60HP Evinrude ignition problem

[copus]

I just picked up a 1970 Evinrude Triumph 60HP, Model 60073D, Ser#J13012.When I first start out motor runs great, right up to 5500 RPM.After about 10 minutes as the motor gets hotter, it starts to buck and miss. This gets progressively<br />worst until I can't even get up on plane.<br />I pulled the boat into shore and put a spark checker on it .Cylinders 1 and 3 had a nice fat blue spark jumping a 3/8 gap. Nothing on cylinder 2. Let the motor cool for a short while and started up.Works fine for a short time and then has the same problem. Engine doen't seem to be overheating as I can keep my fingers on the cylinder head for a short time. Seems like some component is breaking down as it heats up.<br /> Also tried squeezing the bulb when this is happening ,but that changes nothing. Where do I look next? Pull flywheel?<br />Thanks<br />Copus

 

[The Marine Doctor]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

Your engine has 1 coil correct?<br /><br />If so...the problem probebly lies in a shorting wire in the dist cap...or the cap is not working properly when it heats up.<br /><br />I would try the engine at NIGHT and see if you can see spark jumping around.<br /><br />TMD

 

[copus]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

MarineDoctor,Yes ,just one coil. I'll give your suggestion a try tonight and see what happens. Thanks.

 

[copus]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

Ran the engine on the hose but can see no sparks jumping around under the flywheel or any where else.Idles great with nice spark to all three cylinders.I can't get it hot enough on the hose to duplicate the problem.I'm going to pull the flywheel tomorrow and check the distributor. The guy I bought it from said he put in a new set of points so he might have screwed something up.

 

[The Marine Doctor]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

It's not likely as you still have spark to the other cyl's.<br /><br />TMD

 

[copus]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

Today I removed the flywheel and checked everything over. Everything looked good, except the gap on the points. Both sets were gapped at .003, so I readjusted to .010 and put everything back together. I'm hoping that was the problem. Will post the results.

 

[copus]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

****UPDATE******<br />I put the boat in the water today and ran it for a good half hour with no problems.Ran like a scared rabbit. Problem was incorrect point gap. (.003).Thanks for the suggestions.<br />Copus

 

[copus]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

Same problem, I thought I had it solved, but today I took the boat out for a spin. Started right up and took off and kept it at 3500 RPM for<br />about 25 min. Ran great and then started to misfire and slow down. I could just putt at slow speed with no problem. Stopped the engine for about 10 min. and had a beer. Started right up and off I went to full throttle for about 5 min. and then the same thing happens. Engine is not running hot.<br />I had the flywheel off last week and all wiring looks good. Could'nt find any cracks or carbon trails in the distributor cap or rotor. Points are new and gapped at .010. Could the amplifier or coil be at fault? Seems like something is breaking down when it gets hot. Anything else I can check? <br />Copus

 

[copus]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

Any ideas guys?

 

[G DANE]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

Hi again Copus<br /><br />So you thought it was time for an upgrade <br /><br />Try to let two plugWires swap places and see if you have a bad wire. Try to run it with hood of and see if the spark jumps somewhere. What is special for the dead plug ? Did you change the condenser - a bad condenser can cause intermittent firing.

 

[papasage]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

i have a 1974 70 hp was diong the same replaced a coil that was cracked . it runs great now . less than 40 bucks. papasage

 

[ledgefinder]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

If the hot problems are limited to spark on #2, you're problems are obviously due to the rotor, the 'distributor-like' ring outside the rotor, a plug wire, or a plug. You can swap over a wire & plug to another cylinder to check the last two.<br /><br />If instead all cylinders are equally affected, might be your amp, coil, or power (12V) to the amp.

 

[lastout]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

i had a very similar problem with a 60 hp 1971, the #1 plug would foul slowly and then when it set for a little while it would run fine again for a short period. cheap check out: change your plugs as soon as it starts having problems and see if it changes anything. worth a try.

 

[copus]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

Thanks guys for all the suggestions.<br />G Dane,nice to hear from you again. You hit this one on the button. Number 2 wire was bad, no continuity using a VOM. Spark was probably jumping a gap inside the wire. I put a new wire on and will try it out over the weekend. Will post results.<br />Thanks<br />Copus

 

[copus]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

Did some testing today on the river. Motor ran great for about 20 minutes at 3500 RPM, then started missing and slowing down. I checked the voltage at the battery terminals while going slow and it was as high as 17.5 volts. I think the high charging rate is raising havoc with the amplifier, because if I turn on the lights and stereo it drops the voltage and runs much better.<br />Is there a way I can add a voltage regulator to this engine. I also noticed that my battery seems to be the non maintenence type. The caps are not removable. Any suggestions?<br />Thanks,<br />copus

 

[ledgefinder]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

You're right - no regulator. OMC (Evinrude/Johnson) recommended running a BIG, fully-charged, battery with those amplifier motors - guess that's what they had in mind to damp out the unregulated system.<br /><br />(OT) Running the CT river? I've been running from Brattleboro, you can run about 20 miles of river there. Great place, lots of beaches for the wife & kids, etc..<br /><br />-ledgefinder (Granville, MA)

 

[copus]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

Thanks,Ledgefinder. I'll probably pick up a much larger battery and try that first.<br />We run the Conn. river from the Holyoke dam to Windsor Locks Conn. I have a ramp about 2 min. from the house. Also from the dam to Hadley,Ma.

 

[copus]

Re: 60HP Evinrude ignition problem

Thanks,Ledgefinder. I'll probably pick up a much larger battery and try that first.<br />We run the Conn. river from the Holyoke dam to Windsor Locks Conn. I have a ramp about 2 min. from the house. Also from the dam to Hadley,Ma.