57 Evinrude 35hp crankshaft end play

[89Aluma]

So I bought this cheap 56 Johnson 30hp rd-18 wound up being 57 evinrude 35hp rd-19 the guy said it started easy needed a water pump he only ran it for less than a minute. Anyway I picked it up for little to nothing. I had trouble starting it had put a little gas in the cylinder and mess with the armature plate and it started up, ran well but after Erving it just a little bit above the start position it started to spit and sputter for a bit I figured it was a carb issue so I cleaned the carb and it was already very clean. But now that I've had some time to investigate this engine a little I found that the armature plate wolbles just a bit, side to side, and when at full throttle, engine off, the plate stays in place but when on the mid range i can move it by hand pretty easy, also when turning the flywheel by hand it moves the retards the timing a little which is why I think I'm having the starting issue it has good spark coils have been replaced condensers look brand new and the points are set perfect I link and synced it so that the line on the throttle plate the touches the rubber roller is at the pointer mark at the exact same time the butterfly valve starts to open. Then I was looking at the armature plate in frustration I realized I never check the crankshaft end play on this motor so I grabbed the flywheel and I can feel it move just a litttle and you can hear a little thunk noise when you yank on it with some effort to me this is bad news in a car engine but but I've never worked on a motor of this age what's normal for that tolerance? Is the slight wobble in the armature plate worrisome? Could it be causing my hard start issue? If so what would it take to rectify the issue.

 

[Mas]

Armature plate should not wobble...something is worn there. The rubber roller is not the mark for the cam on the plate...it is actually a pointer cast into the manifold...a thin projection pointing upward...this could be your hard starting issue. Align the pointer and the mark on the cam.

Re-adjust the cam. An RD-19 is actually a Johnson motor By the way. You might have a Frankenstein motor since most parts interchange.

Mas

 

[89Aluma]

Thank you for your reply!! It's defiantly a Frankenstein motor and I aligned the mark on the cam with the pointer. I may have typed something wrong sorry for the confusion on that. What are the possible problems I could find with the wobble in the armature plate?

 

[Mas]

Sorry, I read your post too quickly, you correctly stated the pointer.

The armature plate should rotate in a perfect circle. If it is not perfect, either the plate is worn, block casting, or both. When you say wobble, do you mean oval, or turns radially to the left and right?

Mas

 

[89Aluma]

When I say wobble I mean that I can grab the spark plug wires and push up and down parallel with the crankshaft and feel play in the armature plate no oval motion to it but I can advance the timing by hand pretty easy without the grip turning at all

 

[Mas]

There are four screws that hold the armature plate to the retaining ring (the middle screws of the three on each coil and one adjacent to the points). The four screws trace a rectangle in shape. Additionally, there are four more screws that secure the support ring to the block. Possibly these may to loose if the plate in not worn. The flywheel must be removed to check/tighten these screws.

Mas

 

[Mas]

Also, there is a plastic pin at the base of the armature plate control lever (the vertical "L" shaped rod connecting the tiller gears to the armature) that is often broken that can cause starting issues and slop in the system as well.

 

[89Aluma]

Ok, I'll see if I can't get that checked tomorrow thank you for your input! I may try and run a little lighter oil mixture this spring to see if it'll start easier using a good oil I think I can run close to a 24:1 or a little loser to a 50:1?

 

[Mas]

Run 24:1 fuel/oil mix.

 

[F_R]

Reading your original question, I noticed you said it begins to spit and sputter if revved above start position. If you are doing that in neutral, you may be causing the vacuum cut-out switch to activate. That is there to prevent revving under no-load condition. So, If I guessed correctly, that part is normal.

"Slight" wobble in the armature plate is normal also. But the question is how much is slight? As they wear, the wobble increases, eventually getting bad enough to cause problems such as inability to maintain breaker point settings as it wobbles.

I suppose there is a crankshaft end play spec, if I take the time to look it up. However, they can be way beyond spec with no real effect. Probably the worst effect would be on the spring-loaded carbon seal on the bottom of the crankshaft. It has to slide to maintain contact with the lower main bearing as the shaft moves up and down. End play is OK, but lateral play beyond a couple of thousandths is not. That indicates bad roller bearings, which are a big problem.

 

[89Aluma]

From what I can tell without tearing the whole powerhead down there isn't any noticeable lataral play and I was curious what that vacuume swith actually did that's good to know I figured it was some kind of cut off switch, I just didn't know under what conditions it would activate. Unfortunately due to the waters all being iced over I really can't test this thing under load till spring. I really only have one question left. On the throttle linkage the link that attaches to the pivot on the armature plate by the spark plug wires and has the full throttle carb adjustment slide screw on it always slips off when I pull the choke out... trying to start it and that link keeps popping off is beyond frustrating. Is there suppose to be a small washer and a cotter pin on the end of that or could it be bent funny making it do that?

 

[F_R]

No Title

Something is seriously wrong with that setup if it is coming apart. Sorry, I can't tell what it is from where I sit.

 

[Mas]

That slide screw must be forward of the linkage and never slide off. The magneto must be fully advanced in forward gear. There is a stop on the top of the block that the armature plate bangs against (a projection where the plug wires exit the armature plate) that prevent further movement of the armature plate. At this moment, the slide screw must contact the linkage at the armature plate. Further rotation of the throttle at the tiller, opens up the throttle plate further without advancement of the magneto.

Mas

 

[89Aluma]

Judging from the picture the previous owner installed wrong, and instead of having a 90 deg. Angle and going straight threw the pivot it is very long rounded bend and goes threw the pivot at a slight upward angle I'll have to check but may even be upside down... but I think the adjustment is correct once the magneto fully stops the throttle plate then opens more rapidly via the screw on the link

 

[89Aluma]

Thank you all for your help it is very much appreciated!!

 

[racerone]

If the bronze bushing in the mag plate is loose it will need to be fixed / replaced.

 

[oldboat1]

ring number 0303277 under the ignition plate has to be installed with the flat side up or the plate will wobble. You need a flywheel puller (steering wheel or harmonic balancer style), then pull the flywheel and reassemble the the rings and mag plate. While under there, might as well replace coils if they are cracked -- I also replace points and condensers, wires too (7mm solid core). (And always possible the magneto was rebuilt by the PO, and just assembled incorrectly.) If you don't have a parts diagram, try the Fiberglassics diagrams up at the top of the forum in the secret files.

 

[89Aluma]

Thank you both for you input, I have a 3 jaw style puller I've used it on everything I've ever pulled the flywheel off of including my Mercury 25 flywheel. Would this be acceptable to use on this flywheel?

 

[oldboat1]

Nah, don't use that. The others are cheap at an auto parts store. The 35 is a big diameter wheel, and that would make it even riskier.

 

[89Aluma]

Nah, don't use that. The others are cheap at an auto parts store. The 35 is a big diameter wheel, and that would make it even riskier.

Ok thank you very much