1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

[54robbie]

Hello Everyone
I am a new member to your site and have enjoyed reading some of the comments. I am a big fan of the old and classic outboards. I own an early '60s Eska 5hp which runs like a top and on the downside I have an Evinrude 5.5hp that has me almost beat. It is a bearcat to start. Once it starts it will idle not bad as long as I leave the throttle in the start position. Any lower and it stalls. It will rev up fine in neutral but in gear it will only rev up about 1/4 throttle. Anything past that and it labours bad and smokes and eventually dies.
What I have done so far is cleaned the carb 3 times (with a new carb kit), tons of bright blue spark on both plugs, and compression test was 90-95 on both cylinders. Fuel is also fresh. Filter and bowl are also clean.
I have exhausted all the possibilities I can think of. Is there anything I have missed that you folks can think of? Does this engine have reed valves? Could there be something wrong there?
I am open to all scenarios as I am at my wits end!!!
PLEASE HELP!
Thanks
P.S. Sorry for being long winded

 

[freddyray21]

Re: 1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

turn the high speed needle all the way in until it seats. then back it out 3/4 of a turn. turn the low speed in all the way then back it out 1.5 turns and start motor. adjust low speed until it will idle fine then put it in gear and adjust high speed.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

Welcome, don't worry about being long winded as long as you cover the facts.
Check the link and sync.Be sure the cam on the stator picks up the carb linkage at the right point as the stator advances.
Be sure the points are set at .020 on the highest point of the point cam.Which I believe is at the key.

 

[F_R]

Re: 1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

Possible scenario #1----is it "tight" and hard to pull start? When it labors and stalls, does it seem to be siezing up? Those are symptoms of a broken shock absorber in the lower unit.

However, read on for what I think your real problem is:

You didn't say you checked the ignition beyond having spark. You gotta go in there and see what's wrong. My money is on bad, cracked coils. You won't know till you look.

BTW, if this guess is correct, your motor lacks power because it is running on one cylinder. I heard the same old story almost daily when I was working in the outboard shop.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

Hi Robbie. Welcome to iboats. No worries. We'll help you get her running. Give these links a read and see if they help. Keep us posted. Good luck.


http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=158086
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/07/columns/max/index1.htm
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/03/r/columns/max/07/index.htm
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=167352
http://www.outboard-boat-motor-repa...hnson 5.5 HP 1954-1964 Carburetor Tune-UP.htm

 

[54robbie]

Re: 1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

F_R you are bang on!!! I pulled the flywheel and low and behold the insulation on the coils was coming off in chunks! I was so stuck on a carb problem that I forgot the KISS method (KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID) Never thought to check the coils. Next problem, the evinrude dealer here says their parts books don't go back that far. Do you have a part # for the coils and the points and condensors? Might as well change them while I'm in there doing the coils
Thanks,
54robbie

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

HI Robbie. No problem. OMC used the same coils for decades and they're still readily available and much, much more reliable. You shouldn't have to worry about them again after you replace them. You can the the coils and tune up kit right here at iboats. Be sure to change the s'plug wires too. No sense having anew ignition and crusty old wires. NAPA sells 7mm copper core wire for about $3 a foot. Be sure to twist them on to the posts of the new coils too.

http://www.iboats.com/mall/partfind...39=5.5&gd_search_14140=2&**********=876122531



http://www.iboats.com/mall/partfind...=1959&gd_search_4893=5.5&**********=876122531

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

If you want the parts manual for that engine PM me your email address and model #.

 

[54robbie]

Re: 1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

Thanks for all of the advice and info.
I picked up new coils, points, and condensors at the local dealer.
When I pulled the old coils off, the one actually had a hole blown right out of the bottom. Makes a fella wonder how it produced spark at all.
Put all the new stuff in and after a little tweaking on the carb, the old girl runs just like it used to!
I did notice that at low idle, the stator plate (where all this stuff mounts on) wobbles pretty good. If I steady it with my hand it almost seems to run a bit smoother. Can you guys tell me if this is normal or is the plate wore out?
In any event I am heading out on the water this weekend to give her a good run.
Thanks Again,
54robbie

 

[freddyray21]

Re: 1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

sounds like the bushing it worn out in the mag plate. I will result in a variation in the point gap. If it gets bad enough it won't run right at all from the variation. might pick up a good used plate at www.aomci.org on their webvertise section I might have one if you can read me the casting numbers on the plate

 

[54robbie]

Re: 1959 Golden Jubilee Fisherman 5.5 H.P. won't rev past 1/4 throtle in gear

Hi All,
Turns out there was nothing wrong with the stator plate. What was wrong was that the collar that the plate is bolted to was upside down. It is flat on the top side and chamfered on the bottom side. So when installed upside down the is no support against the retaining collar. Put it in right side up and no more wobble! Idles even smoother than before!
Thanks again to all you people for the advice and words of encouregment.
HAPPY BOATING!!!
54robbie

 

[MAM79]

For the 1959 5.5HP Fisherman - Does anyone have a PDF copy of 1) the owners manual or 2) any service manual?