'76 E-Rude 85 problem....

[Jimmy Jam]

Wooops. Sorry MODs. Can you move this.

My aforementioned is having some troubles....

At WOT, it seems to be cutting in and out and not reaching full rpms. I don't have a tach so I don't know where it starts to cut in & out. If I back off on the throttle just a tad then its fine.

I took it to the local E-Rude dude, and they've spent a number of hours trying to diagnose the problem, but haven't been able to pin point it.

They said it's happening on one of the cylinders, but without a complete teardown they wouldn't be able to have a better idea of whats wrong with her.

Can you say....CA-CHING!!!!

It'd be well over a grand for the work, and I only paid $850 bucks for the entire rig.....boat, motor, and trailer!!!

Any ideas??? TIA.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: '76 E-Rude 85 problem....

For what it is worth, If I had to bet, it's a weak coil, One weak point in those old 85's. Each cylinder has it's own coil and you have to have someone ride in the back of the boat with a tester to pinpoint the bad one. If you can locate a used one, (All the coils of the V-4's of that erra will interchange) that you know is good you can change one out and try it, if it still does it put the original coilback in it's place and change out another one and so on till it runs right. You may just be able to look at all the coils and if you are lucky you may find a crack or something on one. If you find cracks in any of them they should be replaced.

 

[iwombat]

Re: '76 E-Rude 85 problem....

I'd start by removing the main jets and giving them a thorough cleaning. You can even do that w/ the carbs still attached. Flush out behind them with a can of carb cleaner and some compressed air too. If it's a clog, it's not much of one. Something to eliminate before mucking with the coils anyway.

You might want to make sure your choke plates are fully opening up too.

 

[Jimmy Jam]

Re: '76 E-Rude 85 problem....

Hey thanks guys. Now another question, I got the boat back from the dealer a little while back, and they said one of the "REEDS" is week in the lowest cylinder. What the heck are they talking about? I looked at an exploded view on the BRP website, but couldn't find anything with the description of cylinder reed or whatever.

Any idears?

 

[Randyg123]

Re: '76 E-Rude 85 problem....

Hey thanks guys. Now another question, I got the boat back from the dealer a little while back, and they said one of the "REEDS" is week in the lowest cylinder. What the heck are they talking about? I looked at an exploded view on the BRP website, but couldn't find anything with the description of cylinder reed or whatever.

Any idears?

I think the official name would be "Leaf Plate Assemblies". Look at the Intake Manifold section it's the part that is on the back of the manifold.

 

[ezeke]

Re: '76 E-Rude 85 problem....

The "reeds" are the flat pieces that you see in the leaf plate assemblies in the intake manifold. As the pistons rise, they create a vacuum behind them that opens the leaf valve or "reed", allowing fuel to be pulled into the crankcase. On the downstroke, the "reeds" close, preventing backflow into the carburetor.

See: http://www.maxrules.com/fixtheory2.html

 

[Jimmy Jam]

Re: '76 E-Rude 85 problem....

Thanks guys. I'll check it out.

 

[Jimmy Jam]

Re: '76 E-Rude 85 problem....

Alrighty fellars.....

The Saga continues. Now aside from the so called week reed syndrome as described by the e-rude tech I took the boat to....

Just the other day I was tinkering with the engine and started pulling the plug wires off each cylinder, one at a time with the motor idling. Rpm's dropped with the removal of each then replaced.... EXCEPT for the lower most cylinder (lower left...#4?) Not sure that cylinder is even firing....at least I don't think it is since there was no rpm drop off with the removal of the plug wire while running.

Any suggestions? Bad coil? Power Pack? Where do I start?

Also, how would the tech diagnose a week reed, without the cylinder firing?:redface:

TIA.

 

[johnyjo]

Re: '76 E-Rude 85 problem....

i have a similar engine
1979 85.
i would first verify you are getting 'good' spark by pullin the wire and seeing if it is making spark.
if it is sparking i would then move on to seeing if it is a fuel deprivation problem. take some premix gas and put it in a spray bottle(WD40 did nothing for me on this test so i had to use premix gas!!!)
take of the plastic cover on the front of the carbs so you can see right down inside the carbs. each carb is 2 barrel meaning each carb runs 2 cylinders.
with the engine running spray a shot or 2 of premix into the mouth of the cylinder that is not functioning properly. if the rpms pickup it is a fuel problem........blockage in carb was my problem