Evinrude Hard Starting - Possibly Flooding?

[Yon'der Horizon]

Top of the mornin' fellow boaters! Well, I've read thousands of articles on this forum, yet this is my first post. I've been able to work off other posts in my troubleshooting thanks to the wealth of knowledge shared here. So thanks in advance to all contributors!

Important details are in bold (may help to skim read )

Just bought a used boat 'bout two weeks ago. (1989) Stratos 289FS with(1989) 200 XP Evinrude. Motor started right up, but had a few hiccups at idle and midrange. WOT is smooth. Installed new plugs, cleaned 2 (out of 6) carbs as one was overflowing due to a varnish ball under the needle seat. Pulled the second just to compare. Didn't pull the other 4 carbs since they visually looked good. This, along with a slight idle adjustment and the motor has been running pretty good, aside from the occasional fart.

So two days ago, upon our first holeshot, while accelerating, the Tach Guage went kapooy. Toast. Motor ran fine until we went to land 'er on the trailer, then absolutely would not start. Back home, test start fired right up. Bypassed Voltage Regulator, hooking up Gray Tach Send Wire to Yellow/Gray Stator Wire. No change on Tach Guage. Assuming Guage is bad. I believe I read an article stating someone had a similar problem, no Tach and a bad VRO was the problem. However, a guy at the boat landing yesterday stated the VRO is purely mechanical and shouldn't affect the No Start condition.

I am leaning towards a flooding motor, because it starts, usually, after it sits for 10 minutes, whether hot or cold. Plugs are a bit wet, bulb firm, fuel filter full, little leakage out Carb area when the motor is tilted up. Seems to struggle to start most when in the water, compared to in the driveway with no load. I plan to dig into all the Carbs today to check the floats and needle seats. Before I do, I thought I would check to see if there is anything else I should be focusing on, like the VRO. I plan to set timing with a Link n Sync to fine tune the rough idle, but of course have to get the motor back up and running again.

My apologies for the long post, but sometimes the details are part of the story! Thanks very much in advance for any wisdom you can shed on this situation!

 

[Yon'der Horizon]

Re: Evinrude Hard Starting - Possibly Flooding?

To update my original post from yesterday. I went through the carbs. All were very clean, no gum balls like I was expecting to find. Each of the floats varied from carb to carb. Some look replaced. I did my very best to get them all level while holding them upside down with a straight edge as my guide. Do they have to be level all the way across (when holding bowl upside down and looking from the side) or just the tip (front of float, edge farthest away from hinge)? Because 3 are level all the way around, 3 are level only at the front of the float.

Also, is it true that the fuel is siphoned off the very top of the bowl? Then down into the tube in the middle and up the jet tubes?

1989 Evinrude 200 XP

-Aaron

 

[fatboyntn]

Re: Evinrude Hard Starting - Possibly Flooding?

I am a complete novice, but I would troubleshoot the tach problem first. It could be a symptom of the larger issue of not starting.

I would verify (with a high impedance voltmeter, such as a DMM) that the charge coils are generating voltage when you are attempting to start the motor. With an open circuit, you should see several volts of AC voltage present on the output of the low voltage coils of the stator. (The ones that attach to the regulator circuit) If you don't see any voltage, I would think your stator is damaged. The high voltage windings in the stator feed the ignition system. If they are damaged too, that could definitely keep your motor from starting.

I could be running down the wrong road, but that is where I would start.

--Terry

 

[jonesg]

Re: Evinrude Hard Starting - Possibly Flooding?

www.outboardbooks.com

so get the factory service book first.

Tach reads the charge signal from the rectifier, that might be shot.
Bypassing it guarentees the tach won't work.

I don't know what you mean by cleaned the carbs, they require rebuild kits, about $20 each, simple job.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5cx...07A9BA566&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2

A new to you engine should be baselined.
Test compression and spark gap test it.
Compression should be within 10% of each hole.
Spark should jump 7/16th inch gap.

 

[Yon'der Horizon]

Re: Evinrude Hard Starting - Possibly Flooding?

Thank you very much for the replies. I should have mentioned that I do have a manual, compression is within spec., plugs are new (have not gaped them, factory set, can check them though if this is suspect...)

By cleaning the carbs, I mean, removed and inspected all carburetors, sprayed evinrude cleaner through all orifices, readjusted floats. All of the floats seemed to be set too low. That is, assuming they should be within 1/32" from the rim of the bowl as the manual states. The needles, seats, and rubber bowl gaskets are in immaculate shape. It appears the previous owner had a shop go through them. However I wonder about the floats being "off" if this is true.

Took the boat out last night fishing. Motor fired up every time, yet still stuttered at midrange as it always has. Adjusting the floats seems to have brought it back to where it was when we first bought the boat. Another note, never once did I prime the inline fuel ball. Didn't need to. Great night of fishing BTW. 16 Largemouth Bass and 3 Northern!

My original theory of flooding no longer seems to hold true. I do know that the timing needs to be rechecked and set. I plan to look into this matter today, I know there is a lot of info available.

Jones, you stated "Tach reads the charge signal from the rectifier, that might be shot. Bypassing it guarantees the tach won't work." Bypassing the rectifier, by connecting the tach send wire, directly to the stator...I thought was the best way to test for a bad rectifier/guage. I'm not sure I understand you're statement "tach won't work"

Thanks Again for any thoughts! -Aaron