2014 F20LPHA no cold start

[woodenlure]

I purchased from a dealer over 100 miles from my home and picked it up myself. When I first mounted it, after removing it from factory box, I removed the top cover. I filmed the experience for sme unknown reason. Oil had leaked out of the sump and was laying in a plastic bag covering the carb intake.
The engine would always have problems cold starting. It is electric start and tiller. I always use fresh gas with ethenol treatment. Engine runs fine when warm.
Called Factory support several times with no help because I can't find any one to service it close to where I live.
Did not use it much this year due to illness but when I went to winterize it could not get it to start. I removed the solenoid on top of the carb and tried to start it with my finger intermittently pluging the port and the engine started. I took a can of compressd air and blew out the ports. Remounted the solenoid and it started right up and ran fine. I waited a few days and tried several scenarios like running it out of gas, or not, on different cold days and it started right up each time.
Did I fix it and if so What did I fix.
Should have come to the experts at the forum first but was sidetracked by factory.
Ken

[boscoe99]

The device that you removed and which has two wires connected to it is not a solenoid. It is what Yamaha calls a Primestart device. It is an automatic fuel enrichment mechanism that provides extra gasoline when it and the motor are cold to facilitate a cold start. Once the motor is started and is being warmed up an electrical current is provided to the Primestart device to warm it up. As the PS warms up it allows less and less additional fuel to flow through. Once the motor is fully warmed up so too with the PS be warmed up at which time no additional gasoline flows through it. The carburetor is then solely in control of the fuel flow.

Doing what you did must have dislodged a bit of contamination that otherwise was preventing the device to do its job. If the motor now starts and runs well when cold, warm and hot this all is well. You are now appointed as Rodbolts mechanic apprentice.

The factory is ill suited to provide technical advice. Many of those that answer the phone are not marine mechanics and more than likely will never have heard of Primestart, let alone know how it functions.

[woodenlure]

Thanks Boscoe99. I figured out that the PS had something to do with auto choke but now I have a better understanding of how it works. It must have a long time delay built in because I could no see the armature linkage move but the coil was warm. The pin at the bottom had a slight wear mark on it so I knew that it did move up into the coil at sometime. I had the whole fuel system apart looking for some type of problem. I hope the next time I go fishing, I won't be at the dock cranking on the engine for 20 minutes or more before it decides to start. Not a very good advertisement for Yamaha.

[boscoe99]