Eska 5hp ignition

[chuckm51]

Re: Eska 5hp ignition

Hard-headed frustration is aptly put. Which is probably the case with many posters here. I keep a '75 Sears SS Suburban 16 hp lawn tractor running for a friend, and my '80 chevy pickup.
I did buy a dial indicator and magnetic base for it. Since there's no ferrous metal on the frame or engine, I had to clamp a piece of angle iron to it to hold the base stable.
I first discovered that tdc of the piston is not the same as wide open for the points. They are close, but not exact. I reset the points a couple times, but eventually set them at widest possible point on the crankshaft cam for the points.
I then discovered that the points open long before the throttle lever reaches the stop. And the follower was binding badly on the cam before the stop was reached. I adjusted that too.
I'm unsure about the points apparently opening too soon, whether this is a function of the points cam being offset from tdc, or something to do with where the throttle is positioned when I start the adjusting sequence "link and sync". I will look at where the follower first touches the cam; I set it based on the points positioning so that the points open just as the follower touches the cam, as per the manual.

I ordered a new intake gasket, as well as a new starter rope, spark plug wire, and correct spark plug. I think I'll wait for them to arrive before getting back to it, except maybe pulling the leg off to look for impeller debris.
I am wondering about the impeller debris in the water jackets. And, will pulling the leg housing expose the water tube to look for wear-thru points? And should I get some gaskets before this task? I see BoatSportand Tackle.com has a column top gasket, part #96226. Is this the baby to buy?

Thanks again y'all for the comments and advice. I kinda feel like an Apollo 13 astronaut, waiting to hear what Houston has to suggest next.

Chuck in Austin, where we got some rain! And cooler temps.

 

[chuckm51]

Re: Eska 5hp ignition

And speaking of washing the oil off the cylinder walls with starting ether mad, the sticker on the front of the motor says 50:1, but I've seen alot of posts here recommending 24:1. More oil in the gas seems like cheap insurance, but I don't want to foul the plug or worse.
Any thoughts?

 

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

Re: Eska 5hp ignition

And speaking of washing the oil off the cylinder walls with starting ether mad, the sticker on the front of the motor says 50:1, but I've seen alot of posts here recommending 24:1. More oil in the gas seems like cheap insurance, but I don't want to foul the plug or worse.
Any thoughts?

Check your PMs!

 

[chuckm51]

Re: Eska 5hp ignition

So, now I have some more new parts: spark plug wire, correct spark plug, starter rope (full length) and carb intake gasket. Allowing for the rain from Hurricane Alex, I hope to get back at it tomorrow (fri). The fixed main jet and idle pickup jet seem clean as a whistle. I again blew out all the passages.
I notice the service manual calls for removing the welsh plug; but I don't see replacements anywhere so I'll pass on that for now.
I am curious about the intake gasket. The existing one seems alot thicker than the replacement. I am wondering more and more whether it is leaking and preventing the vacuum signal from pulling enough fuel into the carb.
Pics on the way.

 

[mrcrabs]

Re: Eska 5hp ignition

I am curious about the intake gasket. The existing one seems alot thicker than the replacement.

Some of the intake gaskets are much thicker than stock, this can cause you to over tighten the carb bending the bolt flanges (ears) causing a leak also the ticker gasket will cause the throttle to not open at the right time, done it myself so I speak from experience. and yes the fat gaskets will erode quickly at the engine pulse hole when there over torqued, been there done that...

 

[chuckm51]

Re: Eska 5hp ignition

SUCCESS!
I don't know if it was the carb gasket, or resetting the points and the throttle spark advance, or the different spark plug. But it started right up, doesn't leak fuel, sputters out some reasonably hot water thru the pee holes, and reves right up! It idles fine after tweaking the one adjustable jet, though the high speed seems unaffected by the adjustable needle.
I took it out to the lake (Lake Travis, near Austin) this morning and, between cloudbursts, cruised around the cove and out into the lake. Ran like new!
Starts with no choke or half choke (pretty warm out), idles very low smoothly. The rpms climb smoothly with no sputtering and runs wide open with no stumbling, etc.
I put an inline fuel filter and fuel cutoff in the gas line for the top-mounted plastic gas tank, and replaced the fuel lines with the proper line (1/4 not 5/16).
I bought a new spark plug wire, but chickened out when I couldn't see how to release the coil to get under it, and the wire looks epoxyed into the coil. Maybe when I pull it off the boat to bring home for a thorough cleaning I'll put the Grateful Dead death head stickers on the engine cover and look at replacing the plug wire again. But it is running strong now.
It looks like $100 to title the boat and motor, and get a sticker on the boat.

I'm gonna start a new thread concerning my other motor, a 60s era 5hp Sea King, 2 cylinder. It ran a few years back when I replaced the impeller and got it going. It came with the boat and has FNR gears and the fittings for a steering wheel and shifter. It also has high and low rpm rich/lean dials on the face plate.
Any advice or leads on repair parts will be welcomed.
When I googled the sea king, I found posts I put here on iboats, from 2002. I laughed. So I guess it has sat for 7 yrs of so.

Chuck in Austin

 

[Richard2725]

Re: Eska 5hp ignition

Hello. Did you ever get a reply to your question, please? I just bought an old Sears 5hp motor and have the same questions?
Thanks in advance.