When is it time to give up?

[sprintst]

Re: When is it time to give up?

It's the time crunch that has got you going.

Sounds like you are soo close. Some time away from the project will give you a fresh perspective...

If you had multiple infrastructure issues they the cons can look insurmountable but in this case it may just be a bad wire/ground and/or starter/soleniod.

Maybe someone online close by can pull the starter parts off their parts boat and try one out for you.

 

[McGR]

Re: When is it time to give up?

As someone else mentioned, it sounds like the "throwing sparks" at the solenoid are most likely a loose connection. Check the connections at the solenoid, particularly the large cable connections, and be sure they are clean and tight. Be aware that one side of the solenoid is connected directly to battery positive, so to be safe you may want to disconnect the battery.

As far as the project... put it to the side if necessary, but don't give up now. I remember the first outboard I bought completely kicked my behind. It took three years to get that motor sorted out (bought another motor in the mean time and set it aside), but I was very gratified when I did finally conquer it. So, my advise FWIW is to step back if you need to, but eventually see it through to fruition.

 

[jcupo6]

Re: When is it time to give up?

Don't give up! You'll have her up and running soon and it will be well worth the wait. After first trouble free trip you'll be happy and proud that you stuck with it! I like the advice of just taking break, it couldn't be more true.

 

[erikpn]

Re: When is it time to give up?

Ok, I calmed down and it turned out to be something embarassingly :redface: simple. I noticed the starter would turn the motor over when the spark plugs were out. Then while doing that, I saw that the connections on the starter solenoid were loose. Such a high amperage, plus loose connections resulting in a smaller contact area for the current to flow through= high resistance and sparks.

The starter will turn the motor over now without sparks, but still a bit slowly. The most likely reason for that is that I was doing compression checks prior to restarting, and drained the battery a bit then.

I wasted probably 6 hours tearing apart the starter, checking out the neutral safety switch etc. :redface:

But relieved I got out of it without paying any more.

Hopefully, me fixing the timing has resolved the misfire/sputtering issues at WOT

 

[sprintst]

Re: When is it time to give up?

Time to celebrate witha beer.. Cheer the little victories. She'll be flying soon enough.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: When is it time to give up?

The starter will turn the motor over now without sparks, but still a bit slowly. The most likely reason for that is that I was doing compression checks prior to restarting, and drained the battery a bit then.

Yeah, outboards like a FULLY charged battery to get them spinning at the proper RPM to fire.

 

[heiliges]

Re: When is it time to give up?

Agreed, sounds like it is time for a beer at least, keg if you got one.

 

[Greg Mrozinski]

Re: When is it time to give up?

Good job mate!

Now let all us boat restorers hold hands and sing "Kumbaya"!

 

[erikpn]

Re: When is it time to give up?

Went to autozone to get it charged. Lost my wallet/id/ssn/ shortly after. Spent 3 hours looking for that. Never found.

I got it started again, there's still a misfire at mid throttle. Adjusted fuel/air mix. Still there. Repair manual suggests disconnecting the rectifier as a faulty rectifier may be the cause of switched some wires on the rectifier... I disconnect rectifier , no spark anymore. Reconnect rectifier.. must've reconnected wrong, because the outboard starts melting!

Can't reconnect battery without sparks flying and things melting now. Ready to set the motor on fire again.

 

[redfury]

Re: When is it time to give up?

it sounds like you and electricity aren't on friendly terms. Perhaps this is the time you pull in a buddy or someone local that is willing to come look over the wiring with you. It's really easy to overlook the routing of something when working with wiring...trust me. I spend a good part of the winter monkeying with the snowblower and the coil wire. If it wasn't the trigger wire I was cutting off with the flywheel teeth, it was the coil wire itself ( on the new coil with the extra long wire I didn't trim )...I had about had it with the snowblower and was going to just junk it and buy a new one. In the end, I stepped back, realized that I was just in too much of a hurry and got it running like a champ.

 

[erikpn]

Re: When is it time to give up?

I have 5 weeks left before I leave and don't see the boat again for 2 years.