Slow operation of TKS module ?-gctid809941

[C-NUMB]

I am running a mercruiser(2010) 3.0L TKS stern drive, raw water cooled in one of my boats. In ambient temperatures about 60-75 F it takes about 12 minutes for the module to activate and the idle RPM goes down to abt 700 rpm. But in colder whether boating, less than 50 F it take ages for the idle to go down, last season mad my last trip in abt 35-40F and it was like 40 minutes before rpm went down enough .....just tested the module, it seams to work according to specs, except for it takes abt 12 minutes instead of 8-10 to extract fully.

Anyone experienced the same, any fix for this? It is possible that the engine runs cold( when its cold...), the scale on the gauges is very rough so hard to tell, or then the thermo electric switch powering the TKS module is maybe somehow faulty? I was thinking on adding thin isolation on the TKS module( but maybe its getting too hot then?)..... I don't like this system at all, as don't like it on my 2 stroke Yamaha 90 either. Simple choke is much better IMHO.

Thanks for any comments

[Chief_Alen]

solenoid shaft gunked up, or the solenoid is going bye bye.

[C-NUMB]

It slides very easily out from the carburetor and was clean. Repeated for several times(on my kitchen table...) giving it 13V, about 12 minutes each time( ambient temp was 72 F). Warm to the touch after abt 5 minutes. Parts seams to move as expected, but slightly slow. Added some oil to the shaft without any change in operations. Maybe the heating element inside is not warm enough to melt the wax as quick as designed, failing soon? Hate to buy a new one, its rather expensive. If would keep the boat(will not due to the 2556 project) would probably try to modify it to be wire operated like a manual choke. Really strange design, the heat element inside will consume electricity during normal driving even when engine is warm at normal operating temp, the enrich function will turn on if You cut the electricity to the module?

[Chief_Alen]

Search is your friend .. do one here on TKS you will see my comments.

Solenoid could be going.

[C-NUMB]

"Chief Alen" post=810111 wrote:


Solenoid could be going.

Yes, that's possible. Re installed it to the carburetor and at least engine started right on. Will let it be for a while and continue monitoring activation time, at least its easy to monitor on the RPM and hissing sound if the module works or not.