What's the proper procedure to start a cold engine?

D

Dark Age 53

New Member
Sep 10, 2012
38
Dewitt, Mi.
Boat Info
1986 Sea Ray 300 WE
Engines
Twin 350 Merc 260hp Inboards
Just got back from Chicago from helping our son move, while we where there we checked out the boat also.

We started the boat for the first time since since my son bought it three weeks ago, seemed to start up fairly well for not knowing the proper way to start a cold engine....would appreciate knowing what is the correct way to start a cold engine and as well as how to restart a warmed up engine.


Thanks,
Al
 
Can be a black art!.....more info, petrol ? Carny or Efi ?


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I would say gas with carbs.....'88 Weekender w 350's. I always crank the starter for 15 seconds to get some oil moving and gas in the carb. I then pump the throttle one time so set the choke and squirt some fuel in the engine. Crank it over again and it should start. I warm up at 1200rpms. Hot start should be just hitting the key or just a tad of throttle....no pump or it will flood, Mike.
 
if it is a carb engine ...
pump the throttle 2-3 times ...set it at 1/4 throttle
and hit the key
should start and idle at about 1500 till warmup

EFI...
just crank it and go
 
I agree, it can be an art with older engines at times, they all seem to be a bit different.

My cold start procedure:
- Turn the blower on for a few minutes.
- Push the throttles to full open and pull back to just above idle position (1 time). Sets the choke.
- Hit the key and engines fire right up.
- 1500 rpm warm-up before heading out.

Very little throttle at start, too much throttle or more "pumps" and they seem to crank longer.
 
My electric chokes have been removed

Cold - I generally crank for around 10-15 seconds, then 3or so good pumps and back to idle, again I try and warm up around1200-1500rpm, in the first minute I may need an extra pump to keep it going.

The starboard engine starts easier than the port. So I start the port first and when it is running reliably, I start the starboard, after a minute I drop them back to a fast idle, and then take boat covers off, ready the boat to move out of the berth.

When they are warm, or any time during the day after the first start, I just hi the key


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There all different as stated above.
1) Turn blowers on, Outdrive down
2) 1 pump
3) start at idle
4) bring idle up to 1200 rpm till temp is about 110 back to idle
5) bring temp up to operating temp before leaving dock ( I've had mine stall in gusty wind when cold )

I always start at idle till there's oil pressure.

Warm start turn blowers on start engine.
 
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Don't think too much about it. Although more durable than an automotive engine, it's basically the same. Think of it that way and it should help. If you've ever owned a car with a carb, you probably already know what to do with the boat. You'll find out, like mentioned above, that every single carb'd engine has it's "preferred" way of being started. Some are more finicky than others.

While it's perfectly acceptable to start the engine and begin moving pretty much right away (once it has established a solid idle, anyway), I wouldn't "get on it" until the engine has come up to temp. A boat engine sees the same type of stress that a pickup truck's engine sees when towing a heavy load up a big hill... All the time.
 
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I think it also depends how much you use it. starting my Pachanga after a few weeks and it's a guessing game of pumps, and cranking. but after a few days of running she seems to fantasize of being an EFI motor and just turn the key on a cold start.
 
Bob & Sue said:
There all different as stated above.
1) Turn blowers on, Outdrive down
2) 1 pump
3) start at idle
4) bring idle up to 1200 rpm till temp is about 110 back to idle
5) bring temp up to operating temp before leaving dock ( I've had mine stall in gusty wind when cold )

I always start at idle till there's oil pressure.

Warm start turn blowers on start engine.
Click to expand...


+1 on bringing up to temp before leaving.

I had the same thing just happen to me - in a hurry to leave before a tour boat in high winds. 200 people watching on the tour boat, I pull out of my slip start the usual forward/reverse turn around the end of my dock and one engine quits when I shift. :smt119
Scrambling to get things back in order I stop us inches from pushing my anchor into the back corner of the tour boat. Bonus entertainment for the tourists. :smt038
Don't be in a hurry and let them warm-up.
 
Thanks for all the replies, what should the operating temp be at before leaving the dock?
 
Once the needle is starting to move and it's idling well, you're good to go. You can stay longer if you want, but it's not any more or less likely to stall. Just wasting gas.
 
First I stick my head in the bilge and sniff around while I'm turning the battery switches on down there. Then I turn the blowers on for a minute or two while I set things up.
Once I'm ready, I usually push the controls all the way forward and then pull them back about 3/4's of the way towards neutral and then crank the key.
Once started, I adjust the controls to idle somewhere between 900 - 1000 RPM's until I get up to normal operating temp.
After running the boat I can usually just re-start them as many times as I want that day by just turning the keys.
 
JVM225 said:
First I stick my head in the bilge and sniff around while I'm turning the battery switches on down there. Then I turn the blowers on for a minute or two while I set things up.
Once I'm ready, I usually push the controls all the way forward and then pull them back about 3/4's of the way towards neutral and then crank the key.
Once started, I adjust the controls to idle somewhere between 900 - 1000 RPM's until I get up to normal operating temp.
After running the boat I can usually just re-start them as many times as I want that day by just turning the keys.
Click to expand...

That's where Sea Ray put it. I added the second one.
They originally installed one (1,2 both, off) down there to control the two batteries that run off the Stbd motor and power all the 12 volt stuff.
Oddly enough the port battery stood alone with no switch to turn it off and on so I added one.
 
JVM225 said:
That's where Sea Ray put it. I added the second one.
They originally installed one (1,2 both, off) down there to control the two batteries that run off the Stbd motor and power all the 12 volt stuff.
Oddly enough the port battery stood alone with no switch to turn it off and on so I added one.
Click to expand...

O.K, just in case you didn't see my first post here, I know nothing about boats so please bare with me here. Why do the batteries have an off/on switch and do you have a pic of where it's located? Again, thanks for the replies.
 
I have found with my old carb'd cars, that with the newer gas, less is more. Don't pump it unnecessarilly. I like to start with a single pump, if it doesn't start you can always pump it again. You can always add more, but you can't take it away. My dad and my uncle have always liked to pump their old stuff several times and I find it doesn't work nearly as well as one pump.
Travis..
 
Dark Age 53 said:
O.K, just in case you didn't see my first post here, I know nothing about boats so please bare with me here. Why do the batteries have an off/on switch and do you have a pic of where it's located? Again, thanks for the replies.
Click to expand...

No problem!
I don't have a picture availble right now, but if you go to the West Marine site and look for a Battery switch you'll see what they look like.
The most common are abou 8" in diameter and red in color. Mine are located on the forward bulkhead down in the bilge. Not sure where yours are, but they might be in about the same state.
Some control 1 battery and just have "On" & "Off" positions.
Others control 2 batteries with "1,2, Both & Off" meaning that you can run on either battery or both, or turn them off.
Regardless of what position the switch(s) is in, the bilge pumps are usually wired directly so that they will still work with the battery turned off.
Some good reasons to turn them off when at the dock:
Won't run them down by leaving something on unintentionallly.
No unantcipated sparks anywhere.
Decreases the possibility of electrolysis caused by stay current that you don't know about.

I'm sure others can add more reasons.
 
just read a interesting article recently about the same.Someone recommended cranking the engine for a few seconds,stop cranking then the couple pumps of the throttle to prime the engine.the reasoning is the carbs might be dry and pumping the accelerator pump when dry could damage it,this way the fuel pump can fill the carb bowl.also lets the oil pressure build before start,also notice since I started doing this this season the raw water pump is primed before starting and don't get that dry exhaust start anymore.starts quiet now.
 
Thanks everyone for there replies, I sent a link to this thread to my son. Again, thanks.
 
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