64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

[64truck]

Morning everyone-
I've been lurking on this site a while reading as much as I can about this old sears outboard and boat I acquired. I've run into a little snag and need some ideas. I had the engine running great. The previous owner said it would need a new condenser and should start rite up. I bought a manual, new points and condensers, installed them, (proper gap and all) and sure enough it fired rite up. Sweet. While I was working on the hull I would occasionally fire up the engine just to make sure it was still running, it did. However, once finished I went to launch and I had a real hard time starting. Rite before I was about to give up it did start to run but after about 10 min of intermittent cranking. We trolled around fine then went out of the channel. When I opened it up it took off but then decided to die out. Wasn't able to get it started again. Since then I've gone through the fuel system (fine), cleaned the carbs, checked the points, regapped the plugs, cleaned the contacts and checked for spark. I've got spark but it still doesn't want to start. I need some ideas here. My manual refers to a merc-o-matic tester to test the coils (I was thinking weak spark) but maybe someone can tell me how to test the coils using a digital multimeter? I'm hoping I just overlooked something stupid...
Thanks for your time.
-B

 

[F_R]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

You don't say what size your motor is, or what kind of ignition system. Anyhow, all you can do with a multimeter is check the resistance of the coil windings. The secondary should be a few k-ohms between the spark plug boot and ground. The Merc-o-Tronic would test the high voltage.

Probably the best test is a simple spark gap test. Will it jump a 3/16" to a 1/4" gap?

EDIT: Also use your multimeter to check the resistance between where the wires connect to the points, and the mag plate. Should be around an ohm when they are open, and zero when closed. By zero, I mean zero. Not all meters are capable of determining zero ohms.

 

[64truck]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

Oh, got too far ahead of myself. 45hp with electronic ignition. Re-checked for spark last night and got excellent results, plenty of spark. So I'm not getting fuel but having a real hard time finding where the clog is... The screen in the fuel pump was clean.

 

[mrcrabs]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

sounds like the carb needs to spend a couple of days in a buckets of B12 carb cleaner or ethanol gas, then compressed air through every orfice until you believe in it, old gas turns to crud and any blockage in the jets ruins the party.

 

[64truck]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

Back to the carbs it is again...

 

[mrcrabs]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

I like to untwist some primary ignition wire and poke it through the jets i can get to, more than once it solved my issues

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

I wouldn't get too alrmed if the inside of the bowl looks clean. It's likely your fuel pump is weak. The fuel pump diaphrams and ignition components are usually the biggest culprits for problems.

 

[F_R]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

Oh, got too far ahead of myself. 45hp with electronic ignition. Re-checked for spark last night and got excellent results, plenty of spark. So I'm not getting fuel but having a real hard time finding where the clog is... The screen in the fuel pump was clean.

Electronic ignition? I'd be interested in seeing some pictures. I didn't realize they ever had electronic ignition.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

Yea, me too. I know McCulloch/Scott had some interesting features in the old days, but never saw any with electronic ignition.

 

[62 ROYAL SCOTT]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

HELL-O And yes please post us pic's THANK'S

 

[64truck]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

Thanks for all the feedback fellas. Sure, I can put up some pics if y'all would like. Boat, motor and trailer all sears. The hull needed a new deck, which I've done, and new benches. Other than that everything else is the way it came. Wednesday I can get some pics, I'm working strait through till then. If I can get it running I'll post a video...

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

Cool. Yea, I understand that Scott/McCulloch made some elgines, as well as West Bend Aluminum. The 45's are still more common in the Scott line than most other models. I still see the little 7.5's ever now and then. Now talk about a motor with some cool features. The 7.5 Mac even had a charging system as well as the Bail-o-matic.

 

[64truck]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

Got, we're running. Went through the whole fuel system again, tore apart the pump, hoses and then spent some serious time with the carbs and some carb cleaner. Went to start it and it cranked right up. Haven't forgot about the pics, will get those when I launch it...

 

[mrcrabs]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

I have my first outboard I ever owned, a 1963 sears Elgin/ McCulloch 7.5, It spent 30+ years forgotten under the dirt end of maw and paws old farm house, I gave it away for scrap when I found it again last year then got sentamental and went back months later and retrived it from the guys scrap pile....amazingly the pastic Elgin hood is still in good shape and she unstuck after a few days of PB, I doubt I would ever restore it but it ran really good back in the day.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

Oh cool. The old FIshing Scott in disguise.

 

[Campbell006]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

I am looking for parts for a 65 mucculloch 4hp outboard looking for points and condesors or what ever the ignition needs to make er spark. anyone know where to find new parts or any parts at all for this motor.

 

[mrcrabs]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

http://www.discount-marine-parts.com/ob_mcculloch.html they claim to have bought out the remnants of McCulloch and should be able to fix you right up. Good luck

 

[62 ROYAL SCOTT]

Re: 64 sears (mcculloch) outboard Q's

I am looking for parts for a 65 mucculloch 4hp outboard looking for points and condesors or what ever the ignition needs to make er spark. anyone know where to find new parts or any parts at all for this motor.

hello first i would clean sand the points lightly and check gap set if not getting spark,also you can go to [the scottguy.com]he may have parts