DF 115 hard starting

[CapnDean]

2004 DF115's with about 400 hours. Motors have always fired right up quick as you hit the key.

After changing all fuel lines to the blue ethanol safe lines - - my port motor takes more grinding on the starter to fire off. Once running it will run fine at any throttle setting even wide open.

I replaced the spin on fuel filters/water seperators and got no change.

Additionally: I seldom if ever idle for extended periods, but this weekend I let these babies roll for about 5 minutes at the dock, and the port one stalled out on me. Took some grinding to get it fired back off and ran like a champ.

The next morning, I let em idle again to see if the port one would stall and it did it again.

In the 7 years I have had these I have never had to pump the bulb before I fire the motors up. Pumping the bulb on the port engine does NOT seem to make it start easier.

I suspected 'getting air' as an issue but wouldnt that be evident at high rpm? Generally that would make it starve for fuel when you are at 4200 rpm or so wouldnt it? I am stumped. No codes are being displayed.

[boats.net]

Look to see if knocked any vacumn lines or disconnected any wire connectors when working on engine. Might try a new set of spark plugs. May need to have TPS and idle air control valve checked.

[ejayt1]

Df 115 hard starting

Take a look at the dreaded steel plug just below the dipstick, my Df 140 started out with the same type problem. The exhaust leaks into the cowl and steals the air supply. I hope that is not your problem

[CapnDean]

ok...how to test the TPS? Throttle works fine and even matches the rpm of the stbd engine. Idle Air control? Sheesh these newfangled gizmoids :P

What about the dreaded steel plug? Corrosion? Is that what I am lookin for?

[boats.net]

If you take to an authorized suzuki dealer they can run the computer diagnostic with can check those items.

[redlowrey]

Do the simple thing first pull the iac off and give it a clean and the throttle plate. If you had an air leak depending how big, at idle the engine would miss and run rough and wouldn't efect it up in the high rpm range, with the steel plug problem what happens is exhaust gas leaks under the cowling and is drawn into the throttle plate into the engine and because it can't burn it, it affects the idle and the most important sensor on the engine the map sensor will have a changing voltage on it and the check engine light will come on with a 3 4 code. They have done away with the plug.

[redlowrey]

I missed somthing did you have any problems before you changed the hoses.

[CapnDean]

no problems before changing hoses.

Think I may have found it though. One of the small fuel lines on the engine looks like it was leaking pine sap. Replaced the line. I am told that the pine sap looking crap is what you get when ethanol has eaten out your hose.

[boats.net]

Let us know if that fixed, but yes the hose that is eaten by ethenol with produce a thick sticky sustance.

[CapnDean]

nope still hard to start. Still runs like a champ.

It will backfire when trying to start sometimes now