Motor won't start

mikelegend1

mikelegend1

Member
i went to start my 60 hp motor after storing for the winter. I have no spark. Any ideas? The engine is four stroke 2011 Mercury.
 
Not to oversimplify this but check that the kill switch is turned on......don't ask me how I know this....
 
I'm no mechanic but I have to ask are there any failsafe features in the engine? If my engine doesn't have cooling water flow after so long or oil injection on 2 strokes the engine will not start. Some have alarms that sound some do not on the smaller motors like a 60. Then it's the obvious stuff, like plugs, wires, condenser, distributor, right down the check list to the Stator. It could be a bad contact at the kill switch, that took a bit of searching once. One or more than one will cause a no start scenario. I have not helped work on 4 strokes but the basics are the same. Now with the newer 4 strokes with all the electronics computerized systems even my circle of back bay mechanics are lost.

Good luck, maybe it's time to spend a few bucks and bring it into a Marine dealer if it's not the obvious usual suspects like plugs and wires. I would.
 
G.Mech said:
Not to oversimplify this but check that the kill switch is turned on......don't ask me how I know this....
Click to expand...

Me too, don't ask. But not as bad as the time I got a call from a fellow fisherman who's live well water pump wouldn't stop running. He had to disconnect the cable from the battery to stop it running and was like that all season. The switch was " ON ".
 
Mike I asked your question today at the Back Bay Mechanics Marina, pals on the lake that have a huge shop, as soon as I said 4 stroke they shrugged their shoulders. These guys can breakdown and rebuild anything on the older motors that are relatively computer free. Actually Johnny Wiser suggested if it was his he would take it in to get diagnosed to a marine dealer that has all the tools to diagnose newer systems, and yours is a new motor. Spend the hundred rather than fry a module by mistake which I read here online today at Iboats.com is easy to do. I would take her in as I said before.
 
Oh wait it wasn't a pal it was me! I don't use live wells other than to put frozen Pop bottles in and use it as a cooler. Better for the fish I'm told anyway.
 
No spark will be a electrical issue. Check coil or coil packs . Switch with a known good part. Go through fuses and ensure all are ok. There may be a low oil safety so ensure you have proper oil level. Even a worn or damaged plug should spark. I assume it's a 3 cylinder engine ??? So chances of 3 plugs fouling at same time is highly unlikely .
 
Had same problem last year. Made the mistake of letting a guy work on it that said he could save me money. Ended up losing full year and now boat in at Proctors getting wiring fixed that so called mechanic screwed up and also fixing original problem. Sorry no word yet about what original problem was but it was similar , would turn over with no spark. Valuable lesson learned, no more backyard mechanics. If you fish off the Dover pier you would know who I am talking about.
 
Thanks guys. I left it at Smith's in Dundas. Their only comment when I left it was $85/hr minimum. I checked every fuse and wire, kill switch, you name it. First question was "did you connect the main wires wrong first"? I didn't but I suspect electronics. Will let you know when I get it back just in case I can save someone some grief later.
 
As stated in your pm. I don't know anyone smarter than Doug at Bay City other than Gord in Dunnville near the Yacht Club.
 
I have had tremendous success with Smith's in Dundas. His prices are reasonable and has always done a thorough job for me. I think your motor is in good hands with them.
 
I have had a good experience with Smiths in Dundas when I picked up a boat that I brokered a deal for. @chefboyardee uses him I I recall right. Gord at Riverside is great. Just talked to him last week, he will actually talk you through a DIY of which he doesn't have to. He has helped us many times over the phone and in person. We buy many parts there if they have them. Out Simcoe way it's Proctors, I will drive the extra few minutes to Proctors if it's my own boat for Merc parts.

If they aren't trustworthy they won't be in business very long. I have never dealt with any Marina around here that has given me poor service, the one that did isn't in business any more.
 
you wont be sorry with smith in dundas honest and stright with you . hes getting my 52 stephens mahogany (money pit) when i get back from the bahamas to restore . he is a wooden boat craftsman FYI
 
@chefboyardee , take lots of pics as the Stevens comes along and don't keep track of the cost of the restoration if you like sleeping at night. It was Smiths you deal with, thought so. A really knowledgeable crew there for sure.
 
It's not really that difficult ..simple 4 stroke logic. Needs fuel air and spark to run. You say you have checked for spark and there is none. It's electrical. If all wires and fuses are ok...then it's coil. Check for wires that have been chewed by mice as well.
 
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