Evinrude e-Tec cutting out on me?

[Catchin Zees]

Went out of from the Fort Saturday with the family. Headed east, did a little fishing for a few hours and then hung out at the Birdrack for awhile. Going back in it was a little rough but not too bad. Running about 25mph 2 miles from the Fort and the motor just died and wouldn't start back up. It would still turnover but not start. All electronics working fine. Anchored up and started checking a few things and could not see anything obvious. Nice family stops and offers a tow so I take them up. They were in a smaller boat/motor and it was slow going so I keep messing around to try and diagnose. Finally just give it another try and it cranks right up. I wave at them, tell them I'm good, unhook and head on but about several hundred yards it dies again. Same boat still behind me pulls up and tows the rest of the way to the Fort. As we pull in i give it another try because I'm worried about maneuvering at the dock and getting on the trailer. Sure enough, starts right up. Get to the dock and let it run idle for a bit, turn it off, cranks right back up no problem. Turn it off to go get truck/trailer backed down, cranks right up to load on and we head back home. Hook the hose up to the motor yesterday and crank right up and run for a good 15 minutes with no problem, idle, putting in gear, etc.

So what gives? I know I have a bad gas gauge that needs fixing. It says a full tank but my guess was closer to 1/4. Thought maybe I was out of gas and being on plane then off plane was affecting how much the engine was getting but how did it start up in the driveway and run fine if that is the case? we were bouncing around a bit on the way in so wondering if something got knocked loose?

This is my first boat. 2008 Key West 216 Bay Reef. Evinrude e-tec 150 only had 67 hours on it when I bought it back in August. Had it looked over and serviced in January and has been running beautifully until this incident. No alarms or anything went off to indicate overheating, no water in fuel separater, etc.

Was planning on fishing this weekend and now not sure if I should take it somewhere or just put it in and see what happens. Any thoughts for this first-time boat owner? Hate to take it somewhere and have it sit at a shop for awhile and not get to use it if it's nothing serious.

Thanks in advance.

[mjsigns]

Get your tow insurance up-to-date and go fishing anyway. The symptoms you describe are the same ones I had when I was on the flats and blew my cylinder head and my engine began sucking salt water into the cylinders. (DOA) Your problem might be simple, air in the fuel line or a bad primer bulb, or even you were just out of fuel.

[bigblister]

I have a 90 E-tec. I was concerned b/c I have heard of the problems of the larger engines. My engine tech told me the 150s and bigger have harmonic issues with the engine vibrations breaking the drive shaft. I would run non-ethanol gas and see if that fixes it. Also, put a water separator on the gas line as well. Sounds like a gas issue...

[Bigdog]

I agree fuel problem. Check all lines and then water in fuel? does E-tec have carbs? if so high speed jets clogged.

[FHC]

air vent stoped up

[rockyg]

Those motors have on-board computers that will often show an error code. Take it to Shields and let them hook it up to their laptop.

[FUTCHCAIRO]

YOUR DISCRIPTION SOUNDS LIKE THE VENT ON THE TANK IS CLOGGED, TAKE CAP OFF AND SPRAY IT DOWN GOOD WITH W-D 40 OR CARB. CLEANER SEVERAL TIMES, CHECK YOUR PRIMER BULB IN THE GAS LINE. IF YOU HAVE BEEN USING ETHANOL GAS IT COOULD BE ANYTHING FROM CLOGGED JETS TO GUMMED UP FUEL LINES. CLEAN THE TANK AND REFILL WITH NON ETHANOL GAS, BE SURE TO MIX ENGINE OIL WITH THE GAS WHEN YOU FILL THE TANK BACK UP. IF YOU HAVE OIL INJECTION DO NOT MIX OIL WITH GAS , JUST BE SURE YOU HAVE OIL IN THE OIL RESOVOR.
PA
SEMPER FI

[tin can]

What rockyg said. All of the new outboards have on board computers. All of them have issues. E-Tech's seem to have more gremlins than others. Shields is an E-Tech dealer. Have him run a diagnostics on the motor.