Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

[ozenine]

Hi Guys, I have 1979 6 hp evinrude. When i got it the guy said taht I need a new spring since it was not rewinding the pull cord. I started taking it apart and losened the bolts taht hold the assembly and it rewinded the cord back. I was happy for the easy fix .... not for long, only until i pulled on the cord. It keeps stucking in. So i took everything apart and spring looks good. So I rewinded it back (about 12 turns ) and it still gets stuck. I can force rewind it back by hand and at one point something inside clicks and it rewindes on its own.
So what I am thinking is that the spring inside gets tangled with itself and does not want to rewind.
What do you guys think?

 

[ezeke]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Are you turning it counter-clockwise when you wind it?

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

(Manual Starter Assembly)
(This pertains to the type of Manual Starter Housing that sits over top of the flywheel)
(J. Reeves)

Lay the manual starter housing upside down on the workbench.

Wind the spring in your hands so that you can lay it into the housing, having the outer spring end hooked over the retaining pin. Make sure the spring is in there properly (You do not want it to fly out of there).

Holding the spring down, with pliers carefully bend about 3" or 4" (more or less) on the inner portion of the spring in towards the center of the housing. This will allow the pulley pin to enter the retaining hole at the end of the spring properly.

Lay the pulley down over the spring, making sure that the pin on the pulley is secured to the retaining hole on the end of the spring. Install the spindle (center bearing gizzmo), bolt, nut, etc, whatever your particular manual starter may use.

The cord (nylon) should be roughly 72" long. Have a figure 8 knot in one end. Heat the other end so that you could form a point on it, wiping it with a rag when it's burning or hot to a melting point.

Now, with the starter housing still upside down, keeping a firm grip on that starter housing and also the pulley, start winding the pulley in the normal counter clockwise direction. Wind it as far as it will go, then carefully let it back off until the starter pulley cord hole is aligned with the housing cord outlet.

Hold the pulley there and insert the cord in through the inside of the pulley and out through the starter housing. Pull the cord through completely and get a good grip on it. Now let the pulley retract the cord, but hold onto the cord (don't let it fly in there).

If it's obvious that the cord is too long, figuring what will be needed within the handle, shorten it as needed.

Pull the cord out so that about two feet of the cord is exposed. Tie a slip knot so that the cord can't retract back.

Insert the cord into the handle and secure as needed, then release the slip knot allowing the cord to be withdrawn fully. That's all there is to it..

 

[ozenine]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Are you turning it counter-clockwise when you wind it?

Yes.

Joe, Thanks for the text, I read it before starting to do it.
I am afraid that i will have to start over.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Joe, you're the man when it comes to fixing motors, but your procedure is for the motors with the large rewind assembly that sits above the flywheel. His motor has a small. barrel type rewind that is located on the front, port side of the motor. It uses a bendix type nylon starter gear.

I have to get to other things right now, but will post the correct procedure, later.



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[AlTn]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

you need to find instructions for a vertical starter spring replacement

 

[Roland54]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Cord lenght should be 54 inches

 

[ozenine]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Jay, thanks for the clarification. i read it through before and it did not make much sense, so i figured that i will have to reread it if my fix did not help.

Here is waht i did:
1) Removed 2 bolts from the top of the rewinder
2) Removed the handle from the pull cord, so the rewinder rewinded back
3) Tried to take the spindle out, but it was attached by the spring to the bottom, so i just pulled it a bit apart to make sure the spring is fine. There is actually 2 springs, one inside of another.
4) It was fine, so I wrapped cord around spindle (remeber spindle is not tensioned yet) all the way up
5) Reattached the spindle and secured 2 bolts on the top.
6) Then I pulled the cord (the handle is NOT attached at this point) all the way out, so spindle started rewinding and spring started tensioning inside.
7) With cord all the way pulled out, I jammed the screwdriver between the flywheel teeth and started teeth, so the spindle will not unwind.
8) I took a thin wire, formed a loop out of it. Pushed it between the steel rod on the left of the spindle and spindle. Then from the right I pushed the cord in the next available spindle groove so that it goes through my wire loop. Then i pulled on the wire and it came out with the cord in it. I repeated this for each twist in the spindle (approx. 10 times). At the end the cord was wrapped around the spindle and tension was in the spring due to the screwdriver that was jammed and prevented it from unwinding.
9) I pulled the cord through the feed hole in motor housing and atatched the handle.
10) I removed the screwdriver

I would be perfect if it has solved the issue. I pulled it 3 times and with each pull more and more cord did not wind on the spindle. So now i am wondering if I have overtightened the spring in the spindle.

Cheers.

 

[AlTn]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Oz....my description won't equal Jay's , but here's what I've done. Hook the outer spring tine into the curved slot in the bottom retainer plate. Loosen the bottom rear retainer plate screw 1 1/2 turns and the front screw about 4 turns. This allows the spindle to cant forward about 20 degs. With the outer spring tine completely through the slot, put some ccw pressure on the spring and slip the spindle over the spring. Position the metal rope guide rod into the well in the bottom plate and also into its well in the upper plate. Now attach the upper plate with screws. At this point you have the upper plate attached, the rope guide in position, and the outer spring in the curved slot in the bottom plate. Turn the spindle in a ccw direction from the top until you can feel the inner spring tine slip into the slot on the inner rod. You should now feel a little spring tension trying to turn the spindle in a cw direction. When do you feel a little spring tension, tighten the bottom rear and front screws of the lower retainer plate. You are now ready to rewind the spring. Slide the pinion gear up so that it engages the flywheel ring gears and slip the handles from a pair of pliers under the pinion gear so that it supports the gear while allowing the flywheel to turn. Remove the sparkplugs. Using the flywheel to turn the pinion gear...wind the pinion 12 1/2 turns ( turn the flywheel in a cw direction as this will wind the pinion in a ccw direction)....this took 3 turns of my flywheel. Jam a screw driver between the plier handles and pinion gear base so that the gear is wedged against the flywheel teeth. Fasten your rope to the upper slot in the spindle. Feed the rope through the first slot , under the rope guide, out the hole and attach your handle. Letting the rope slip through your fingers, remove the screwdriver and pliers and the rope will rewind itself onto the spindle. Best of luck....it took me 4 hours and 2 springs my first time

 

[ozenine]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Oz....my description won't equal Jay's , but here's what I've done. Hook the outer spring tine into the curved slot in the bottom retainer plate. Loosen the bottom rear retainer plate screw 1 1/2 turns and the front screw about 4 turns. This allows the spindle to cant forward about 20 degs. With the outer spring tine completely through the slot, put some ccw pressure on the spring and slip the spindle over the spring. Position the metal rope guide rod into the well in the bottom plate and also into its well in the upper plate. Now attach the upper plate with screws. At this point you have the upper plate attached, the rope guide in position, and the outer spring in the curved slot in the bottom plate. Turn the spindle in a ccw direction from the top until you can feel the inner spring tine slip into the slot on the inner rod. You should now feel a little spring tension trying to turn the spindle in a cw direction. When do you feel a little spring tension, tighten the bottom rear and front screws of the lower retainer plate. You are now ready to rewind the spring. Slide the pinion gear up so that it engages the flywheel ring gears and slip the handles from a pair of pliers under the pinion gear so that it supports the gear while allowing the flywheel to turn. Remove the sparkplugs. Using the flywheel to turn the pinion gear...wind the pinion 12 1/2 turns ( turn the flywheel in a cw direction as this will wind the pinion in a ccw direction)....this took 3 turns of my flywheel. Jam a screw driver between the plier handles and pinion gear base so that the gear is wedged against the flywheel teeth. Fasten your rope to the upper slot in the spindle. Feed the rope through the first slot , under the rope guide, out the hole and attach your handle. Letting the rope slip through your fingers, remove the screwdriver and pliers and the rope will rewind itself onto the spindle. Best of luck....it took me 4 hours and 2 springs my first time

Thanks man! I kinda wend the dumb way with rewinding the spindle - did not want to rotate motor in opposite direction, was not sure if that is ok.
Will try this tonight. Thanks again

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Make sure that your starter rope is 56-1/4 inches long. Fuse the ends with a flame - make the fused parts 1/2 inch long. The will stiffen them enough to hold in the spool anchor and handle.

Release all of the tension on the spring. Once you have that done, the handles of a pair of pliers to force the pinion gear up, into the teeth of the flywheel. Rotate the flywheel in a clockwise direction 16-1/2 turns. That will apply the correct tension. Don't let the spring unwind.

Now thread the rope, with the handle attached, through the lower cowl, between the aluminum dowl and the threaded drum and around the back, from left to right, facing the front of the motor. Secure the line in the drum's holder. Once all of this is done, hold the line firmly and remove the pliers that have been jamming the pinion in to flywheel gears. The drum will rewind, pulling the line in.

This should reinstall the line correctly, with proper tension.



???

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Yeh.... Previous reply..... over the flywheel type manual starter instructions = a boo boo on my part. I meant to insert the following.

(Manual Starter Cord Installation)
(This pertains to the vertical type of Manual Starters such as the 9.5hp and later 4.5/6/8hp models etc)
(J. Reeves)

1 - Have a pair of vice grips handy set so that they will grab the top of the starter spindle tightly but will not damage it.

2 - Using a large screwdriver inserted into the top of the starter spindle, wind the starter in a counter clockwise direction 12 to 14 turns, stopping so that the cord locking slot is facing the away from the engine.

3 - Lock the spindle in that position with the vice grips, letting the vice grips lay against the flywheel.

4 - Insert the cord as needed and make sure it is retained properly at that slot.

5 - Feed the cord out the starter cord hole at the front of the engine and attach the handle.

6 - Grip the cord tightly so that the spindle cannot spin around rapidly, then release the vice grips.

7 - Allow the cord to be withdrawn slowly around the spindle.

 

[raczekp1]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

hi. Did yoy fix this problem with starter?

 

[Roland54]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

I did exactly what Reeves is saying, worked like a charm.

 

[ozenine]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

I will have to try it again on Wednesday. Will keep you guys in the loop. Thanks

 

[AlTn]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Jay....if he rotates the flywheel 16 1/2 turns the pinion gear will turn almost 60 turns....I'm sure you meant for the pinion to be 16 1/2...that'll be tight

 

[ezeke]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

If he turns the pinion 16-1/2 turns, the spring will be too tight and will probably break. That was corrected by a change to 12-1/2 revolutions.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

What I posted is straight out of an original OMC Service Manual for a 1974 Johnson 6hp motor. While the years involved are different, I believe that the flywheel and starter assembly are the same. I use this manual for the three Johnson 6hp motors that I own and the newest one is a 1969.

That said, looks like Joe has Service Bulletin info, so I guess 12-1/2 turns is the new standard.

I actually don't rewind mine that way, though. I remove the top bolts and rewind the coil by hand, while holding the base down, so it doesn't come out of the lower mount. I find that my hand strength is about right for the desired tension. I don't "kill" it, but I wind the spring to a point where it feels pretty tight to me.

Been doing it this way for years and it always works for me. I find it to be easier than the plier method and it prevents stripping of the nylon gear, in the event that the pliers aren't forcing it up, into the flywheel teeth adequately.

Joe's method looks pretty easy too. In fact, as I reread it, it sounds like he is doing the same thing that I do, but is leaving it bolted in place and using the vice grips, so he doesn't have to fight with it trying to get loose. His method sounds easier than mine, so I'll have to try it, the next time I have to reinstall one.



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[ezeke]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

The service bulletin that dealt with the 6 and 9.5 springs being overtightened was actually earlier. I guess that OMC had no enterest in shorting the sales of replacement springs.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Evinrude 6 hp rewind spring problem

Thanks for posting the SB, Ezeke. I scan my manuals into PDF format and I like to have digital copies of the SBs too!



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