Help - Not Firing!

[brentR]

After I swamped my motor last weekend, I tore it apart and cleaned out all the milky oil\water **** that was everywhere (crank, cases, etc) after doing that and puttint it back together it doesnt fire, it cranks over but just keeps cranking... i checked compression and it reads about 40-50psi both jugs... it fired once and ran for about 5 seconds... but after i killed it , it wont go again...

i even tried puttin gas in thru the plug holes and it wont fire... note - im re-usin the same head gasket as before so could this be the problem? shouldnt it technically still fire with low compression?

and im using the plugs that were in there when it was swamped.. are they fouled ??? there is spark i saw when i checked compression...

 

[Matt_E]

40 to 50 psi in both jugs? That's a big problem (unless you meant 140 to 150 psi)

If it's really that low, it may not fire right. Try changing plugs.

 

[brentR]

nope 40 - 50 psi... could it be the rings, i did pull the pistons outta the sleeves..

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

it would run with 40-50 psi.

pull the plug out, touch it to the engine, connect the plug wire and check for spark that way.

you likely roasted the stator or pickup coil when it was wet, or something inside the electrical box.

if the engine was running fine before, I doubt getting full of water wore the rings out.

Unless of course it sat full of water and got rusty and then you tried to crank it?

 

[Matt_E]

The timing may be way off (due to wet/damaged stator) - that would cause it to fire the plugs, but not run.

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

I would have to assume that if he dissasembled the engine far enough to remove the pistons, the stator cover came off.

if there isnt standing water in there, how could it effect the timing?

 

[matty180]

Dude 40-50lbs of compresion is bad. You have to rebuild it any way now. So rip it apart.

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

Dude 40-50lbs of compresion is bad. You have to rebuild it any way now. So rip it apart.

I wouldnt YET.

if it was OK before, some water ingestion didnt wear it out.

Im not trusting his compression guage, or cranking speed with both cylinders being low.

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

replace the plugs.

OR remove the old ones, lightly clean the firing area with sandpaper, spray them off with carb or brake cleaner ( dries fast)

and try again.

charge the battery.

try again.

if it fired for 5 seconds, it will run, you are propbably still getting milky stuff on the plugs right?

you have to dry ALL of that out before it will start and run easily.

 

[matty180]

If you are telling me his compression tester is wrong. Than it can be a couple of things.

1. Water in the electrical system. Take apart Electrical box and make sure there is no water in it. Spray down with WD40.
2. Pull front cover off and check for water. Spray down with WD40
3. Drain entire fuel system. Tank, carbs and fuel lines.And replace with fresh fuel. Probably water in fuel.
4. Possible still water in cases of motor. Turn ski upside down and crank it over with the plugs out.

Hope this helps.

But if your compression reading are correct that thing is never going to run right.

 

[brentR]

i drained all fuel out, even stuff from crank case... plugs are sparking.. stator wasnt wet... plugs arent covered in milky stuff anymore, im gonna try new plugs..

first time i got it to run for 5 seconds i checked compression one was 120 and the other was 175.... then when i checked later that nite it was 40-50 and wouldnt fire...


question - when putting the pistons back into the sleeves, can u do it from the bottom and just tap the sleeves down? or do u have to use the compressors and go from the top down?

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

the cylinder slides down over the pistons, and you compress the rings with your fingers, or zipties, or a special tool while you slide the jugs down.

I predict, you snagged a ring while re-installing the cylinder.

It ran for a few seconds, and then the ring snapped.

 

[brentR]

Ill pull it apart today and see whats happening.. i used my fingers... it was hard as hell!! im gonna try the zip ties idea.... do the gap in the rings have to be offset or anything or in a specific position (where the ring is seperated)

 

[Frosty]

look at rings, the opening in each ring lines up with a small piece in the ring "channel" i guess you could call it. And the ring gaps then wind up offset. You cannot close the rings all the way if they are not aligned to that piece correctly. Does that make sense? Not sure of the exact technical names here... but you will see what I mean if you look...

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

there is a small locating PIN in the piston ring land, ( thats the groove in the piston the ring fits in.)

the ring HAS to be rotated where the gap is right at that pin. and then compressed to slide the cylinder down.

its hard with zip ties, but easier than with your fingers.

maybe you will get lucky and didnt do anything but break a ring?

 

[brentR]

ahhhh, i think thats the problem, they were hard as hell to fit in, almost scary pushin it down on the rings... i hope i didnt break one... they obviously arent lined up properly giving me bad compression... thanks guys ill update tonight

 

[Frosty]

if you forced them on, and they were not lined up correctly.... I hope it didn't scarf up your cylinder?????

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

im sure it scuffed a little, but I dont dont think there is any way he could have gotten it on without breaking a ring, or dislodging that locating pin?

you might have to open the cases again and get the parts of ring out of there.

 

[brentR]

when i toko the head off to look in there after it wouldnt fire the sleeves looked fine... and when i hand turn the crank it flows up and down smooth... im gonna take the case off when i get off work and see whats up...

 

[Kny21]

Why'd you disassemble your motor just because of water ingestion in the 1st place? Did you try to crank out the water and it still wouldn't start?