'52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

[lindy46]

Well, I picked up a beautiful old 3hp Lightwin today. It has great compression - 80psi on both cylinders, and great spark on both cylinders - looks like newer coils, points, condensers. I put in some new plugs. The engine obviously has had little use in it's 55+ year life. I haven't cleaned the carb yet, as it also looks spotless, so I thought I'd first give her a try. I mixed some new gas and poured her in. Opened the fuel valve and air vent and started pulling. Not so much as a sputter. I then took the air silencer off and sprayed premix directly into the carb throat - not so much as a sputter. Pulled the plugs, and they were dry as a bone. I've never had one with good spark that wouldn't at least sputter when I sprayed gas right into the carb. Almost like there is a blockage? Any ideas?

 

[Tig]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

Those old carbs have cork and leather seals. Every spring I used to gas mine up at least a day in advance to give the seals a chance to swell up again and seal. The float my be stuck or if it's the original cork float it may now be hundreds of little bits blocking the fuel passages.
For a hard starting two stroke I like to dribble a bit of fuel in the spark plug holes. That's usually enough to run the engine for five seconds.
You've got me wondering if these motors have reed valves. A broken reed should cause air to just cycle in and back out of a carb. A stuck reed valve would be a blockage but I've never heard of that happening.
By the way those little motors were sweethearts. We had one when I was a kid.

 

[lindy46]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

I'll pull the carb tomorrow and see if it needs rebuilding - but she should at least fire with gas sprayed down the carb throat. Reeds - leaf plate - I'll check them.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

Check the reeds. Almost sounds like a crank seal is gone....

 

[kfa4303]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

hmmmmm......perhaps a bit of fuel mix or starting fluid in the cylinders to help "prime the pump" so to speak? is the carb needle(s) adjusted properly? perhaps the float vale in the carb is stuck? thankfully, the compression is good, so everything else can be fixed/replaced pretty easily, if need be. keep us posted.

 

[Tig]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

Good thought on the crank seal.
I'm not a fan of starting fluid on 2 stroke. It washes the oil off the cylinder walls and can also wash the crank bearings if you go crazy with it on a frustrating start problem.
A bit shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[kbait]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

If 'great spark' was at least 1/4" w/a tester on each lead AND new plugs, then it's not getting gas. Maybe there's a dead critter in the carb throat? Dribble a bit in the plug holes and try it. It's gotta fire.

And lightwin/JW have 'modern' carbs. No leather like TD series

 

[Tig]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

And lightwin/JW have 'modern' carbs. No leather like TD series

Thanks for the info. I'm surprised to find that out. My 66 Ski-twin (33hp) had a cork float and leather seals on the adjustment needles. 1992 rebuild kit "modernized" to a plastic float but still had the leather seals.

 

[lindy46]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

Well, she's running! Cleaned the carb - reeds were ok, so I sprayed some gas in the cylinders and got her to fire. Put her on my 12' rowboat and took her out - adjusted the needles and now she purrs like a kitten! Thanks all for the help. Still can't figure out why she didn't fire with premix sprayed in the carb throat. As mentioned, maybe just had to "prime the pump".

 

[nwcove]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

yep, that old girl just needed a lil kick to wake er back up!

 

[kfa4303]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

sweet! glad you got her running!

 

[Tig]

Re: '52-'54 3hp Evinrude Just won't do anything

Thanks for posting an update. Glad to hear it's back in the water.