Starting problem?

[chdabren]

Ok, so this Evinrude is starting to get on my nerves!! Thanks for the input on the charging issue. I wish I had better knowledge on how to test the stator and rectifier but someone said to test both sides of rectifier...I have no idea how to do that lol. Anyway....the other problem I meant to talk about is....sometimes (more often than not), this Evy is VERY hard to start. One minute it's getting fuel, next it's not (fuel pump is new and has great flow, bulb on hose is rock hard, carbs are totally disassembled, clean, floats set properly and all gaskets new). Vacuum is good, holds on vacuum gauge, no problem and vacuum hose is new. Float bowls SEEM to stay full. Once I KNOW I've got fuel present, I lose spark or it goes weak and my plugs foul out. I also can't get my choke solenoid to work. Someone gave me a known good solenoid but it isn't the exact same type. It only has 2 wires (purple/yellow & purple/white), no ground wire like my old one had. Anyway, I'm wondering if a weak battery could have some affect on my spark strength. As I mentioned before, I don't think my charging system is working properly. The other thing is this, I've had my portable tank sitting on the ground while trying to resolve this starting issue. Is it also possible that the hard starting is also due to the angle between the tank and the motor? There is a 3 foot "hill" the fuel has to flow UP to get to the motor. Any suggestions would be awesome...thanks!

Chris

 

[ezeke]

Re: Starting problem?

If you are located near Orleans maybe I could help you with the problems. Send a PM.

The rectifier is tested with an ohmmeter. Joe Reeves' instructions are in the Engine FAQ forum.

The black ground wire on your choke solenoid has apparently broken off.

You have to have the chokes fully, 100% closed for a cold start. If you can't do it with the solenoid, use the manual control on the other side of the carburetors.

No simple fix on the fuel problem, but half the guys here premix fuel in their main tanks, including me and mine is 50 gallons.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Starting problem?

If I knew what engine you have, I'd see if I have a choke solenoid.

(Small Rectifier Description & Location)
(J. Reeves)

On most 3,4,6 cylinder engines, the small rectifier is located on the starboard (right) side of the engine just in front of the engines electrical wiring strip. There are a few older V4 engines that have the wiring strip on the rear portion of the engine and the rectifier would be located just under that terminal strip. The smaller horsepower engines usually have the rectifier located on the starboard side of the powerhead close to the carburetor area.

The rectifier appears to be a round object approximately one inch (1") in diameter and also about one inch (1") high. The base of it is sort of triangular in appearance and is attached to the engine with two (2) screws/bolts..... usually one screw/bolt is larger than the other. The rectifier, depending on which one your engine uses, will have either:

One Red wire, one Yellow wire, and one Yellow/Gray wire, or One Red wire, and two Yellow wires.

Note that either of the above rectifiers could have a fourth wire which would be Yellow/Blue

********************
(Small Rectifier Test)
(J. Reeves)

Remove the rectifier wires from the terminal block. Using a ohm meter, connect the black lead of the ohm meter to the rectifier base (ground), then one by one, connect the red lead of the ohm meter to the yellow, yellow/gray, then the red wire (some rectifiers may also have a fourth yellow/blue wire. If so connect to that also). Now, reverse the ohm meter leads and check those same wires again. You should get a reading in one direction, and none at all in the other direction.

Now, connect the black lead of the ohm meter to the red wire. One by one, connect the red lead of the ohm meter to the yellow, yellow/gray, and if present, the yellow/blue wire. Then reverse the leads, checking the wires again. Once more, you should get a reading in one direction and none in the other.

Note that the reading obtained from the red rectifier wire will be lower then what is obtained from the other wires.

Any deviation from the "Reading", "No Reading" as above indicates a faulty rectifier. Note that a rectifier will not tolerate reverse polarity. Simply touching the battery with the cables in the reverse order or hooking up a battery charger backwards will blow the diodes in the rectifier assy immediately.

 

[chdabren]

Re: Starting problem?

If I knew what engine you have, I'd see if I have a choke solenoid.

(Small Rectifier Description & Location)
(J. Reeves)

On most 3,4,6 cylinder engines, the small rectifier is located on the starboard (right) side of the engine just in front of the engines electrical wiring strip. There are a few older V4 engines that have the wiring strip on the rear portion of the engine and the rectifier would be located just under that terminal strip. The smaller horsepower engines usually have the rectifier located on the starboard side of the powerhead close to the carburetor area.

The rectifier appears to be a round object approximately one inch (1") in diameter and also about one inch (1") high. The base of it is sort of triangular in appearance and is attached to the engine with two (2) screws/bolts..... usually one screw/bolt is larger than the other. The rectifier, depending on which one your engine uses, will have either:

One Red wire, one Yellow wire, and one Yellow/Gray wire, or One Red wire, and two Yellow wires.

Note that either of the above rectifiers could have a fourth wire which would be Yellow/Blue

********************
(Small Rectifier Test)
(J. Reeves)

Remove the rectifier wires from the terminal block. Using a ohm meter, connect the black lead of the ohm meter to the rectifier base (ground), then one by one, connect the red lead of the ohm meter to the yellow, yellow/gray, then the red wire (some rectifiers may also have a fourth yellow/blue wire. If so connect to that also). Now, reverse the ohm meter leads and check those same wires again. You should get a reading in one direction, and none at all in the other direction.

Now, connect the black lead of the ohm meter to the red wire. One by one, connect the red lead of the ohm meter to the yellow, yellow/gray, and if present, the yellow/blue wire. Then reverse the leads, checking the wires again. Once more, you should get a reading in one direction and none in the other.

Note that the reading obtained from the red rectifier wire will be lower then what is obtained from the other wires.

Any deviation from the "Reading", "No Reading" as above indicates a faulty rectifier. Note that a rectifier will not tolerate reverse polarity. Simply touching the battery with the cables in the reverse order or hooking up a battery charger backwards will blow the diodes in the rectifier assy immediately.

Wow!!! Ezeke.... I had no idea there is someone on this forum so close. I live in Hyannis, not very close to Orleans but close enuf...lol. Ok, so here's the thing. I am a Master Certified technician (on automobiles) and I know how to test for powers, grounds, ohms, etc..just not "schooled" in the art of Marine applications. I do have the factory service manual for my particular engine and it includes schematics for my engine (1974 Evinrude 85hp V-4 cross flow 2 stroke...model #85493-B) One problem in particular, which isn't related to THIS concern is that I got a "known good used" choke solenoid which is NOT an exact math to what I had. My old one had 3 wires on it. Two that were purple/yellow and purple/white respectively AND a seperate ground wire. The one I was given to replace it had only TWO wires (purple/yellow purple/white) on it. Whatever...I should have known that "free" isn't necessarily "good"..lol. Anyway, back to this charging issue. I found yesterday, that MOST of my whole problem is the fact that I was using an older car battery to run this motor and evidently that battery wasn't so good after all. It was losing it's "mmmmph" and finally crapped out. I noticed, tho, with that battery on FULL charge, I NEVER had a starting problem!!! Good, fat, blue spark on full charge and NO problems with starting/running. Chokes manually set to "full", fast idle fully "up", not even 2 cranks on starter and "vrooomm"...off to the races!! So I went out last night and got a "marine starter" battery, gonna put it on medium charge for a couple hours and I should be all set. Moral of the story....I discovered that all my starting problems were all battery related. Guess I never realized how much difference there is between first of all an automotive battery vs. marine battery (non deep cycle). Anyway, I'm so long winded, sorry...but I just wanted to share my "goings on" thus far with you all and let you all (or at least most of u) know how helpful u've been to me.

 

[chdabren]

Re: Starting problem?

ok...so here's the deal on that rectifier test. I performed test, as described. The ohms test failed in that I had readings on both directions on the 2nd test. First test passed no problem. So I've ordered a new rectifier from Iboats Marine store. Looking forward to getting it, installing it, retesting it and hoping for the best. It better fix my problem...hahaha. I finally got my Uniden Solara DSC vhf radio, Humminbird Pirahna 220 fish finder, indash AM/FM cd, and a boxfull of other goodies to be installed yet. Now I have the relatively easy job of installing a new fuse block, marking it, running new wiring, etc...so I can get this tub in the water. I'm almost done taking pics of the old girl and will be posting my project soon. Hope u all will like it. Thanks again for the great advice and detailed testing instructions.

Chris