1974 Evinrude 135 making a "ringing" sound

[ptbrakefield]

As the title says, this is an Evinrude 135 Starflite on a 1974 Charger 18 foot runabout...

I took my boat out for the first time since I bought it last year and it started and ran great except for a couple of things... one, it would not idle when the starting lever was all the way down (I think the idle speed needs to be increased a little because it was barely turning over), two, when I pushed the throttle all the way to the fastest setting the motor would start shuddering enough to feel it in the boat and the speed would not increase any from where it was throttled back a little (wrong prop, maybe?), and three, when the motor ran you could hear what I think was the flywheel "ringing" as the motor ran. It was the same ringing sound that you hear when the starter engages to start it, but it never stopped.

My grandfather had a mid sixties Starcraft (red and white... man was it pretty) with a 40 Johnson on it, and it seems like I remember that old motor ringing also.

It was annoying, but didn't seem to affect the performance in any way...

I searched on several search engines for "evinrude 135 ringing" and added words like "flywheel" and "harmonic," but got no hits; usually I will hit something from these forums, but I got nothing. All of the hits focused on piston rings and engine lift rings. I have no clue any other way to describe it.

Anyone have a clue what could cause this and if there is a solution? I can ignore things, but the wife... not so much.

Paul

 

[racerone]

Start with a compression test.----Report the numbers.-----Then further trouble shooting if needed will be available.

 

[ptbrakefield]

Last fall when I bought it they were all in the 135-139 range...

 

[racerone]

Is the flywheel nut properly torqued ?----Is the spring there that holds the starter motor pinion down ?

 

[ptbrakefield]

I don't know... will check that this afternoon as soon as I pull in the drive... thank you!

Well, I'll check the starter... flywheel nut will be a little harder...

 

[jimmbo]

Your shuddering, may be dirt/gum in the carbs

 

[oldboat1]

+1 on ringing from the starter Bendix gear assembly.

 

[ptbrakefield]

+1 on ringing from the starter Bendix gear assembly.

The ONLY reason I thought it might be the starter/flywheel is that it's the sound I've heard so many make WHEN STARTING... kind of a ringing sound that usually goes away after it starts... I will check when I get home. Gosh it would be nice to find that it might be simple.

 

[ptbrakefield]

Your shuddering, may be dirt/gum in the carbs

OK... will check. I'm thinking the carbs need to be looked at anyway, so might kill two birds with one stone here.

Thank you...

 

[ptbrakefield]

OK... the spring was on the starter and it seemed strong and to be doing its job properly. However, the teeth along the top of the gear were worn... not cut straight... now this might be normal, or it could mean that the flywheel is contacting them and wearing them down. If I thump the flywheel or hit it gently with a stick the ringing sound that I hear is EXACTLY the sound when it is running... the same pitch exactly. It has to be something to do with the flywheel... I didn't crank it and leave the cover off... not enough time... but I will check soon to see if the spring is weak and the gear is somehow rising up while the motor is running for the teeth to barely contact the flywheel.

 

[dabrackmaster]

I had the EXACT SAME ISSUE! I solved my problem on my 90hp v4 evinrude. Starter bendix spring needs oiling/greasing(it requires a certain type). Second thing I did was check all my connections and cleaned battery terminals, solenoid tsrminals, and where the + and - connect to the starter. Lastly even though I swore my battery was good(only 12 months old) it failed the load test. Replaced battery and now she hits every time and the starter bendix retracts as it should. NO MORE RINGING AND HARD START GONE! I hope that this helps cause I searched and searched before I solved it.

 

[dabrackmaster]

One more thing, the beveled edge on the starter gear is normal wear. And when it hard starts like that even though it eventually fires up, the starter gear remains engaged causing the ringing sound.

 

[Lightwin 3]

You can wind the starter pinion gear up and down the starter shaft. They do, sometimes, get sticky.

Clean the shaft with some carb. clean and coat lightly with white lithium grease. In this case, little is better.

 

[ptbrakefield]

Sorry for leaving your answers hanging... I really do appreciate it. I'm a teacher, and I spend some time online while school is in session, but not much during summer break.

Anyway, you know what mine was??? It was the dang front latch on my cover!! It was rattling, though you couldn't see it, and making the same exact pitch sound as the flywheel if you tap it with your fingernail. I put a zip tie around it and it made it bind just enough to keep it from rattling.