57 5.5hp strange issue.

[89Aluma]

So a friend of mine brought his 57 Johnson 5.5 over due to it overheating and not pumping water. I pulled the head replaced the head seal after checking for warp and looking the tops of the pistons over. Replaced the exhaust gasket after cleaning the crap out of the old carbon deposits in it. New impeller looked the gear case over replaced the shift shaft o ring vacuume tested it. Replaced the seal on the drive shaft and all that, new base gasket cleaned the carb and it fired right up in the barrel half tuned it so we could go out and start it up in the lake but it hit 40 degrees today so he said screw it and took it out without me thinking he could tune it in it starts first pull, but dies as soon as it's put in gear... so he revs it a little higher almost at start and shift and gets out to the middle of the lake and it has no rpm range past start and he messed with the dials to much so now it won't start calls me. I hope in my boat and get out there get the low speed to where it should be Starts right up. Put the high speed at about 3/4 out and it has plenty of rpm range still wants to die when shifting got that working right with a little more fine tuneing. So I say your good to go throw the hood back on take it for one more test drive and bam no rpm range past start... I link and synced it again to see if that was the issue and nope not the issue I didn't touch the carb after I had it running good... the weird thing is that it has no rpm range in gear put take it out of gear and it'll rev for days I told him he needed new plugs because the ones it has are champion and r in them and I'm pretty sure there suppose to be J6C champions or equivalent... but if I don't go get them myself he'll never get em I checked the prop it spins smoothly and locks in place in both gears. Any help would be amazing thanks in advance sorry this is sooo long

 

[racerone]

Check the ignition system for strong spark.---My bet is it is running on one cylinder.-------Or perhaps the shock absorber in the lower unit is jammimg up.

 

[Chinewalker]

Definitely get the R plugs out of there. Might be your issue, as they don't always work with magneto ignitions, causing it to drop a cylinder.

 

[oldboat1]

compression checked?

 

[89Aluma]

Compression cold no oil in the cylinder both were 85 with oil 92 top 90 bottom in getting new plugs tomorrow.

 

[oldboat1]

compression is good.

 

[lindy46]

Did it run ok at high rpm's with the hood off?

 

[89Aluma]

No couldn't get the RPMS up at all with hood on took it back off to see if it was suffocating it. Or something and and still wouldn't get the rpms up at all. Maybe a loose wire to one of the condensers from when I fine tuned the points with a multimeter. At the start position with a timing light where should the lines line up at, before top dead center or right between the lines

 

[racerone]

Points should open with mark on the flywheel right between those 2 vertical lines on the magneto plate.-----Throttle position does not matter when you set that.-----Timing light should show the flywheel mark between those 2 lines at all throttle positions.

 

[89Aluma]

Ok, that's how I originally set it up and both cylinders are firing correctly in that case when it was running good. I'll throw a timing light on it again next I take it out

 

[lindy46]

Make sure points are CLEAN! Use a point file or emery cloth to polish them up and then clean with business card stock dipped in acetone. Make sure the plug wires aren't arcing out. If they are original, replace them.

 

[89Aluma]

I'll give that a try. Thanks for all the advice

 

[ohio stan]

on the handle side of the block of the motor there is a verticle rod. This rod has a small round connector(with a flat spot on each end). Make sure this connector is not broken. It will get the throttle out of sync-if it is broken. Stan

 

[89Aluma]

I checked that, it looked fine. Customer is not coperating anymore...he also doesn't want to get new plugs or anything he's only paid $40 and thinks that's to much... I wanted to throw a timing light on it while in gear with his help to see what the cylinders were doing but apparently he doesn't want it fixed since he won't help me by driving it while I do the light...

 

[lindy46]

So let him take it to a dealer and see how much it costs him. Or he can price out a new motor!

 

[oldboat1]

Buy it for $40 and get it up and running.

 

[89Aluma]

Pretty much what I told him. I offered him $100 for it to

 

[bspeth]

Yea I mean its obvious that you don't want to get it fixed for him since you rescued him from the lake on your own time.Doesnt sound like a customer you need.JMO. Hope you get the motor though.

 

[89Aluma]

Ya, I'm giving up this one, if he decides he wants it fixed , but I told him my offer is always open. I could fix it up and paint it and throw it on my John boat that'd be sweet but I keep seeing a 57 10 hp for 120 online might wind up getting that

 

[geoffwga1]

If it's a single line conversion check the pulse to the pump is strong enough.