55hp trouble starting

[Jill_S]

Hi,
I'm new to Chrysler and most familiar with the older Johnson/Evinrude motors. But I gotta say I sure do like the clean under the cowl looks of a Chrysler. I personally have a mid to early 70's 75hp Chrysler on a boat thats not ready to float yet and I had no problems getting it to run but now my brother-in-law Gary is the proud owner of a 1979 55hp model 559H9L and he is having a heck of a time getting it started. Cranks but no go. This motor ran a month ago so says previous owner of which we have no reason to believe he would lie. He has gaurenteed the motor but we're still learning.

I've lurked around a bit first and ran across some great threads including one by AC439, I guess thats the name, started around May 6th with similar starting problems. First off the top float and needle was sticking open and gas was shoothing out the atmosphere equilizer hole. Please excuse my lingo...I'm still learning but you know what I mean I hope. I just read its suppose to be open to atmosphere. Anyway he got that sticky float/needle problem fixed. So we know its getting fuel and fuel pump seems to be working. Right? So I also read about taking the carbs off and cleaning jets and passageways using acetone with a pipe cleaner. No rebuild kit. I like that idea!! Never crossed my mind. Then I read that when the plugs get wet or foul forget trying to start it. Then I came across the thread that when you see a Chrysler/Force on the water trying to start up just give them dry plugs and then they are off and running. Love it!!! Easy fix!! So we were dead in the water with no hope right from the start since we flooded the carbs. Although I didn't look at them but the plugs when taken out he said they looked not too wet.

So this is great info and a good starting point. I live by my repair manuals but Gary is a mechanic and new to boat motors and seems to think he can figure it out without a book. Not me so I have my nose in my Seloc repair manual trying to learn what I can. And now here I am hoping to make a few Chrysler friends that would help out the ole sis-in-law gal try to make her brother-in-law happy to hear his motor run.

Jill

 

[eurolarva]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

from your thread I get that the motor will spin with the starter but not fire. I would spark test first and verify you are getting spark. Get a set of L82C champion spark plugs for they are the best cross reference plugs for this motor. Verify that he is pushing the key in to engage the choke to start it( this is a common problem for new boaters running force or chrysler motors). If spark is good and choke is working correctly spray some premix gas or fogging oil into the cylinders and see if that will fire for a second. If your friend is a mech he should also do a compression test and report back on those numbers. Let him know if he does that the plugs need to be grounded out on this ignition system or he could damage it doing the compression test.

 

[Jill_S]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

Thanks for your suggestions. I believe the spark was checked. As a matter of fact I just bought a can of "Jump Start" starting fluid with lubricity for another motor I'm working on. Yes, he is familiar with how the choke and key switch work. Any you can hear the choke engage.

Another comment maybe worth mentioning. The remote controls did not come with the motor so he bought what appears to be a bit older style Chrysler controls. I don't think that would matter but how critical is the adjusting and timing of the cables to get it all to work at the right time.. I read in the book how at 30% throttle the motor shifts into gear. Does this motor have a feature where it will not start if the throttle is forward like the Evinrudes I'm familiar with but thoes don't even crank when too advanced. At what position or how far advanced should the throttle be in when starting?

Jill

 

[ac439]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

Yeah, I have been struggling with my 55hp too. My troubleshooting started after I confirmed that I have good sparks from the plugs.

I was having trouble keeping the engine running after starting until I read the owner's manual that says "Pull out Neutral Throttle Knob, then advance remote control lever until it stops. Start engine." That position of the throttle put the engine in "fast idling" so the engine will continue running while starting cold. I'd say check your ignition first, then trace the fuel system.

I still have to spend more time to tune my engine (tomorrow), I'll post in this forum to share my experience. I've learned a lot from the experienced people in this forum.


-AC

 

[Jill_S]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

Thanks AC439, yours was the thread I was reading about last nite which was very helpful info. What year is your motor. Our model numbers are very similar.Thanks for the start info on where the throttle should be. And yes we do have the neutral throtle knob out but not the throttle very far forward.

Gary is going to buy some L82C spark plugs today. Check compression and for spark. When checking for spark is it OK to pull wire, leave plug in and put screwdriver toward ground. I'm at the point of trying to narrow in on the ignition system he has. I think its a Magnapower ll but having trouble seeing where it has 2 or 3 wire stator leads. both systems seem to be very similar.

We think fuel delivery is good cause as mentioned the carbs filled up while cranking when the float/needle stuck open. I began to wonder if the ignition switch mag connections were right. Wondering if it was in shutdown position while trying to start. This morning we checked continunity at the motor, blue and white and it seems they are always open. It should make connection in the off position but if this was the case it could start but not shut down due to no connection in the off position. There is 12V on the magneto connections in the on position and 0 when off. He'll check at the switch today and if OK trace it back to the motor. Looks like when in the off connected position it make a connection across the coil/coils? for shutdown.

Just thought I'd throw out some more and yes eurolarva starting motor spins, turns flywheel but won't run.

Thanks Jill

 

[ac439]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

According to my owner's manual, your engine is the magnapower ignition system. L82C is the plug the replaces the disconitued L4J for non-magnapower system. The manual says to use Champion L20V for Magnapower systems. My owner's manual is for my 1972 motor so I'm not sure how accurate this information is for your 79 motor. Also, I read the intertec outboard repair guide and it says for 74-80 use champion UL18V, for 81-84 use L20V. So, check around before you get the plugs.

I believe it is the same way to check the sparks as with cars. Have someone crank while you watch for sparks. Hope this helps. -AC

 

[Jill_S]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

Thanks AC for the info. Your 72 is closer in year to my 75hp. I'll have to find out what year it is eventually when I get back to it.

Gary took the controller apart and forund the blue magneto wire hooked to the "I" connection on the igniton switch also. Bought that way. oops. Hope it hasn't messed other things up.

We'll fire or try to fire it up soon and go from there.

Jill

 

[eurolarva]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

Clymer says all Magna ll systems UL18V and all three cylinder motors are L20V. If your motor is from the 1970s or earlier L82C is the correct plug. If you have CD units then the correct plug would be UL18V. If the plugs in your motor are gapless then you also probably have UL18V

 

[Jill_S]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

Yipee!!! Got it running last night. Bad blue magneto wire in the wrong spot in the ign. switch. Now we have a bad ignition switch with no spring action left in the start position. Knocking out the problems one by one. Next will have to figure out why it starts up fine in forward throttle but when we bring the throttle back down to idle position it dies. Linkage adjustments? Idle stop? This will be new territory for us.

This is a 1979 55hp 2 cylindar and still wondering what spark plug to use but oops.... I don't have the number of whats currently in it.

What fun
Thanks all
Jill

 

[ac439]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

Glad to hear your motor is running. I had to replace my ign switch first too. I also had the same problem with starting in FWD but dies in N. Turned out it was the idling was too low. The manual says to adjust to 900rpm in N and 800rpm when in gear while idling. I have no tach so I adjusted my idling throttle stop position a little up at a time till I get a smooth idling. Now my motor can idle without problems. Please refer to my other post about tuning up and the replies I got helped me fixed the problem. The folks here are awesome !!! - AC

 

[Jill_S]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

Yes AC they awsome help on this site!!! I did read your thread when I first joined up but we weren't to that point yet so I'll go back and re-read it. Thanks.

He does have gapless plugs.

I see someone else in the forum has fuel squirting out the carbs. I'm such a newbee I don't feel qualified to jump in with our experiences. Maybe I will

Jill
Re-read your thread and I'll have to get Gary to read it. Too much for my brain right now but sounds good.

 

[sdunt]

Re: 55hp trouble starting

If you're a Chrysler owner, join the Yahoo group and you can access the wiring manual I posted there. It will help you make sure your ignition key is wired right and also you can figure out what type of ignition system you have.

Once you join the group you can access the file here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thechryslercrew/files/


I picked up a little 12 page book on eBay that has all of the wiring
diagrams for the Chrysler Outboards from 1966 through its print date
of 1973.

I found it very good to just figure how my ignition switch should
wired. Its a 2 megabyte download in the file section at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thechryslercrew/files/

There is a separate page - diagram for the following models.

9.2, 9.9 & 12.9 HP Autoelectric

20 HP Autoelectic

20 HP Autoelectric with Remote ignition switch kit

25 & 30 HP

35, 45, 50 & 55 HP Magneto Ignition - NON generator models

35, 45, 50 & 55 Battery Ignition - Standard Alternator models

45 & 55 HP Magnapower (Capacitive Discharge) Ignition

75 & 105 HP Battery Ignition - Standard Alternator Models

70, 75, 85, 105, 120 & 135 HP Magnapower (Capacitive Discharge)
ignition- Delta CD unit

70, 85, 105, 120, 130, 135 & 150 HP Magnapower (capacitive Discharge
ignition - Motorola CD unit)

Enjoy..

Scott