i386
Captain
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2004
- Messages
- 3,548
Does everything under the flywheel have to be absolutely perfect in order for these types of ignitions to work?
I'm on my second old outboard. We won't even talk about the first one.
I have a 69 Ski-Twin that's been sitting for 4 years. I fogged it with Seafoam before storing it and even sprayed a little in each cylinder. Prior to that I had only ran the motor in a barrel. Last weekend I put a new impeller in it, and tested for spark. No spark on either cylinder. I pulled the flywheel and removed the points. I polished them back to nice and shiny using a superfine pink whetstone. The points were brand new 4 years ago and were only used for running the engine in a barrel. Put the flywheel back on finger tight and tested spark on each cylinder with the plugs out. Strong blue spark that jumps a 3/8" gap on each cylinder. Torqued that flywheel, put the plugs back in, dropped in it a trashcan full of water, and it fired right up and purred like a kitten.
Took it to the lake today (on a boat I just finished restoring). Engine is jerking a little while idling out past the no wake buoy. Not enough power to plane the boat. I suspect it's running on one cylinder. Finally the other jug kicks in and we have some power but not quite enough. I make a few more adjustments to get the throttle to open fully and hit it again. Boat planes out and runs although a little rough. I lose power again after a few minutes and limp back to the ramp on one cylinder.
Back home, I check for spark. Sure enough, the top cylinder is dead. So I take a points file (something I normally wouldn't do) and clean up the points for that cylinder. Put flywheel back on finger tight and test spark with plugs out. Good strong blue spark on both. Torque it down, put everything back like it was and run back to the lake for another test.
Same thing again, no power, jerking, running on one cylinder.
Seems like anyone I talk to about this problem says a half-*** filing with a points file is all that's ever needed to get one of these things running right. That or they tell me I probably have a bad condenser. Leaves me with the feeling that these old engines practically fix themselves so I must be doing something wrong.
So that brings me back to my question. Do these old engines require prefect breaker points to operate? My experience is leaning that way.
I'm on my second old outboard. We won't even talk about the first one.
I have a 69 Ski-Twin that's been sitting for 4 years. I fogged it with Seafoam before storing it and even sprayed a little in each cylinder. Prior to that I had only ran the motor in a barrel. Last weekend I put a new impeller in it, and tested for spark. No spark on either cylinder. I pulled the flywheel and removed the points. I polished them back to nice and shiny using a superfine pink whetstone. The points were brand new 4 years ago and were only used for running the engine in a barrel. Put the flywheel back on finger tight and tested spark on each cylinder with the plugs out. Strong blue spark that jumps a 3/8" gap on each cylinder. Torqued that flywheel, put the plugs back in, dropped in it a trashcan full of water, and it fired right up and purred like a kitten.
Took it to the lake today (on a boat I just finished restoring). Engine is jerking a little while idling out past the no wake buoy. Not enough power to plane the boat. I suspect it's running on one cylinder. Finally the other jug kicks in and we have some power but not quite enough. I make a few more adjustments to get the throttle to open fully and hit it again. Boat planes out and runs although a little rough. I lose power again after a few minutes and limp back to the ramp on one cylinder.
Back home, I check for spark. Sure enough, the top cylinder is dead. So I take a points file (something I normally wouldn't do) and clean up the points for that cylinder. Put flywheel back on finger tight and test spark with plugs out. Good strong blue spark on both. Torque it down, put everything back like it was and run back to the lake for another test.
Same thing again, no power, jerking, running on one cylinder.
Seems like anyone I talk to about this problem says a half-*** filing with a points file is all that's ever needed to get one of these things running right. That or they tell me I probably have a bad condenser. Leaves me with the feeling that these old engines practically fix themselves so I must be doing something wrong.
So that brings me back to my question. Do these old engines require prefect breaker points to operate? My experience is leaning that way.
