1989 Evinrude XP 150 ran good, ran bad, now quit! Help

[MinnesotaBum]

I have a 1988 evinrude XP 150 that was running great a week ago, then a few days ago it didn't want to idle very good but still ran good at WOT, I rebuilt carbs replaced all fuel lines and replaced the gaskets behind the transfer port covers(it looked as though they may have leaked a little) the pulse line to the VRO was also replaced and the check valve cleaned. I have good compression on all 6 between 102 psi and 106 psi. The VRO has been disconnected for many years with no problems. The work I did, did not help at all, it still would only run at WOT, after running for 15 min. or so I was heading back to the dock and it quit and would not start. After getting it home I checked for spark and there was none at all 6 plugs. I disabled the kill switch and still no spark. I am convinced the problem was not fuel and must a power pack, stator, or other electrical problem. Also when it started to act up I noticed the Tach had quit working, is this related? Any help on where to start would be nice, I really like this motor and would like to save it if I can do it cheaply enough.

 

[jonesg]

Re: 1988 Evinrude XP 150 ran good, ran bad, now quit! Help

Re: 1988 Evinrude XP 150 ran good, ran bad, now quit! Help

You did your homework and a lot of good work already,
too bad it wasn't the problem.
I do that with my volvo all the time.

1.unplug the main controller harness, crank with a jumper on the starter, if spark returns look at the kill circuit at the ignition switch end. Black/yellow wire.

2.The rectifier can cause the ignition to short to ground as if the kill switch was pulled, test it by disconnecting the rectifier,
if spark returns replace the rectifier, you find that fixes the tach problem too.
If the spark doesn't return re-connect the rectifier.


3. check PP ground.

Try those things for a simple fix.

 

[MinnesotaBum]

Re: 1988 Evinrude XP 150 ran good, ran bad, now quit! Help

Re: 1988 Evinrude XP 150 ran good, ran bad, now quit! Help

Thanks Jonesg, I found a short at the key(loose connection). I have now have spark, but only on the port side of the engine, I took a coil from the port side and tried it on the starboard side to eliminate that as a problem. Also looking back at my records. I realized the engine is a 1989 not an 1988 if that makes a difference. It only has one PP not the twin unit of earlier years(i make it sound like this one is new). I didn't unhook the rectifier because spark returned to one side, could this still be the problem? I'll try it while waiting for a reply. I'm still thinking PP or stator, but is it odd that only one side would loose spark, what am I missing?
Please help

 

[jonesg]

Re: 1989 Evinrude XP 150 ran good, ran bad, now quit! Help

ok,
1.disconnect the shift assist switch, it shuts down the port bank as you shift into neutral for ....easier shifting (duh).
Its mounted right on the shift cam where the shift cable hooks up .
Test for spark now.

if no joy, try..

2. disconnect the heat sensor brown lead in the head, it might be triggering SLOW if its shorted.

3. otherwise I think you're looking at a powerpack.
The odds of 3 coils going south on the same side.. at the same time...
you couldn't be that unlucky.

When the ignition lock shorted, if any v got to the black/yellow kill wire that would zap the powerpack instantly. So make sure the ignition barrel is tight in the mounting bezel, I had mine work loose and I was getting hi v shock through the throttle.


One other test, you can always try routing the starboard plug wires from the powerpack to the port side coils, the problem will probably follow the PP wire primary leads if the PP is shot.
Don't fire the engine up or may get detonation.
Just a spark check here folks, nothing to see, move along the bus.

 

[MinnesotaBum]

Re: 1989 Evinrude XP 150 ran good, ran bad, now quit! Help

thank you, shouldn't the neutral switch be disabled when the main cable(big red one) is unplugged? I am assuming your talking about the two wires coming out of the shift handle? they were already disconnected. I'm not sure where they are to go, the kill switch maybe? I thought that was only used on the twin PP models like the 200 and 225 had. My service manual doesn't help with this either. I'm ready to pop for a PP, could the PP going bad have caused the poor idle I had when I first had problems? Could the rectifier have caused the PP to go bad? I don't want to get into that until I get it to run unless you think they are related. I dont want a PP problem again because the rectifier is bad, can I check it without the motor running? I only have a Fluke 77 also, according to the manual I need a peak-reading-voltmeter, like a Stevens CD77, how important is this?

Thanks, MinnesotaBum

 

[MinnesotaBum]

Re: 1989 Evinrude XP 150 ran good, ran bad, now quit! Help

Thank you very much jonesg! I have replaced the power pack and rectifier and it runs like a top and the tach now works. I could not have figured this out without our help.
Thank You!
MinnesotaBum