Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nuts!

[La007]

Lets start of with the motor, it's a '67 Evinrude Starflite Electric Shift 80hp. I've had problems with the darn thing since day one and now I'm just frustrated. Maybe someone's infinite knowledge and experience on here could help me out. Lets start out.
The motor has a (having been run compression of 110-120, and 90 cold compression on all cylinders)
I've replaced every bit of bad wiring I could on the motor the best I possibly could have. We noticed at first the engine wasn't running properly at idle, it would spit pop like an after-fire and die at idle. We believed it to be running down on cylinder and we drop tested and confirmed this as well as points being bad.. I replaced the points with a kit from Sierra, new points & condenser, then the resistance of the old plug wires were varying greatly so I bought the kit to make your own, and made four and ignitor wire, tested the resistance and it gave me 0 to -3 ohms on each wire so the wires are presumably good, then attached the plug wires into the cap with the screw in terminals and tested resistance from brass terminals under the cap and the resistance was high because the brass terminals were burnt/corroded, so sanded them off lightly and tested resistance and got 0 to -3 just like wires, I lightly sanded the rotor tip and cleaned it off. I set the points to open at the point break but I couldn't seem to get them to be .020 and open at the correct time, is there a way to do this? Anyway I just left them opening at the correct time. Used a spark tester and I get a consistent bright spark on about a 7/16 gap, I bumped the motor over and stuck a lighter in the cylinders and got a noticeable whoosh of fuel igniting in each one, put my new champ plugs in (they are the correct ones for the motor JC4 or J4C) and at it'll start fine with the choke closed all the way, I've adjusted the idle needles six ways to sunday and when the choke goes all the way open it flat out dies. It WILL not start at all if the chokes open. I've taken apart the carb and cleaned it before, I just have no idea I have suck, blow and bang it just baffles me. Is there something simple I could be missing? I'm not a boat mechanic but I know the essentials are there. The fuel pump presumably works fine as it'll stay running at high rpm when chokes closed. I have no idea if it's dying when it idles down because of fuel pump, we had been running bottle feed directly to carb inlet but this is before we tweaked some stuff. I just am at my wits and wallets end. Please help me save this project, I've been dying for this motor to run!

 

[Monte1961]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

sounds deff like a carb/fuel issue. When was the last time carb was disasymbled and overhauled? Post back results!

 

[La007]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

I forgot to mention, that it'll run completely choked on each cylinder indiviudally, one plug wire and all others removed, on each one of the four cylinders.
I cleaned the carb out a few days ago, soaked in carb cleaner and blew out all passageways with air. I pulled a no no and reused old gaskets, and pulled an even bigger no no by using silicone. I pulled the carb assembly off and checked only the reeds and bottom half, the reeds and lower passageways were clear and I put it all back on and it still's doing it. However how could it still be the carb? I did use Silicone in it, that probably melted.. It also only seems to run on one side only because that one side only gets hot. Its the right side of the motor, if your were standing facing the bow. When its choked that one side only seems to get hot, but the other sides getting fuel but doesn't seem to run at all?

 

[Monte1961]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

Sure sounds like you did do a NO NO! Also may pay you to remove core/welch plugs from carbs as garbage can get hung up under them. Get new carb kit/s and a gallon jug of carb cleaner and soak for 24 hrs minimum and rinse with fresh water and blowdry with compressed air. NOTE: If carb/s have old cork floats, order new ones that are made of plastic. Post yer results!

 

[La007]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

I know, but still I want to troubleshoot regardless. It doesn't seem right at all that it runs with choke closed all the way, but will not at all when open. If possible I'd love to trouble shoot so I don't have to spend anymore money. But I will if I can get proof.

 

[Monte1961]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

If you have to run with choke all the way closed, that says engine is not getting sufficient fuel in order to run properly. With what yer oridginal post stated, as long as compression and spark are good, at this point it only leaves carb/fuel related issue.

 

[La007]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

I guess thats good logic, I'm a bit pissed off today sorry haha, I've worked on it literally all day with zero results. Whats the best way to remove welch plugs?

 

[Monte1961]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

1/8" drill NOTE: be carful to just drill through core/welch plugs and no further!!!!!!! A pic or screw of some sort will be good enough to aid in removing it!

 

[Monte1961]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

What model and hp are we working on? Never mind got it!

 

[La007]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

The carb kit doesn't come with new welch plugs though does it?

 

[Monte1961]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

Should come with a few different sizes.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

The carburetor is definitely fouled. If you did not manually clean the brass high speed jets that are located in the bottom rear portion of the float chamber, do so with a piece of single strand steel wire. Solvent just doesn't do a proper job on those jets.

Check the fuel pump diaphram by pumping the fuel primer bulb up hard while having the pressure hose removed from the fuel pump. If okay, the fuel bulb gets hard and no fuel exits the pressure fitting of the fuel pump.

(Carburetor Adjustments - Older V/4 Downdraft Carb)
(J. Reeves)

NOTE: The early model downdraft carburetors incorporated "Adjustable High Speed Jets". The later model downdraft carburetors used "Fixed High Speed Jets". Follow the below instructions accordingly.

NOTE: If you do not have adjustable high speed jets, ignore those paragraphs pertaining to same...... BUT do make sure that you manually inspect and clean the two brass fixed high speed jets which would be located in back of the two 7/16" slotted hex head bolts in the bottom front portion of the float chamber.

Lift the center High Speed Control lever and turn it so that the point faces forward, resting on the high ridge. This will disengage the lever control gear from the individual high speed jets (slots). Have the slow speed needle valve knobs installed upside down so that they can be turned without encountering any obstruction.

Gently seat each of the High Speed needle valves, then back each one out one (1) turn. Gently seat each of the Slow Speed needle valves, then back each one out one and one half (1-1/2) turns. NOTE... have the jam nut on the s/speed needles snug so that vibration won't have any effect on them, but loose enough so that you can turn them without a great amount of effort.

(High Speed)
With a reliable person at the wheel, and one kneeling in front of the engine, start the engine (yes, it will run lousy with the above initial needle valve settings), put it into forward gear, and apply full throttle. Start with the High Speed adjustment on the left using a screwdriver that properly fits the slot.

(High Speed Adjustments)
At full throttle, with the proper size screwdriver, slowly start turning one of the H/S needles in segments of 1/8 turn, waiting momentarily for the engine to respond, then repeat turning. You will reach a point where the engine will start to die out. At that point, back that needle valve out approximately 1/4 turn. Now, go to the other High Speed needle valve and repeat that procedure. At some point in that 1/4 turn out, you will find the smoothest high speed setting (you can now lower the throttle rpm). That will have both high speed needle valves set correctly, and at that point you can lift that center lever adjustment of that high ridge, keeping it lifted until the point is facing the engine, then lower it into its proper position. (When you turn that lever now, you're adjusting both High Speed needle valves at the same time.)

(Slow Speed Adjustments)
Now, lowering the rpms of course, take the engine out of gear and set the throttle just to where the engine will stay running. Again, in segments of 1/8 turn, slowly start turning in one of the slow speed needle valves, waiting a few seconds between each turning for the engine to respond. As you turn the s/speed needles in, the rpms will increase..... and as it does, lower the rpms to where the engine will just stay running (otherwise the rpms will climb quite high). You will reach a point whereas the engine will either start to die out or it will spit back (sounds like a mild backfire). At that point, back the needle valve out 1/4 turn. Repeat the process with the remaining slow speed needle. Again, at some point in that 1/4 turn out, you will find the smoothest setting. When finished, tighten the jam nut somewhat, then remove and reinstall the s/speed knobs correctly (right side up).

NOTE: Also the alternate a/plug for that engine is the Champion J6C plug, gapped at .030 which may provide improved performance once you get it running properly.

Point Gap: Set on high lobe so that a .020 gauge goes thru but a .022 will not. Best to set with a ohm meter coinciding with the breaker marks on the pulley and base but this .020/.022 setup will work just fine.

 

[La007]

Re: Getting my 1967 Evinrude 80hp Electric Shift to run properly..It's driving me nut

Would the high speed jets being clogged cause bad or no idle, plus not enough fuel to one side of the engine at low rpm.