Why is my 140 xflow melting enrichment valves?

**delawarerick** · 04-14-2017, 07:16 PM

I am on the second enrichment valve they melt and run down the side of the carburetor. If it was stuck or shorted wouldn't it flood the engine? Engine is not running hot. thanks Rick

**Umassot50** · 04-15-2017, 01:13 AM

Originally Posted by delawarerick

I am on the second enrichment valve they melt and run down the side of the carburetor. If it was stuck or shorted wouldn't it flood the engine? Engine is not running hot. thanks Rick

Wgat year? Enrichment valve?

**delawarerick** · 04-15-2017, 05:43 AM

1984 and omc calls it a primer solinoid

**phillnjack** · 04-15-2017, 07:08 AM

if your talking about the unit that is about 3 inch long with a small red lever then they do melt sometimes and its bad design.

they short out because the plunger on the inside with the slightest bit of dirt in the fuel gets stuck at the bottom, and the electro magnet thing
cannot move it and then it shorts out just where the purple and black wires go in..

I have seen this on 2 cylinder and 3 cylinder engines too, and ive got one sitting in my garage I tried to repair. (dont use it incase of fire)
there is no valid reason for this to happen if the fuel is very clean, BUT the slightest drop of poop in the fuel and they get stuck and then short out.

Now if any fuel is left in the device over a winter period for example and starts to turn into a varnish this would also stick the plunger and a
gain cause the short circuit.

the fuel that goes into this device is petrol and oil that has come from the vro pump (if fitted) or premix etc, so will gum up if let for a long period.

sounds a bit much to do but, at the end of the season it might be best to take the device off and empty it of fuel, OR run a fuel stabiliser in the
last tank of fuel before setting engine up for the winter.

it is definitely a short that does this and bloody dangerous as it could get a touch hotter and catch fire.

I found when they are slightly melted the inner piston is stuck to the body, and when you pull that out you can also see melted plastic at the bottom .

Now if yours is melting and running down then you have a dirt in the fuel for sure and the plunger is stuck, it could also be a fuel pipe breaking down
causing this problem.
How old are the fuel lines ? what fuel do you use? do you have a good fuel filter ?

the list is endless where fuel is the problem, but the number 1 thing is dirt.
as if the piston in the chamber is stuck in the bottom and then you press in the choke button it is supposed to Move if it cannot it will short out.

hope I am explaining this right, I know what I mean ha ha

filtration of the fuel seems to be the only answer, and I dont know if the ethanol of today is also causing the problem in these units.

**flabum1017** · 04-15-2017, 11:58 AM

Also, I have seen a wet key switch do this. Disconnect the wire to the solenoid and look for voltage, I have seen sometimes 4 volts there with a bad key switch. It's enough to run current through the solenoid but not enough to activate the solenoid. Those are not continuous duty so current running through them for too long will melt them.

**delawarerick** · 04-15-2017, 07:18 PM

Thanks this is number 2 I will check and if someone has one for sale pm me. thanks Rick

**58Evinrude** · 04-15-2017, 08:07 PM

Phillnjack, how can a stuck plunger cause it to melt? Its only gonna melt if power is applied to it continuously. It only gets power (if things are right) from the key switch. Your story about dirty gas makes no sense.

**phillnjack** · 04-15-2017, 08:58 PM

well 58 evinrude
you have not realy understood any of it have you ? dont panic

go read it again and think about how it actually works,

or simply look up how electro magnets work and what happens if the opposing item dont move !! as in what happens to the current draw.

then its self explanatory.

and remember the power feed has no limit as in small fuse !!!

**58Evinrude** · 04-15-2017, 09:15 PM

If you hit the key switch to activate the primer, it has power. Release the key, no more power. So how is a stuck plunger gonna cause a meltdown?

**DanUmbarger** · 04-15-2017, 10:27 PM

I agree with you 58...the only way your going to melt the enrichener is if you hold the key in for a long period of time or the key switch has some power going to the enrichener all the time as Flabum has said with a wet key switch or bad switch. I've been in the marine business for 40 years and I haven't seen a melted OMC enrichener yet...I've had them not work but not melted or stuck. Just had my first Merc enrichener stick open after the choke was let off...replaced and works great now.

Originally Posted by 58Evinrude

If you hit the key switch to activate the primer, it has power. Release the key, no more power. So how is a stuck plunger gonna cause a meltdown?

**ChrisCarsonMarine** · 04-16-2017, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by phillnjack

well 58 evinrude
you have not realy understood any of it have you ? dont panic

go read it again and think about how it actually works,

or simply look up how electro magnets work and what happens if the opposing item dont move !! as in what happens to the current draw.

then its self explanatory.

and remember the power feed has no limit as in small fuse !!!

well,clearly a case of too much coolaid...

**delawarerick** · 04-16-2017, 08:29 AM

I did a volt check on the wire in to primer soliniod with key off .02 volt and with the switch on .04 volt is that enough to melt them. Danumbarger I have had alot of v4's this is the first I've seen melt it but I have black goop over the outside carbs. Is this what is known as potting because the coils from sitting had also melted and I was told potting occurs from them sitting in hot humidity and they disingrate. I can text someone pictures I don't know how to post them. thanks Rick

**DanUmbarger** · 04-16-2017, 08:40 AM

I would think if you have ANY voltage going to the solenoid with the key off you have a bad key switch.I would try another key switch and recheck the voltage....I'm not sure if there is any way to get a backfeed of some kind through the ground but ya got something going on there to go through 2 solenoids. On the black goop on the sides of the carbs...yea ,definitely got some heat there causing it to weep...I have seen what your talking about on the stator windings weeping but never really new why that was happening.

Originally Posted by delawarerick

I did a volt check on the wire in to primer soliniod with key off .02 volt and with the switch on .04 volt is that enough to melt them. Danumbarger I have had alot of v4's this is the first I've seen melt it but I have black goop over the outside carbs. Is this what is known as potting because the coils from sitting had also melted and I was told potting occurs from them sitting in hot humidity and they disingrate. I can text someone pictures I don't know how to post them. thanks Rick

**flabum1017** · 04-16-2017, 10:28 AM

A wet key switch can also cause ignition voltage to make it to the choke coil...... check it with it running..... use both the AC and DC selection on the meter.

**ChrisCarsonMarine** · 04-16-2017, 11:14 AM

These primers are getting older, I have a lot of them in the shop that are oozing their insulation, while not even on the motor. Easy enough to find out if it's an electrical problem, is it getting hot?