firing order messed up

[macguyverr]

Hey everyone again! It seems each time I check my 1973 115393 Evinrude something new develops. Yesterday I was going to try the J. Reeves method to adjust my timing and was urged not to because of the dificulty and special conditions needed. Well my brother-in-law stopped by to see how things were going and suggested maybe we just check the timing as it was. Grounded #2,3,4 with board,6" spike, and some nails and put spark tester on #1. Cranked engine and the flywheel marks were 180 degrees from pointer on #1 coil wire. Apon further investigation, (and I can't beleive I did'nt see this) at the power pack the sensor wires 1 and 3 are switched (1 on term. 12 and 3 on term. 9) This most certainly has been like this for the four years I have owned it. Inadvertently when changing plugs and coils(on #1&#3) this year I most likely put them in the right order but changing the original order according to the pack. A service person must have did this for a reason!? This I am preaty sure of because the original owner did not do any of his own work, personaly met his mechanic who has since pass away. Would this in fact change my firing order? Could this also effect the lack of spark with the plugs in as opposed to good with them out? At first I thought (Yes!) it must be my pack if it is changing my firing order. We also switched pick up to coil wire #3 and timing marks were at the pointer. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Goodoleboy]

Re: firing order messed up

Hey Mac!<br /><br />Im haveing a tuff time understanding what your saying. You say for the past four years your motor has had the fireing order switched.<br /><br />Could you describe how your motor performed during this time. If you thought it was doing and sounded just fine, then I wouldnt change uh thing if I were you.<br /><br />Iam not trying to be a smart aleck. But the four years thing has me puzzled.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: firing order messed up

You said in the above post "1973 115393 Evinrude something new develops. Yesterday I was going to try the J. Reeves method to adjust my timing and was urged not to because of the dificulty and special conditions needed."<br /><br />Special conditions?? There would be none as the 1973 engine does not have the later model "Fast Start" feature.

 

[kevin88]

Re: firing order messed up

Well, it sounds to me like you've learned what SNAFU means... (Situation Normal All Fouled Up). I would have to say that if #1 and #3 outputs on the pack were swapped at one point in time it was probably done to test a coil and never put back. You need to make sure that whatever coil is hooked to the #1 output on the pack is hooked to the #1 cylinder and so on for the remaining 3.