]

Welcome to the world of the 102. Some start very easy in the water and some are a pain in the backside.

With a hard starter, warm it up well on the shore first. That helps a bunch. Also, if the carb is too rich, that can make them troublesome. It usually helps to give it a little extra fuel by pushing down the float stem. This forces fuel in the motor.

Even doing all that stuff soemtimes doesn't solve your problem 100%. There are times you just have to pick it up.

Tim

[david bryan]

take the prop of see if that helps

[seanp3]

Sounds like you're starting it yourself. Get some help and have someone else rope it for you. Position yourself in the boat toward the steering wheel and this will help elevate the motor somewhat so it isn't burried when you start it.

[BillCNC]

Thanks Everyone for your responses,

This is not a race boat, just a lake fun boat that will be used for the most part by myself, ... no pit crew. More or less, ... a really cool jet ski type of use.

Right after the video, ... I was in the middle of a BIG lake and I ran out of fuel. After filling it up on the lake, I could not get it started in the water. I had my son in a rental boat tow me back about 2 miles and we pulled the boat out of the water, ... 2nd pull it started.

On the water, ... after trying to start it, ... I tilted the motor up to get the prop out of the water so it would start easier, ... gas came out of the carburetor, ... ok, .. now it's flooded.

Are they normally easy to start in the water?

The starting in the water as it sits, ... could sink this project before her second floating, ... Anything else?

[johnsonm50]

On small outboards in general they start nice on the stand & not in the water. All the reasons given are true but another is the exhaust plenum area is full of water on boat/in water so the motor is troublesome.

[If the carb is adjusted on stand it will likely be too lean on boat.. This might not apply to a Yamato since the carb has no low idle screw]
A longer rope so you can get farther forward is something I've seen done. Good Luck.

[BillCNC]

On small outboards in general they start nice on the stand & not in the water. All the reasons given are true but another is the exhaust plenum area is full of water on boat/in water so the motor is troublesome.

[If the carb is adjusted on stand it will likely be too lean on boat.. This might not apply to a Yamato since the carb has no low idle screw]
A longer rope so you can get farther forward is something I've seen done. Good Luck.

I haven't adjusted anything except made sure the main needle was 1 1/2 turns as per the manual. I took the boat out to test the hull and to get to know the motor. Once started, ... it appears to run fine. My fear is once on the lake if it dies because I let the throttle go to low and it shuts off, ... I'll never get it started again until I either paddle back to the dock or get a tow back.

In either case, ... it is unacceptable.

[Team B&H]

Yamatos have a megaphone exhaust inside the driveshaft housing. It is a pretty small volume so the engine has considerable back pressure on the exhaust when the boat is sitting so deep in the water that the megaphone outlet is underwater. Not much you can do about that except to get your boat to float higher or more desperately, trim some length off the exhaust megaphone. Or get a longer starter rope so you can wrap a turn or two around the pulley and then move further towards the bow to get the back of the boat higher.

[johnsonm50]

I haven't adjusted anything except made sure the main needle was 1 1/2 turns as per the manual. I took the boat out to test the hull and to get to know the motor. Once started, ... it appears to run fine. My fear is once on the lake if it dies because I let the throttle go to low and it shuts off, ... I'll never get it started again until I either paddle back to the dock or get a tow back.

In either case, ... it is unacceptable.

I hear ya on paddling.. Been there time & again. near & far. Beats needing a rescue tho. Pals & a tow boat are your best bet.

[BillCNC]

Yamatos have a megaphone exhaust inside the driveshaft housing. It is a pretty small volume so the engine has considerable back pressure on the exhaust when the boat is sitting so deep in the water that the megaphone outlet is underwater. Not much you can do about that except to get your boat to float higher or more desperately, trim some length off the exhaust megaphone. Or get a longer starter rope so you can wrap a turn or two around the pulley and then move further towards the bow to get the back of the boat higher.

Would bringing the exhaust out of the water, ... (modified somehow) be an answer? I AM NOT going to race this boat so race rules wont apply.

[ZUL8TR]

Hard starting

before modding the engine to help starting try to use your trailer in the water to sit the back of the boat on such that the boat rear is several inches below the water then start the motor and have someone push you off when you are forward. The tote trailers used at race site would be a handy set up for this.

Also try a low speed adjustment it may only take a small bit.

Do you have the timing advance arm locked down or is it still movable as in stock form. If locked down with high timing advance setting that can cause hard starting in water.

What spark plugs are in the engine and what are they set at?

[S Henderson]

Hard start

Ran 102 for years. Get you a can of spray beariman ( B-12 ) a good shot or 2 in carb and it should pop off. Try it.

[BillCNC]

ZUL8TR,

I have a boat cart that I built and that would work just fine when I am near the shore, ... but that wont solve the problem if I'm in the middle of the lake.

I bought the motor from Kevin Martin, here on the site and the only things I have done to it are, ...

1. Part # 15-6130
2. Plugs Adapters from 18mm to 14mm
3. Plugs BPR10EXI gaped at .020"
4. Fuel Mix 25:1

The timing arm is not locked down and is movable. I try to start it with it in the middle and as soon as the motor starts, I move it to the right, ... (exhaust side) as per manual.

As for the low speed adjustment, ... I have not tried that yet.

To All,

Does anyone know of any websites or guides for working and tweaking the102? Surprisingly, ... doing a web search, I have not found a thing, ... not even a peep, ... are these protected secrets, or what?

[BillCNC]

Ran 102 for years. Get you a can of spray beariman ( B-12 ) a good shot or 2 in carb and it should pop off. Try it.

S Henderson,

I am going to clean up the motor some, ... I will get some cleaner for the carb. Were you suggesting it be used as a starting fluid? My past experience with carb cleaners, ... they make horrible starting fluid, they usually make the motor stumble when spraying into a running engine.

[BillCNC]

One other thing, ...

To eliminate some of the headache, ... I need to get rid of the stock gravity fed fuel tank and get a larger removable tank so I wont run out of fuel while playing on the lake.

What is a good reliable fuel pump to put on this motor and what's involved for installing it?