Teenage mechanic needs help with old engine!

Tim M · 10 July 2006, 21:32

Im currently getting angrey with this Evinrude 50/60 what ever it is Ive aquired. I want to get it going, but it won't start. As we have established I don't *do* engines so this is probably going to end in tears.
Anyway, its a 1986 50hp Evinrude 2 stroke. It turns over, but there is no spark. Can anyone help....

Nos4r2 · 10 July 2006, 21:53

Tim you should have some wires coming out from under the flywheel to the coils/switchbox/points or whatever. These are the only ones you need connected to make it spark. Anything going to the control box will be the wire that stops the engine, power trim/tilt if it's got it and electric start.

Personally (and it's hard making the call when I can't see the engine) I'd disconnect everything from the engine that goes to the remotes apart from the 4 wires going to the starter solenoid (2 thick 2 thin) and then check the spark.

Be aware that if you manage to start it like this then you're going to have to cut the fuel or pull the spark plugs off to stop it.

If this doesn't work, test the coils with an ohm-meter and test the spark generating coil under the flywheel the same way. The coils should return similar readings and be very low resistance between the input wire and the negative. The spark generating coil (the wires come out from under the flywheel) should show nearly 0 resistance between the wires coming out but there should be no reading (open circuit-infinite resistance) between the wires and the body of the motor.

If all that checks out then take it to a marine tech to get the ignition box checked over.

Tim M · 10 July 2006, 21:57

Thanks Nos; Ill check those things out tomrorow.

The engine is already disconnected from the remotes (reason I wanted to know which wire was which was so I could turn her over by crossing the wires over. Should be able to stop it in the same way)

Nos4r2 · 10 July 2006, 22:01

it probably won't stop the same way- the usual method of stopping a 2-stroke is to short the feed to the coils/ignition or the like. It might be that crossing the wires like that is what's stopping it from running. Of course, your engine might have a different setup on it.

you could try unplugging all the wires to anywhere apart from the ignition system and rope starting it. Be aware it won't do your charging circuit much good if it's run like that though so at most use this method to spark test it.

Tim M · 10 July 2006, 22:12

A photo of under the flywheel:

Nos4r2 · 10 July 2006, 22:17

if it's any use i'd guess that:-

10 o'clok is electronic ignition trigger.

12-1 o'clock is ignition power generator coil

The other 2 with yellow wires are charging circuit.

I may well be wrong though as I can't really see enough. The best thing you can do is to buy a manual!

fast fred · 11 July 2006, 10:50

do a compression test, to see if she is worth the time, check the serial no.,
on them twins 50hp-60hp, the ones with the best ports end in 100,.
make sure you hook up a kill switch if you try to start it up. if you try to kill it by tuchin wires the coils will zap ya.

you have no spark at all?

djbk · 11 July 2006, 19:19

try new plugs and check the gaps could be out!!! if you already havent done is