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I have a 1988 205 Sundowner with a Mercruiser 270 I/O. The engine is spotless, and has been properly winterized every year. This is my second season with the boat.

I know this question is way too general to get a definitive answer, but I am not very experienced with engine stuff, and any direction would be helpful.

Last year, the engine often needed a couple of tries to start, especially when cold. Even when it had been run and was nice and warm, though, it might start right up, but could just as likely take two or three tries to get it to "catch."

When I put the boat back into service this year, I couldn't get the engine started and ran the battery down. I removed it from the boat and charged it, reinstalled, and things worked fine. Next day, it took a few tries to get it going. Ran it for several hours without stopping -- stopped for a short while -- again it took a few tries to get it going (turning over OK, but not starting). Road for a short while back to the ramp. Pulled the trailer down the ramp, went to start the boat to drive it on -- kept turning over, but would not start. Pump in a little fuel with the throttle -- no start. Wait around a while, just in case I've flooded it -- same thing. Engine turns over, but simply won't start.

I know I'm getting fuel (I can hear it pumping in pre-start, and I can smell it if I pump too much). Luckily, this happened at the ramp and not 30 miles up the lake (over the Canadian border!). Also luckily, I was alone and did not have to deal with two tired/whining children.

So . . .where can I start to look to remedy a hard-starting/no starting engine?

Thanks for any help.

David C

What do you know about your electrical components? Were they replaced shortly before you bought it? I would head in that direction: plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, etc. Wouldn't be too expensive and would probably be a good move anyway if those parts weren't relatively new when you bought it. Electrical parts + marine application = shorter life span than automotive electrical parts.

I'm no expert on engines, but I had an older 4 cyl engine that just would not run right if we didn't replace the ignition points on it EVERY year.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

i would say it is probably your carburator. I had similar problems. If you small raw fuel open it wide open and crank it. Probably a leaking power valve on your holley.

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Four winns 180 horizon