frequently stuck float valve and fuel conditioner- Suzuki outboard

F

FairweatherDave

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 Sep 2009
Messages
2,089
Location
Solent
Visit site
I have never used fuel conditioner in my 2 stroke Suzuki 2.2dt. However I am getting the float valve regularly stuck and getting fed up with cleaning the carburretor. And I may not be a pro but I am pretty sure I do a good job with the carb service. So I phoned an outboard professional who suggested a new float needle and/or using fuel conditioner. The float needle looks fine to my untrained eye and cost perhaps an absurd £25. I'd rather try the fuel conditioner. Any experience anyone?
 
Thanks Yngmar. Just bought the Evinrude Johnson fuel stabilizer (I'm sure it will be similar to the Lucas stuff). Got to say I am a sceptic as my fuel is pretty new (less than a month old). But for £10 (plus another carb clean by me and a new plug) I would be very happy if it sorts things.
 
FairweatherDave said:
Thanks Yngmar. Just bought the Evinrude Johnson fuel stabilizer (I'm sure it will be similar to the Lucas stuff). Got to say I am a sceptic as my fuel is pretty new (less than a month old). But for £10 (plus another carb clean by me and a new plug) I would be very happy if it sorts things.
Click to expand...

If it does not then follow the advice you were given and fit a new needle valve and seat assembly. Personally I'd have put the £10 towards that in the first place although you dont say if the valve is sticking shut or open,
 
Thanks Vic. The needle valve part is £35 and I'm still not convinced there is anything wrong with mine. However for the umpteenth time today I have failed to get the outboard started.
To give a potted history. Normally it is a good starter. I am religeous at flushing in fresh water after use. However from time to time it has had a sticking float valve and fuel has flooded out from the plate covering the air intake. This week having cleared the cooling passages around the head and done a carb clean very recently I pushed the engine hard for two lots of 15 minutes. No overheating. Good. I decided to shut the fuel valve off 50 yards short of the hard to empty the carb. I did this without reducing the throttle to idle. Then I tilted the engine up and rowed the last few yards and then lay the engine on its side. Once home I went to start for the fresh water flush and found the float valve stuck and the engine flooded. But I simply have not been able to get it to start since despite repeated dismantling and cleaning and it all looks good. I have checked the spark and put in fresh fuel. I am now waiting for a new spark plug. Funnily enough previously the spark plug was a bit black and oily (and the engine ran). Pushing the engine harder and it looks a healthier brown colour. So I am mystified. I can purchase the part recommended but I would have thought that with all my tinkering I should at least be able to get it to fire .
 
FairweatherDave said:
Thanks Vic. The needle valve part is £35 and I'm still not convinced there is anything wrong with mine. However for the umpteenth time today I have failed to get the outboard started.
To give a potted history. Normally it is a good starter. I am religeous at flushing in fresh water after use. However from time to time it has had a sticking float valve and fuel has flooded out from the plate covering the air intake. This week having cleared the cooling passages around the head and done a carb clean very recently I pushed the engine hard for two lots of 15 minutes. No overheating. Good. I decided to shut the fuel valve off 50 yards short of the hard to empty the carb. I did this without reducing the throttle to idle. Then I tilted the engine up and rowed the last few yards and then lay the engine on its side. Once home I went to start for the fresh water flush and found the float valve stuck and the engine flooded. But I simply have not been able to get it to start since despite repeated dismantling and cleaning and it all looks good. I have checked the spark and put in fresh fuel. I am now waiting for a new spark plug. Funnily enough previously the spark plug was a bit black and oily (and the engine ran). Pushing the engine harder and it looks a healthier brown colour. So I am mystified. I can purchase the part recommended but I would have thought that with all my tinkering I should at least be able to get it to fire .
Click to expand...

If the carb is flooding the needle valve is not closing properly either a due to a problem with the valve itself or with the float. .. Joint washer between the valve assembly and the carb body OK ???

I assume that the needle is correctly located on the float arm and that you have checked the float height setting (19 - 21 mm measured from the carb body to bowl joint face to the bottom of the float) http://boatinfo.no/lib/suzuki/manuals/suzuki_1988-2003.html#/76.

A black oily plug is not going to fire easily . It indicates that the engine has been running very rich ... due to the flooding. A new plug will almost certainly help but there is no sense in fitting one until the flooding is cured.
 
I've had problems with mine too Johnson 3.5thp I was in the habit of running dry between uses but I reckon this was causing more problems as there was always some fuel left in the bowl and thus was evaporating and gumming up easier than if the bowl was left full. I've found that opening the fuel cock and giving the cord a few pulls if I've not used it for a few weeks also helps.
 
Thanks Vic. Will go through those bits at the weekend and let you know what happens.
Spyro I know what you mean about a bit left in the bowl. Maybe my fuel conditioner will reduce the gumming? It claims to. First of all got to get it fired up from clean so see if the new spark plug helps whenever Amazon deign to deliver.
 
FairweatherDave said:
Thanks Vic. Will go through those bits at the weekend and let you know what happens.
Spyro I know what you mean about a bit left in the bowl. Maybe my fuel conditioner will reduce the gumming? It claims to. First of all got to get it fired up from clean so see if the new spark plug helps whenever Amazon deign to deliver.
Click to expand...

dont foul up the new plug though
 
Well. The spark plug arrived and finally it started. Put old one back in. It did not start. I had modified the float height and done further cleaning but it is the new plug that made all the difference. Happy days. Next time I will already have a new spark plug standing by.
 
macd said:
A crazy 24 hours just got stranger.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree! I think my thread title might have been misleading but the detail is in my potted history and really it is a case of having two problems at once. Problems with the stuck float valve have been real but I have never had a spark plug problem before..... :). The referendum result is more puzzling
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top