Toward the end of last season the motor had trouble starting. Got it started and back to the ramp. After that I could only get it to start by overriding the kill switch and starting at higher RPM. Even then, it took a lot of throttle to keep, it running and didn’t run for long.
Took it to a mechanic, they had it for 9 months and replaced the points, amplifier, rectifier, coil and plugs, but couldn’t get it to fire. They told me it seemed to try and fire as you let off the key, but that’s as far as they could get. I got it back from them (they we gracious and only charged me for parts). I played around with it for a bit and I saw where it tried to fire when letting off the key. I also noticed, after trying to start it, key still in the on position, I could hold the manual choke switch by key and when I released it, the flywheel would spin a bit as if it was firing a cylinder. This could be done occasionally up to 4 times in succession. Still don’t understand this one.
Called an older guy that worked on these older engines when they were new, gave him the story and told him what I was seeing. He came by and worked with me and we found there was only spark on one cylinder. We opened up the distributor and lightly sanded the contacts inside and the rotor contact. Eventually got spark on all 4 cylinders.
Engine starts and idles fine, even revs some, but just about the time the throttle starts engaging the spark advance, it starts “surging” (for lack of a better term). Basically seems like it gets spark on cylinders for a half second then doesn’t. It gets enough for the engine to stay running, and just continues to surge through the entire upper range of the throttle. Does the same in gear under power and in neutral. After some research, the older guy suggested that something was shorting/arcing inside the distributor and recommended replacing rotor and distributor. I ordered used ones, distributor came with wires as well. Replaced both and still getting the same result.
As an aside, in looking at the service manual, there is supposed to be an “Anti-Reverse Spring” under the distributor base, but my engine doesn’t have one. I ordered one, but don’t know how it is meant to attach. Not sure this is related, or if it had one before it went to the shop initially.
Any help anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Took it to a mechanic, they had it for 9 months and replaced the points, amplifier, rectifier, coil and plugs, but couldn’t get it to fire. They told me it seemed to try and fire as you let off the key, but that’s as far as they could get. I got it back from them (they we gracious and only charged me for parts). I played around with it for a bit and I saw where it tried to fire when letting off the key. I also noticed, after trying to start it, key still in the on position, I could hold the manual choke switch by key and when I released it, the flywheel would spin a bit as if it was firing a cylinder. This could be done occasionally up to 4 times in succession. Still don’t understand this one.
Called an older guy that worked on these older engines when they were new, gave him the story and told him what I was seeing. He came by and worked with me and we found there was only spark on one cylinder. We opened up the distributor and lightly sanded the contacts inside and the rotor contact. Eventually got spark on all 4 cylinders.
Engine starts and idles fine, even revs some, but just about the time the throttle starts engaging the spark advance, it starts “surging” (for lack of a better term). Basically seems like it gets spark on cylinders for a half second then doesn’t. It gets enough for the engine to stay running, and just continues to surge through the entire upper range of the throttle. Does the same in gear under power and in neutral. After some research, the older guy suggested that something was shorting/arcing inside the distributor and recommended replacing rotor and distributor. I ordered used ones, distributor came with wires as well. Replaced both and still getting the same result.
As an aside, in looking at the service manual, there is supposed to be an “Anti-Reverse Spring” under the distributor base, but my engine doesn’t have one. I ordered one, but don’t know how it is meant to attach. Not sure this is related, or if it had one before it went to the shop initially.
Any help anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.
