2000 Challenger Starting Problem

[ttm]

Hello,
This is my first post, thanks for everyone's participatation in advance, this is a great resource.

Boat is a 2000 Challenger with a 240hp engine (first Gen I believe. When starting for the first time during the day, it usually starts fine. The problem happens if we stop for say an hour or two then try to restart it. It starts, but has a weak idle, and usually dies out with a few seconds. If I put it in forward to give it gas, it will stumble a bit then go, however it can take 5 to 25 attempts before she goes.

I also just noticed that when the engine is off, and I turn the ignition on, there is a rapid clicking sound coming from the passenger side of the boat, it looks like a fuel pump or the relay that is causing the clicking.

I am wondering, is it just that my battery is low, which causes the fuel pump not to create enough pressure to run properly at the start? Or is that pump or relay bad?

I will try pulling the battery, I am hoping it's an easy fix.

Thanks for your help!
Tm

 

[Coastiejoe]

Are you turning the blowers on for 4 minutes prior to attempting a restart? After a run and sitting for a bit, the oxygen is considerably less. It makes for hard restarts. Blower resolved that issue.

 

[ttm]

Sorry I should have mentioned that I do use the blower. I don't run it for 4 minutes, but I definitely run it for at least 1 minute. I can try using it a little longer, but that clicking concerns me.

 

[Dr Honda]

The clicking is probably the lift pump. (normal) And Coastie is right... the blower needs to run for a while. My islandia will do exactly what you describe if I don't run the blower.


BUT........


The port side temp sender can go bad, and cause a rich mix, and it makes the problem worse. Check the sender... it may need changed.