Help with a 1985 150 XP Evinrude on a 19 ft. 2003 Key West CC.

Melvin Hatcher

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 16, 2003
Messages
181
I have a 19 ft. 2003 Key West Center Console Sportman fishing boat. I installed my old 1985 Evinrude XP 150, which has been sitting idle on my old runabout for the past twelve years without use since 1988. To convert to the 2003 instrumentation I used OMC’s conversion kit to adapt my 1985 engine’s electrical to the 2003 Key West.<br /><br />I also converted my engine from the no wire VRO to the new four wire VRO, using the recommended conversion wiring harness.<br />Everything, warning horns, lights all seems to work ok until a few days ago, the tach went haywire. It will zero out when the key is turned on and when the engine starts, it will go up to 800 Rpm’s or so and fall back to zero.<br />The Voltmeter registers 12 volts with the key switch on, and 12 to 13.5 with the engine running at idle speeds.<br />I disconnected the Tach terminal and reconnected it without success. The tach is sill lame. <br /><br />At any rate, I took her out crabbing yesterday for about five hours of constant running. At the beginning of the trip the motor started up and ran fine out of the mariner. Once I started to accelerate it stumble and sputtered I pulled back and then it cleared up and ran with a few misses for about couple of minutes. Then ran just fine out to my crabbing spot, about five mile trip. The volt meter show about 13.5 volts at idle and when moving along at about 30 miles an hour the volt meter show about 14 volts and my hummingbird 400 TX show a volt reading of 14.5 to 14.9 volts. <br /><br />While crabbing at speeds of 2, to 2.5 mph (GPS) the voltmeter and hummingbird 400 TX, show 13.5 volts. Therefore, I am going to assume that the charging system is ok and that the tach is just bad and I need to replace it with a new one. <br /><br />Back to the sputtering and missing, I am going to pull the plugs, which have about twenty-five hours. Also, I am going to ohms test the coils and rebuild the carburetors, since they have never been cleaned since I bought the engine new in 1985. I suppose they are due since the engine sit unused for 12 years. <br /><br />One other thing I didn’t mention, I ran a compression test after the first outing, and the results were all six cyclinder were at 60 lbs. After decarbing, and about twenty hrs of use. the compression now is Port side 115, 112, 112, Starboard 115, 114, 116.<br /><br />Finaly, I notice a lot of black ooze running down the outside the exhaust housing, this was very bad when I first start using the engine but, has slowed very much after twenty-five hours of use. But, never when it was new. <br /><br />Last but not the least, the prop is a SST 14 1/4X21+ when the tach was working I could get it to about 5,000 WOT. I plan to re-prop to a 14 1/4 X 19 However, I suppose I need to rebuild the carbs and test the ign. coils or whatever it takes to cure the missing when the engine is cold. Runs fine after it is warm. <br /><br />Can anyone help me get this engine purring to top preformance?<br /><br />Thanks <br /><br />DoferGofer.
 

AUGIDAWG

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 31, 2002
Messages
189
Re: Help with a 1985 150 XP Evinrude on a 19 ft. 2003 Key West CC.

When the volage regulator's diodes start going bad, it starts producing alternating current to the system. Your voltage meter will read like it is charging, but your tach will go haywire.<br />This also may be the cause of why your engine runs good and bad. It may be affecting the ignition system.
 

Melvin Hatcher

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 16, 2003
Messages
181
Re: Help with a 1985 150 XP Evinrude on a 19 ft. 2003 Key West CC.

AUGIDAWG<br /><br />Thanks for the reply, I will check the ign. coils, clean the carbs, and do a tach test again this weekend before I take the boat out again. Once the engine is running ok, hopeful I will be able to get it running up to top preformance. I would love to get it up to at least to 175 to 200 preformance. :) <br /><br />DoferGofer,
 

R.Johnson

Rear Admiral
Joined
Sep 24, 2003
Messages
4,446
Re: Help with a 1985 150 XP Evinrude on a 19 ft. 2003 Key West CC.

Your compression sounds good at this stage, but to go from 60 lbs. to 114 or so is guite a jump. I would want to have a look at the pistons or cyl. walls by pulling the heads and by-pass covers before spending to much time or money. The rings had to be stuck to do as you say. Stuck rings generaly results in scored pistons or cyl. walls.
 

AUGIDAWG

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 31, 2002
Messages
189
Re: Help with a 1985 150 XP Evinrude on a 19 ft. 2003 Key West CC.

This is true.<br />When the rings stick, the hot gasses "blow-by" the rings and overheat the pistons at that localized spot. The piston expands right there, and rubs on the cylinder wall, the oil rubs off, and the friction scuffs the piston for sure, and will scratch the cylinder wall. Minor piston scuffing can be repaired with a nice single ******* file, and a hone job to the cylinder wall. You should replace the rings as well, and might as well replace piston pin and top end bearing. But, if yor going to take it apart, might as well put in a new piston.<br /><br />Or, if the compression is back up where it should be, run it till it breaks.
 

AUGIDAWG

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 31, 2002
Messages
189
Re: Help with a 1985 150 XP Evinrude on a 19 ft. 2003 Key West CC.

I like the firewall on this site that removes any words that might be nasty.<br />I was discribing a type of cut on a hand held metal file. ********<br /><br />It is important to use the single "grooved" file.<br />This will remove the high spots, and leave a very smooth shiny finish.<br />A double "grooved" file will leave a poor finish on the piston similar to a phonogragh record. Or was that pornogragh?
 

Melvin Hatcher

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 16, 2003
Messages
181
Re: Help with a 1985 150 XP Evinrude on a 19 ft. 2003 Key West CC.

I omhed the ign. coils, and they were in specs. I did not clean the carbs however, I did try to synch the carbs and adjust the cam follower pickup. <br />I am not sure if I have the cam follower adjusted correctly. <br />Any comments to the correct procedure will be greatly appreciated. I am not sure if the cam follower should be in contac with the roller or not, but it should align with small mark on the cam.<br />At any rate the engine respons, idle and runs much smoother after my feeble atemp to adjust the carb linkage.<br />Also, when removing the primary and secondary ign. wires to ohm test them, the electrical grease was hard so I don't think I was getting a good clean connection. I will clean them up and put in new dilectic grease. I suppose 17 years allowed them to dry out a bit. :(
 

AUGIDAWG

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 31, 2002
Messages
189
Re: Help with a 1985 150 XP Evinrude on a 19 ft. 2003 Key West CC.

When in neutral, the roller should not be in contact with the cam. There shold be just a slight gap, like .005". If it is in contact, the carbs will not be fully closed, and not running on their idle circuit.
 
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