56 evinrude 30 hp electrical issues

[ed Hall]

i have just received on trade this boat & motor and it will pull start on the 2nd or 3rd pull seems to run ok except the only way I can get it to stop is to choke it to death. The wiring, what little there is, is a mess. Splices and unterminated ends everywhere. The manual is calling for a 6 volt battery but the previous owner has a now dead 12volt hooked up to it. Another difference from the manual, it is using a single line tank an fuel line. The model # for the motor is 25924. The manual that came with it is a evinrude service manual which for some reason does not include any good wiring diagrams. Did I mention the engine will pull start no matter what the ingition swith is set at. probably not even connected to the motor. The boat is also a 56. It is a 14 foot starcraft fiberglass runabout. No apparent rot or soft fiberglass. I was told this is the original boat & motor combonation. What have I gotten into? Does anyone have a wiring diagram for this motor and / or Boat. The starter solinoid and most of the wire nest is on a electrical junction box under the transom well.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 56 evinrude 30 hp electrical issues

a picture of the junction box will tell us a lot. it probably just has the starter solenoid, and a buss bar in it. unless someone put a generator on the motor also.

i never used a kill switch on my 35hp, i would just adjust the cable, so that the engine died with the throttle was all the way back.

 

[F_R]

Re: 56 evinrude 30 hp electrical issues

Ed, you have identified the motor correctly, it is a 1956 30hp. They were 6 volt systems and did NOT have an ignition switch. Lots of people are running them on 12 volts though. Normally, they will stall out and stop just by retarding the throttle so far that it won't run that slow. If it doesn't, then just choke it. That's just the way they did it back then. A generator was never made for the 6 volt system.

The motor originally had a twin hose pressure tank, but a fuel pump kit was a factory accessory kit offered so people could run them on single hose built-in tanks.

I have the wiring diagram, but it is too big to post on this forum. Send me your e-mail address in a PM if you want it.

 

[lindy46]

Re: 56 evinrude 30 hp electrical issues

I believe 1956 was a 6 volt. There was no kill circuit - it was designed to choke to stop. Should be a simple 3 or 4-wire set up - power to start/choke button and choke button back to choke solenoid; starter button back to small terminal on starter solenoid. That motor uses a dual line tank with no fuel pump unless someone has converted it to a fuel pump and single kine tank.

 

[ed Hall]

Re: 56 evinrude 30 hp electrical issues

I will post pictures later on today when i take them. you did describe the juntion box correctly. there is not generator on the motor only a starter there is a vaccume unit with a wire coming out from under the fly wheel to the single post on the vaccume switch and another wire from the same post seems to run tot he ignition switch. I thought this might be some sort of kill circuit. It seems this motor is modified for this boat. witht he single line tank and ignition switch. I wouldn't think the manufacture would put a non functioning ignition switch in. Or may be the motor is not original to the boat. Any one know where i could find the airbox, engine cover?

 

[lindy46]

Re: 56 evinrude 30 hp electrical issues

I will post pictures later on today when i take them. you did describe the juntion box correctly. there is not generator on the motor only a starter there is a vaccume unit with a wire coming out from under the fly wheel to the single post on the vaccume switch and another wire from the same post seems to run tot he ignition switch. I thought this might be some sort of kill circuit. It seems this motor is modified for this boat. witht he single line tank and ignition switch. I wouldn't think the manufacture would put a non functioning ignition switch in. Or may be the motor is not original to the boat. Any one know where i could find the airbox, engine cover?

So it has a key switch? If it does, yes, the wire from under the flywheel/vacuum cut-out switch would go to one side of the "off" terminal of the key switch. Another wire would run from the other side of the "off" terminal to the other set of points through the underside of the flywheel. This would kill the motor when the key is in the "off" position. The cut-off switch kills spark to the bottom cylinder in case of a runaway.

 

[ed Hall]

Re: 56 evinrude 30 hp electrical issues

So it has a key switch? If it does, yes, the wire from under the flywheel/vacuum cut-out switch would go to one side of the "off" terminal of the key switch. Another wire would run from the other side of the "off" terminal to the other set of points through the underside of the flywheel. This would kill the motor when the key is in the "off" position. The cut-off switch kills spark to the bottom cylinder in case of a runaway.

the key switch is on the "dash board" of the boat to the right of the steering wheel. it even has a speedometer in the dash as well as choke button.

 

[F_R]

Re: 56 evinrude 30 hp electrical issues

the key switch is on the "dash board" of the boat to the right of the steering wheel. it even has a speedometer in the dash as well as choke button.

I sent you the diagram. I'm telling you it did not originally have a key switch. Of course that does not mean it hasn't been modified in the last 53 years. If it has, the diagram I sent will be incomplete.

EDIT: The vacuum cut-out switch prevents dangerous, unstoppable wild runaway. Don't mess with it unless it is shot and doesn't work. You will know when you have to pick up the nearest hammer and bust off a spark plug to stop the runaway. OR, if it truly does have a functional key switch, just turn it off. Hey, they DID have their good features.

 

[ed Hall]

Re: 56 evinrude 30 hp electrical issues

I sent you the diagram. I'm telling you it did not originally have a key switch. Of course that does not mean it hasn't been modified in the last 53 years. If it has, the diagram I sent will be incomplete.

EDIT: The vacuum cut-out switch prevents dangerous, unstoppable wild runaway. Don't mess with it unless it is shot and doesn't work. You will know when you have to pick up the nearest hammer and bust off a spark plug to stop the runaway. OR, if it truly does have a functional key switch, just turn it off. Hey, they DID have their good features.

Like i said the boat has the key switch and one wire from the key switch runs to the vacuum cut out terminal connecting to the wire that comes out of the fly wheel. but since it is a twin, killing one magneto will not stop the engine. I will have to pull the flywheel and wire a kill wire to both set of points to the key switch in order to actually be able to turn it off.

 

[lindy46]

Re: 56 evinrude 30 hp electrical issues

I will have to pull the flywheel and wire a kill wire to both set of points to the key switch in order to actually be able to turn it off.

Yes, correct. But I'm surprised the wire isn't already there - maybe just disconnected? Someone took the time to install the key switch at some point in time. If it's not there, then a wire directly from the other "stop" terminal on the key switch to the other set of points will do it.