Minor issues with the outboard are pretty common, even if your unit is brand new. Ignoring the maintenance needs of the unit for a few months will substantially increase these issues, and you won’t be able to get any performance from the outboard. So, your best chance at minimizing the performance issues is by consistently following a maintenance cycle. An issue that has been repeatedly brought forward by many anglers is that the outboard backfires and won’t start. It can sometimes be a serious issue, and you can do these things to get the outboard working again.
Outboard Backfires Won’t Start
1. Fix Leaking Issues
The first thing you should look at is air leaks in the system. Loose fittings and broken valves can contribute to this problem. So, make sure to check the complete fuel system and all the valves for possible leaks. There is a good chance that the crank gasket is leaking, and there is too much air in the system.
This issue won’t get fixed until you replace the loose fittings or broken valves in the system. So, make sure to act accordingly if the outboard backfires and won’t start.
2. Check Plugs
Verifying the functioning of the plugs in your system will help you isolate the backfiring issue in the system. To narrow down on this problem, just use a minimal quantity of high-quality fuel mix through the ports and try to start up the motor again.
If the system starts up, then you’ll be sure that the plugs are working perfectly, and the issue is with the carb. On the other hand, if the unit doesn’t start, then the issue might be with the timing belt in the system.
3. Inspect Timing Belt
The timing belt is directly responsible for starting the unit and sustaining the engine performance. The orientation of this belt can miss a tooth and cause the spark to miss the fuel in the system. So, you will often run into backfiring problems with the outboard, and it won’t start.
The best thing you can do is fix the position of this timing belt or replace it entirely. That way, the system will start up without further issues.
4. Use Carb Cleaner
Cleaning the carb is another great method of fixing the backfiring issues within the system. While you won’t be able to complete the service of the entire unit yourself, the carb cleaner will help you get the most gunk out of the system. This will streamline the fuel flow, and the backfiring issues will likely be fixed in no time.
5. Hire an Expert
The last thing you can do to fix the problem is to hire a professional from a local shop. If you’re not that experienced with motors, then it is a good option to leave this job to a professional. You will have to spend more money, but it will save you from a lot of headaches. So, call a local expert or customer support for your respective outboard brand and have the professionals help you through the troubleshooting process.