www.iFourWinns.com

I flooded my engine when I tried starting it this weekend. This is the first time that I have done this and I am trying to figure out how it happened, since it has EFI. The kill switch was in place. Typically, I turn the blower on, wait a couple of minutes and then turn the key to position 1. This is where the gauges come on, the fuel pump comes on and the fire suppression system comes on. Then I turn the engine on, position 2. The engine turns over and all is right with the world.

Sunday, I am thinking I skipped position 1 and turned the ignition key right to position 2 and this flooded the engine. I had plenty of battery, the engine was turning over just not starting. I drop the anchor and tried a couple more times, switching the battery to emergency power (or putting the batteries in parallel). Nothing. The engine turned over it just would not catch. I called Boat US and decided to make a sandwich and wait. After about 15 or 20 minutes later I tired the engine again and it turned over and finally caught and started up.

The boat ran fine in idle and up on plane. I got back to the our marina and shut it down for the day. Monday, I went back to the marina and tried to start it up and everything started up fine/normal. No flooding issue. It started great.

The only thing I can think that I did wrong or different was to just try to start the engine straight away. So the question is, if I skipped position 1, and tried to engage the engine would this have caused flooding?

The engine is a 5.7 Gi VP.

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

It may not have flooded, perhaps the opposite situation where the fuel pump did not pressurize the system adequately

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

LouC -- You are probably right. I was thinking more of an operator error, by not turning the key to position 1 and waiting a bit.

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

I have a 2002 model with the same engine. Turning the key to "on" causes the fuel pump to run for maybe 1 second. I normally hear 2 beeps about a second apart during this time. I usually wait until this has happened before starting, but I have started immediately without the problem you described when it had been running within the last 15 minutes.

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Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

I wait too for the beeps to stop before starting.. not sure why just seems like I should.

278 is the same sequence.

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2006 Four Winns 278

Ditto...have never had a problem doing it this way.

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2007 278 Vista

This is the only thing I could find from the FW manual. I have to think I flooded the engine, by trying to start the engine without the fuel pump being primed (as LouC stated) or "over primed/flooded".


D. Cold / Warm Engine Start (EFI) - Stern Drives
1. Move the control handle to NEUTRAL detent
position.
2. Turn the key switch to start and hold until engine
starts, for no longer than 10 seconds. If engine
does not start, let go momentarily, then try again.
2b. For diesel engines, you must first turn the ignition
key to the ON position and wait 30 seconds, allow-
ing preheaters to activate. After 30 seconds, turn
key switch to START position and hold until engine
starts. DO NOT hold in START position for more
than ten seconds.
3. As soon as engine starts, release key to ON or
RUN.
If engine floods:
•
Disengage shift. Move handle to full throttle posi-
tion.
•
Turn key switch to the START position.
•
Immediately move the throttle levers to the idle posi-
tion when the engine start

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

EFI engines don't flood unless there is a malfunction (leaky fuel injector). They do not squirt fuel out of an accelerator pump nor do they have chokes that can stick like engines with carbs.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II