Guys, I am lost, 50 HP Evinrude

[MTboatguy]

Here it is Labor Day Weekend and I started this on Memorial day weekend...

1973 Evinrude 50 HP motor that ran good when I parked the boat last fall, pulled it out can't get it to run, no spark..

I have tried 2, not 1 but 2 power packs on it now, still no fire, I pulled both coils off today and they seem to test out fine, they do have 1 small crack on the green plastic insulation, but not major cracks, just hairlines, my coils on my other motors have much worse cracks and run fine.

Nothing looks bad under the flywheel that I can see without removing it, I will probably remove it in the next day so I can see better. The fuse on the engine is fine, I have tried with the black/yellow disconnected, no change, still no fire...

So I am really at a loss to which direction to go next, the only thing I have done to this boat since I got it was hook a tach up on it and when I am cranking it over, the tach seems to be moving. The battery is at full charge, I pulled the starter, took it apart to check everything and it is fine and turns the engine over with enough RPM's that is should start. The only other thing I can think of is the ignition switch in the remote has gone bad..

If you have any ideas I am not thinking of please let me know.because I am now playing wiffle ball and I am losing. Lots of strikes and no hits.

thanks.

 

[Daviet]

Disconnect the kill circuit and see if you get spark. CDI has a trouble shooting guide that might help you out.

 

[MTboatguy]

Disconnect the kill circuit and see if you get spark. CDI has a trouble shooting guide that might help you out.

Thanks, I have the CDI troubleshooting guide, when I pulled the black and yellow wire, that took the kill circuit out of the system so it should have got fire at that point, but this one has me stumped, I have a lot of boat motors and I have never had one just stop firing after sitting over the winter with no path to follow..it is perplexing.

 

[Daviet]

You have gone through the system using the CDI guide and everything checked out ok and you still have no spark?

 

[MTboatguy]

You have gone through the system using the CDI guide and everything checked out ok and you still have no spark?

Yup, that is why I am so lost. Everything I have tested falls within the parameters that everybody and every guide I have says it should.. Like I said, I have tried two different power packs and I have the one that worked on it as late as Nov of last year..I am grasping at air right now.

 

[flyingscott]

How are you testing for spark? Have you tried a different battery? Cleaned the starter? Are you sure your powerpaks are good?

 

[MTboatguy]

How are you testing for spark? Have you tried a different battery? Cleaned the starter? Are you sure your powerpaks are good?

I cleaned the starter, the power pack I put on it today was a brand new one, the battery is testing good, it was brand new about a year and a half ago, it is a group 27 deep cycle that I use for my trolling motor.

 

[racerone]

Testing / looking for spark in broad daylight ?---tried at night ?

 

[bobstoy]

I would check for a loose or corrode ground. On aluminum flywheels there is one piece of steel that fires the coils. Check for rust.

 

[F_R]

So everything checks out using the CDI guide? Are you using a DVA meter?

 

[MTboatguy]

Testing / looking for spark in broad daylight ?---tried at night ?

I again checked the spark about 8:30 last night, so the light was dim outside as the sun had gone down and where my boat is sitting is behind the shadows of the ridge that runs behind the house, so it was pretty dim.

 

[MTboatguy]

So everything checks out using the CDI guide? Are you using a DVA meter?

I have been through the CDI troubleshooting guide and I do have their DVA adapter for my meter.

I am going to start over with step one of their troubleshooting guide again and count the steps off again. One thing I have not checked and I will check that when I pull the flywheel is the keyway, I know they can shear and keep anything else from happening.

Thanks guys.

 

[MTboatguy]

I would check for a loose or corrode ground. On aluminum flywheels there is one piece of steel that fires the coils. Check for rust.

Will do, thanks

 

[racerone]

Rust on flywheel parts will not cause problems.----And a sheared flywheel key will NOT stop spark on these motors.----Spark would be at the wrong time however.

 

[MTboatguy]

Rust on flywheel parts will not cause problems.----And a sheared flywheel key will NOT stop spark on these motors.----Spark would be at the wrong time however.

Okay, thanks.

I will just start at the top of the list again and go through the troubleshooting list, perhaps I have missed something along the way...

:blue:

 

[Joe Reeves]

I've read all of the above... but want to start at the beginning.

1 - Is the wire that grounds the powerpack clean & tight?

2 - Is there a sticky looking substance dripping out of the bottom portion of the stator?

3 - Continuity reading between the two brown wires should exist... BUT... between either wire and ground should not. Is this what you find?

4 - Have you tried removing the kill wire (black w/stripe) from the ignition switch "M" terminal and also from the powerpack?

5 - The engine, with "all" spark plugs removed, must crank over at least 300 rpm in order for the stator to energize the powerpack's capacitor.

If the cranking speed is questionable..... With "all" spark plugs removed, crank the engine by hand with a proper length and diameter portion of nylon cord... and when pulling, pull vigorously. In doing so, the rpm of that flywheel will certainly exceed what an electric starter would provide.

If spark exists via the rope method and does not via the electric starter method, that should tell the tale....

Use a spark tester type whereas you can set a 7/16" gap for the spark to jump across, the spark must be a strong blue lightning like flame... a real SNAP! Anything less won't do.

Let us know what you find.

 

[MTboatguy]

Joe, yes, the ground on the power pack is clean and tight, nope, nothing dripping from under the flywheel. Rectifier and coils have checked out, fuse is good, have disconnected black/yellow wire on the kill. Everything under the flywheel looks good, battery checks out, put it on the charger all night, checks out good today. My digital volt meter will measure RPM's but can check that because with no fire through the wires it won't sense the fire pulse.

About the only thing left I can check is the ignition switch.

 

[MTboatguy]

How are you testing for spark? Have you tried a different battery? Cleaned the starter? Are you sure your powerpaks are good?

FlyingScott, I have two different spark testers, one can be adjusted for a gap, you put in the spark plug wire and then clip to ground on the motor, the other one plugs onto the spark plug and then the other end plugs into the plug wire and it triggers a light each time the pulse comes through it.

 

[oldboat1]

Pull the flywheel and look for any wire abrasion, corrosion or rust (mouse damage?). Might as well check for magnet strength as well -- long shot, but dangle a screwdriver and see.

 

[tphoyt]

Has the motor run since you installed the tac?
If not put things back the way they were and see what you get.