35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

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FishHog

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I've been having problems with my 96 Evinrude 3 cyl. Last week, it would start and stall every 30 sec, had a hell of a time getting it going. Finally did, and ran high speed for 15min until I put it back in the lift. <br /><br />Next day, wouldn't start at all. <br />Day after that it would start and sounded like it was only running on 1 cylinder. <br />So I brought the trailer down to the ramp, and had a buddy ready to tow me. Got it fired up and actually running. Had to run a mile up stream, and finally made it, but stalled and had to restart a few time. <br /><br />Home in the driveway, I started to go through things. Good compression in all 3 cyl. Good spark. Cleaned the carbs, and they were all spotless. Fuel pump is working good. Fuel filter was clean. Plugs looked good and were gapped correctly. Tested everything else that I could (that I have the knowledge to check), cleaned all applied dielectric grease to all connections. Never found anything that looked like it would cause the problem. <br /><br />Fired it up on the hose in the driveway, and it seemed fine at idle and slightly above idle. <br /><br />Trailered it back to the river and put a good hour of running on it without a hic-up. Turned it on and off many times, and it fired right up each time. Forgot to open the vent on the fuel tank, and it sucked it in enough, that I know the fuel pump is working great. <br /><br />So, the good news is, it seems fine. The bad news is, I don't trust it, as I never found a problem. <br /><br />Any ideas?????? <br /><br />I hate to take it out, and worry about it all day long. Takes the fun out of fishing. <br /><br />Thanks for any suggestions, <br /><br />FishHog
 
rolmops

rolmops

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Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

How about some water in your fuel????
 
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FishHog

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Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

I should have mentioned that I switched fuel tanks at the very first with fresh fuel.<br /><br />I guess its possible that there was some residual, maybe if the problem doesn't return, I'll chalk it up to that, but somehow I don't think that was it.<br /><br />thanks for the help.<br /><br />FishHog
 
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BF

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Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

How did the spark plug boots seem? Maybe one's a bit loose or wasn't pressed on all the way and spark was intermittent until you re-installed them. I found a similar prob with my mom's car last week. Never idled smooth for as long as she's had it. Decided to give it a tune up for her and found the clip in one boot was way loose. Snugged it up with pliers and now idles smooth. I think poor connections like that can be sensitive to humidity, making them worse some days than others....<br /><br />just my $.02<br /><br />Brent
 
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FishHog

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Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

Well they seemed OK, but I did tighten one up some as it was a little looser than the others. Maybe that was it.<br /><br />Thanks for the ideas, I just want to be confident that its fixed, since I didn't find anything really obvious that was the problem.<br /><br />Guess I'll just use it, until it acts up again.<br /><br />FishHog
 
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G DANE

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Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

I had exactly your problem but on a 35 twin from 1985. It happened to be the amphenol connector from stator to powerpack that was corroded. I cleaned it and put it together again, no problems to now, for 4 years.
 
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FishHog

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Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

Thanks G Dane, I did actually take all the connectors apart, cleaned and applied dielectric grease. None of them looked bad, but then again its running better, so maybe that was it also.<br /><br />I'm starting to feel better anyway, maybe I fixed it without knowing it. Just would have been nice to find a specific problem and fix it.<br /><br />FishHog
 
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FishHog

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Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

Well after running fine for the last few trips it happened again.<br /><br />I'm absolutely stumped. Would just get up on plane and die out. Finally limped it back to the dock. Pulled the plugs and they looked wet, but otherwise fine. Put them back in and it fired up and seemed fine. Ran it for 20min with no more problems.<br /><br />Any more ideas??? Other than turning it into an anchor.<br /><br />thanks,<br /><br />FishHog
 
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BF

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Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

hmm, bummer. Could the powerpack/stator/CDI box be going south?? Sounds electrical to me. I'd say check connectors, but you've been there already. Maybe time to figure out how to test the ignition components (?). Easiest thing might be to have it running in the driveway and heat up components with a hair dryer. Maybe you can make the bad part fail. Sorry, not too much help I know. Electrical section of manual would probably be more helpful. Or when it's running bad, try disconnecting plug wire (one at a time) to confirm that it's lost a cylinder. <br /><br />Have you tried running with a different fuel line? I once had a valve in a primer bulb go bad, caused funny fuel starvation type things to happen at higher rpm's. Was intermittent too. Could look like ignition prob's.... but I guess with wet plugs it's unlikely to be fuel prob.<br /><br />Brent
 
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Chris A

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Aug 22, 2004
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Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

Is it an Endevour series? if it is, i recommend you run it on premix, remove the oiling system as they are notorious for failure, an the only time you know you have an issueis when you have no compression. But sounds like fuel/airleak issue or power pack.
 
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FishHog

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Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

I've disconnected the oiling system and have been running premix.<br /><br />Have run with a completely different fuel source and hose supply. <br /><br />Maybe I'll try the hair dryer trick, but it does do it sometimes when its cold also. Its just so intermitent, that its hard to find. Everytime I pull it out of the lift, put it on the trailer so I can work on it at home, it runs fine.<br /><br />Thanks for the tips. I've went through the manual and tested everything electrical that I can with a volt meter. Maybe its time to take it to a mechanic, but I hate doing that, when its going to run fine when he tests it.<br /><br />FishHog
 
F

FishHog

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 27, 2004
Messages
171
Re: 35hp Evinrude - Frustrating engine troubles

Just an update. After almost turning the motor into an expensive anchor, I took it to the dealer. <br /><br />And low and behold, it actually acted up at the dealer. Turned out to be the power pack. $450 CAN later, I think I'm back in service. At least I better be. Going for a good test ride tonight.<br /><br />Just thought I would let you guys know what finally happened.<br /><br />thanks for all the help.<br /><br />FishHog
 
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