Page 1 of 1

Trouble starting 131 hp kbl 1949 17' deluxe runabout

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 10:19 pm
by brandbtn
I started the summer with a new battery, coil, and condenser. Put new plugs in last year. All summer the boat started right up and ran smoothly. Then today I couldn't start engine. It would crank but just not start. I checked plugs and they sparked. I checked carbs for water and there was none. After about 15 tries and using starting fluid, engine finally turned over. Boat ran great for 20 minutes. I turned off engine and then tried to start it up again but same problem. Just wouldn't start.
Any ideas as to what the problem might be?

Re: Trouble starting 131 hp kbl 1949 17' deluxe runabout

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2016 6:10 am
by joanroy
I suspect a spark issue. I'd replace the points and condenser and give it another go. Good Luck!

Re: Trouble starting 131 hp kbl 1949 17' deluxe runabout

Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 9:13 am
by brandbtn
Thanks, Joanroy...I did change condenser and cleaned points....odd thing is the next morning, after 10 tries, boat started up and ran perfectly for 20 minutes...then when I turned off engine and tried to start it again, nothing....waited a few hours and after several tries it did start again. Now I'm wondering if there is any connection between the engine being warm vs cold...

Re: Trouble starting 131 hp kbl 1949 17' deluxe runabout

Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 11:47 am
by joanroy
Intermittent stalling seems to be a common problem these days. In my case, the Pertronics distributors in my cruiser were losing spark when hot and hard to diagnose because the spark would magically come back after cooling down. Unfortunately I think a lot of the after market ignition parts we're using these days are junk and not suitable for the marine environment. I'm currently waiting for a new pair of Delco Marine distributors. You may want to try to find some better quality ignition parts.

Re: Trouble starting 131 hp kbl 1949 17' deluxe runabout

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2016 6:34 am
by tkhersom
I am with joanroy on this. The quality of parts today is very disappointing.

Last week I was out for a dinner cruise, got home fine, shut the engines off. When I went to put the AB out on the mooring the port engine would not start. After trying several things I gave up and put her out on one engine. Two days later when I went to investigate deeper I found the spring that holds tension on the points broke. Those points were only two years old and the boat stayed on the hard one of those years. Luckily I had a Pertronix kit waiting to be installed.

Some of what you describe could also be attributed to junk in your carbs.

Re: Trouble starting 131 hp kbl 1949 17' deluxe runabout

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2016 10:09 pm
by jim g
KBL carbs are notoriously finicky. You need to check fuel pressure and if you have a fuel filter it should be changed. Also how old are the spark plug wires. Since you are running points they need to be solid wires. Not suppression wires.

Also if you haven't change the spark plugs since the problem started. Put a new set in.