50 hp Force outboard owners... could you post a pic?

[gunner1]

I was hoping that someone could post a pic of their throttle cam in relation to the adjusting screw. I've adjusted it to ine up with the mark on the cam like the manual says, but when I reattach the throttle linkage, the lines no longer line up. IS there a sceret?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 50 hp Force outboard owners... could you post a pic?

Your mistake is in assuming that the line and roller always line up.

Setting the line on the cam to the roller on the carb is the starting point for synchronizing the timing and carbs. You need to start somewhere and you need to know that starting point. Thus: the line on the cam. It is a reference point. Once the carb is synched, then you use the stop screw on the tower to adjust idle speed. If the screw is moved a decent amount, the line will no longer be directly in line with the roller. If the engine is idling correctly, that's OK.

I don't understand your remark about re-attaching the throttle linkage because the line should be set with the linkage attached and the idle stop screw about halfway through its travel. This is your start point, then timing is checked and/or set, and carb set to butterfly horizontal at wide open throttle, then idle speed is adjusted.

You see: on all these engines, timing is set to 0 degrees with the line at the high point on the roller. That way, you have a known starting point. Then wide open throttle timing is set--It should be correct but if not, you adjust it. -- and the butterfly is set to horizontal or reasonably close, then lastly, idle is corrected to 700-750 RPM in forward gear in the water. THE FINAL TIMING AT CORRECT IDLE WILL NOT NECESSARILY BE 0 DEGREES! --And the line and roller may not line up with each other. HOWEVER: They should not be more than say, 1/8 inch or so apart. If more than that, something is not adjusted correctly.

 

[gunner1]

Re: 50 hp Force outboard owners... could you post a pic?

Your mistake is in assuming that the line and roller always line up.

Setting the line on the cam to the roller on the carb is the starting point for synchronizing the timing and carbs. You need to start somewhere and you need to know that starting point. Thus: the line on the cam. It is a reference point. Once the carb is synched, then you use the stop screw on the tower to adjust idle speed. If the screw is moved a decent amount, the line will no longer be directly in line with the roller. If the engine is idling correctly, that's OK.

I don't understand your remark about re-attaching the throttle linkage because the line should be set with the linkage attached and the idle stop screw about halfway through its travel. This is your start point, then timing is checked and/or set, and carb set to butterfly horizontal at wide open throttle, then idle speed is adjusted.

You see: on all these engines, timing is set to 0 degrees with the line at the high point on the roller. That way, you have a known starting point. Then wide open throttle timing is set--It should be correct but if not, you adjust it. -- and the butterfly is set to horizontal or reasonably close, then lastly, idle is corrected to 700-750 RPM in forward gear in the water. THE FINAL TIMING AT CORRECT IDLE WILL NOT NECESSARILY BE 0 DEGREES! --And the line and roller may not line up with each other. HOWEVER: They should not be more than say, 1/8 inch or so apart. If more than that, something is not adjusted correctly.

Oh. The Clymer manual said to disconnect the throttle linkage to set the marks. So should it have been done with it connected?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 50 hp Force outboard owners... could you post a pic?

Well, you need to disconnect one ball joint to adjust the length of the rod between the tower and the cam, because both ends are threaded the same way. Loosen both lock nuts and make equal adjustments on both fittings. Nothing else needs to be disconnected though. When you adjust the rod, test fit the plastic fitting against the ball. It will center on the ball and when you finally snap it on, it won't change position. Then, of course, after it is adjusted, snug up the lock nuts at both plastic fittings.

See: with everyting else --including the throttle cable-- connected, then with the control in neutral, the tower (idle) adjusting screw is held tight against the block and nothing else can move while you are adjusting the cam.

 

[gunner1]

Re: 50 hp Force outboard owners... could you post a pic?

Well, you need to disconnect one ball joint to adjust the length of the rod between the tower and the cam, because both ends are threaded the same way. Loosen both lock nuts and make equal adjustments on both fittings. Nothing else needs to be disconnected though. When you adjust the rod, test fit the plastic fitting against the ball. It will center on the ball and when you finally snap it on, it won't change position. Then, of course, after it is adjusted, snug up the lock nuts at both plastic fittings.

See: with everyting else --including the throttle cable-- connected, then with the control in neutral, the tower (idle) adjusting screw is held tight against the block and nothing else can move while you are adjusting the cam.

So this isn't right then, is it? I had adjusted a while ago, but Saturday I was running it to fog it for winter and it just didn't seem to want to run. After I got it to run right and did what I had to do with it, I noticed it was out of adjustment. Maybe I didn't tighten the locknut enough the first time. When I adjust the cam I've been disconnecting the threaded rod. Should I leave it all connected and THEN do the adjustments?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 50 hp Force outboard owners... could you post a pic?

Dang! I wish I could learn to use photobucket. OK! Looking at your photo, I see what appears to be slightly incorrect. Nothing major though. Only major change between your 50 and my old '69 55 is the ignition. Linkage, carb, reeds, and adjustment are the same.

1st: It appears that the idle adjust screw (the fillister head screw and locknut just under the flywheel) is screwed in almost all the way. Loosen the locknut and set that screw to about midway of its length. Then snug the locknut. If it IS approximately centered in the tower, leave it. Note that opposite the screw is a black plastic button pressed into the tower arm. This button bears against the block and stops travel at full throttle. Be sure it is right up against the block when you put the control into full throttle position.

2nd: the cam adjusting rod appears too short at the current time. Once you adjust the idle adjust screw then adjust this rod so the line is centered on the roller. Yes, you must disconnect the tower end to adjust it. The roller is mounted on an eccentric screw so if it does not touch the cam at the line, loosen the nut behind it and turn it until it does. Back to the rod: Notice how the cam end protrudes all the way through the plastic fitting and almost touches the ball end of the fitting? That's too far in. Loosen the locknut on that fitting and screw out that end first. When you adjust this rod, be sure that both ends are approximately equal. Note that with the line above the roller as it appears to be now, the cam needs to be moved quite a bit to start opening the carb. Lengthening the threaded rod will correct this.

I added this in the wrong place so save it for last. Now, if your fast idle is too slow or not any higher than regular idle: Notice the small screw on the shift arm down by the fuel line? If you adjust this screw out, the cam on the tower can move farther and the fast idle will increase. If the fast idle is too high--more than say 1500 RPM, then adjust in the screw and it will decrease the amount the tower can move, decreasing the fast idle.

At this point, the line on the cam should be at the high point of the roller and the idle adjust screw should be halfway out (or in, depending on your perspective. --Glass is half full or half empty)

Now, put the throttle to wide open and see if the butterfly is horizontal or reasonably close. If it is, that's good. If not, adjust the cam rod until it is.

You should not need to adjust timing so we will leave it alone. But the timing link is the rod with the red and black ends right up under the flywheel. Making the rod shorter advances timing, lengthening it retards timing.

Now start the engine in fast idle position and warm it up. After it is warm, go back into neutral. if the engine stalls while in gear, the idle is too low and you need to screw in the idle adjust screw about 1/8 turn at a time until idle is correct. If idle is too high, back out the screw the same way. At this point, the line may or may not match the roller, however, if it does not meet the roller at the center, it should be slightly below the center of the roller, not above it. Idle in gear in the water should be around 700 RPM. this works out to somewhere around 1000 in neutral but can vary depending on prop and condition of engine.

Now, of course, that 50 is only a 2 cylinder engine. If the plugs are fouled, it won't idle correctly or at all, no matter what you do so be sure the plugs are OK.

 

[gunner1]

Re: 50 hp Force outboard owners... could you post a pic?

Hey, thanks alot for for all your help on this. I'm half tempted to fire the motor back up and do the things you suggested. I should be able to all the base adjustments though with the motor off and then when next year comes do the final adjustments, right? If you need any help with photobucket, IM mail and I'll walk you through it.