1964 Evinrude 75hp, Starts great in a barrel

[Evinrude Boater]

I pulled my boat out of winter storage and put the motor in a barrel of water, filled up with fresh fuel, dumped 1/2 tablespoon of fuel down each carb barrel and it instantly sprang to life and ran fine. I restarted it several times and each time it would start before any cranking over. Even the next day it started instantly. It was like a Sea-Foam miracle story. I did use Sea-Foam to winterize it, incidentally.
Now the sad part of the story. I put the boat in the water and it started OK and we went for a ride for only 10 minutes or so then went to pick up the kids. It started after repeated cranking, ran for 10-20 seconds and quit only periodically firing while cranking. When I gave up it wouldn't fire even after squirting fuel down the carbs. The plugs look brown and dry and I thought maybe it's not getting fuel, but I poured it down the carbs.
When I had it in the barrel I had the trailer tipped up as high as I could. Would that angle help flow gas into the engine and help in starting? How can it run better in a barrel than a lake?

 

[jtexas]

Re: 1964 Evinrude 75hp, Starts great in a barrel

compression test results?
spark test results?
why pouring fuel down its throat - is your choke broke? I hope there's oil mixed with that fuel.
is the primer bulb still firm after it dies?
is the tank vent open?

 

[F_R]

Re: 1964 Evinrude 75hp, Starts great in a barrel

Get your eyes off the fuel. Your problem is somewhere else, more than likely in the ignition. I say that because you say that pouring fuel down the carb doesn't help. If you poured it in there, you know it has fuel.

Check the spark. Which model 75 do you have anyway?

 

[Evinrude Boater]

Re: 1964 Evinrude 75hp, Starts great in a barrel

Boy am I embarassed. I was checking spark on each wire and I noticed the throttle cable had come off the engine. Well no wonder I was having problems all of a sudden.
Does anyone have a photo of how this cable is supposed to be attached. I suspect the former owner has jerry-rigged this one. The engine is a Speedifour mechanical shift.
Jtexas, there was oil in the fuel. I didn't want to just call it gas.
We'll see how it works after I "blow the spiders" out of it tomorrow.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 1964 Evinrude 75hp, Starts great in a barrel

The throttle cable on that motor is a quick connect. The barrel nut fits in between the two stainless hooks on the port side of the motor. The plastic cable end has a hole that fits onto the peg on the bellcrank. Now flip the stainless clop over the bellcrank to hold the cable on.

 

[Evinrude Boater]

Re: 1964 Evinrude 75hp, Starts great in a barrel

Hmmm, sounds like my 40 HP. Would you happen to have a photo?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 1964 Evinrude 75hp, Starts great in a barrel

I would think it is the same as your 40HP.

 

[Evinrude Boater]

Re: 1964 Evinrude 75hp, Starts great in a barrel

I looked through my bucket of spare cables and found one with the stainless steel clop. That's exactly what I need. I hope the boat shops sell these separately.