1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

[Rick.]

Here?s hoping someone can give me some good advice on this issue. I have a 1982, 15 HP. Evinrude and am having a difficult time with the Idle Speed Adjustment. I have been using the motor for about one year and it runs very well and starts on the second or third pull. I have cleaned the carb and changed the plugs etc.. I have set the throttle cam adjustment according to the manual. The one (and only) problem I?m having is with the idle speed adjustment. I like to use the motor for trolling and it just goes a little too slow. I turn the Idle speed adjustment knob clockwise (faster) and it has no affect on the engine speed. In fact I have turned it so far that the snap ring pops out of its grove. The Idle adjustment screw only just starts to make contact with the Vertical control shaft when the adjustment screw is at the end of its travel. I have thought of setting the throttle cam adjustment wrong in order to overcome this problem but feel certain this isn?t the right way to fix the problem. I even thought that the adjustment screw was too short and ordered a new one and they are identical in length. Any ideas as to what I?m not seeing here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Rick.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

take the screw to the auto parts store and match it up with a longer one.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

I've never heard anyone complain that their motor idles too slow!!! I'm guessing you don't dead troll for Walleye.

Sounds like you have to McGuyver something up. Either add a long screw like TD suggests or find a way to extend the current one.

Can't you just turn the throttle out a hair? You don't have to troll at the lowest speed possible.

 

[Rick.]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

I can maintain the speed via the throttle but I don't want to hold it all the time. I'm trying to troll at about 2mph. plus or minus a half. Trout fishing. I never thought about buying a longer bolt as the part I'm talking about is made of nylon and has a fine thread at one end and is flat stock where it pushes up against the verticle shaft. Any thoughts about the idea of fooling with the throttle cam adjustment? Thanks, Rick.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

when you start messing with link n sinc, that can screw everything up. you are to far advanced at high speed.

 

[iwombat]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

If you turn the idle up that far you may be shortening the life of your clutch dog and forward gear. The idle should be set low in order to shift correctly.

 

[Xcusme]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

Rick,
Something is a bit out of alignment on the vertical shaft. Try lifting the tiller handle and look at the meshing gears. The two gears, one on the bottom of the vertical shaft , the other from the twist grip should align on a certain way. If the tiller handle was raised into a vertical position and then turned, the gears may have jumped a tooth. This mis-alignment could explain the idle speed adjustment threaded shaft not touching the vertical shaft stop. If memory serves, that nylon threaded piece you replaced is reverse threaded, so replacing it with a common bolt won't be an option.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

I wouldn't mess with the linkage. I would find a way to extend the idle adjustment screw. Maybe tap a small bolt/screw in the contact end or something.

Idling at 2 mph isn't too fast to switch gears with that motor.

 

[iwombat]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

"Idling at 2 mph isn't too fast to switch gears with that motor."


Sorta depends on how big a boat he's pushing, doesn't it?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

put a rubber tip on the screw. a kids eraser, that you slip on the end of a pencil.

 

[BF]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

I think you're barkin' up the wrong tree.. leave the idle adjustment to where it should be (slooooow idle, but not stalling)... you want to increase the tension on the throttle linkage so that you can set the twist grip to a faster speed and it'll stay there.... mine does, and I have the same year as yours.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

iwombat,

You are definately right, but it would have to be an awfully big boat. I doubt he has it on anything bigger than a 14 footer. Of course, I just assumed it was the primary engine and not a kicker. You know what they say about assuming. Either way, I recently tested a 1981 15 hp on my heavy 14.5' boat (rated for a 28 hp) and at 2 mph I was well in the shift range.

 

[Rick.]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

It is the primary engine on a 14 footer. I've always thought tightening the throttle tension was unsafe. Maybe I'm wrong. I kind of like the idea that when you let go of the throttle it automatically slows back to idle speed. I will check the tiller gears as I haven't checked them on the vertical shaft. If that's alright then I will attempt to extend the end of the nylon screw. I sure was hoping someone would say they knew exactly what my problem was. I guess life isn't always that simple. Thanks for all the advice and I'm still listening if you have more. Rick.

 

[iwombat]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

. . . and I immediately pictured a kicker on some 20'-er.

Still, I think the above post recommending not messing with the idle and fixing the friction on the throttle has nailed the problem dead-to-rights.

 

[Rick.]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

Thanks to all for your help. One last thing I need to ask. Is it O.K. to tighten the throttle so that it stays where ever you position it? This would be the easiest fix for my particular problem. Rick.

 

[iwombat]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

That's the normal adjustment for the throttle. It should be sticky to wherever you last set it. i.e. it shouldn't drift on it's own.

 

[BF]

Re: 1982 15 HP. idle speed adjustment

ditto.. that's how it should be. Not so stiff as to put undo strain on the linkages, but stiff enough to hold a setting. It would be a huge PITA if it kept springing all the way back to idle... For cold starts or warming up a cold engine, you'd actually have to hold it the "fast idle" section. As for safety, I think it's actually safer to have it hold a setting... that way if I have to slap a bug or something at WOT it doesn't make a big dramatic lurch of the boat. Newer outboards have a safety lanyard that is supposed to be clipped to the operator. That way if you go overboard, it kills the ignition. Maybe you'd be interested in installing one of those on your motor, especially if it's operated by kids.

Look in the FAQ forum for a fantastic article by "the machinist" about OMC 9.9 /15 hp's (your motor). Very very good stuff.

Good luck.