Power issue on a Sea King 5

Hi guys... These forums have been Great! "galamb" *you in particular.

Ok... So here is my issue. I have been gifted a really nice Sea king 5... the whole thing matches right down to the original gas lines and paint job on the original metal tank. it was picked up at an auction that was a collector's dream. That old guy kept everything in great shape. The Motor is a Gale Model G18732A Serial #26X847740 . As best I can tell made somewhere between 1957 and 1961.*

I don't know much about two strokes at all (I can hold my own on a car engine). I managed to mess around with the needles enough to get it running strong at significant throttle and in neutral. However when i put it in gear it just doesn't seem to be able to put the power to the prop. So basically I an reduced to putting around and barely making headway in a 10' Sears flat bottom.*

Any help you guys can give me would be great! A proper plug gap would be awesome. And I would really like to know how many tuns from closed I should have each needle.

If I am going about this all wrong feel free to say so as well. I am about to go change the oil in the lower unit now hoping that will help a little.

Also two small brass looking pins are taped to the handle... I have no idea what they are or where they would go.


Thanks again.*

Matthew

Perhaps it is only running on one cylinder .-------Check for spark that will jump a gap of 1/4" or better.

Thanks guys ! ... really excited to get into these suggestions ! just repaired the leaks in the boat itself I hope to get back into the motor this week ! But THANKS AGAIN !

I will let you know how it works out...

-Matthew

So I think I may have figured it out... Fingers Crossed.. Turns out that one of the coils had actually burned out so bad that it was arc'n to the surface beneath it! New Coils and re-gapping the points are in order. These guys out of VT actually have a great resource if you are looking for Sierra aftermarket parts. http://www.marineengine.com/

So i had to put it down for a bit ... But I am ready to start tinkering with it again. Last thing I did was test the comprtession. Both cylinders were at about 30. I have been told that they should be at about 60.

Thoughts?

I am gonna have to tear this thing apart and put new rings in there huh?

I would find another gauge and test this again !-----------perhaps it just needs a head gasket !

I finally got the time to go after this again. I am bound and determined to get this thing running this year! So I went out a bought a compression tester and retested. I was wrong… So the top cylinder reads about 70 I think and the lower one reads slightly lower but above 60. Any thoughts? I am able to get it running but I can't seem to keep it running longer then say 5 minutes. Despite me adjusting the needles i am not able to even get enough power out of it to but a 10 flat bottom up on plane. Right now my gut says head gasket and maybe rings. because i've done the carb rebuild and the coils, set the points, gapped the plugs, ect. I just don't know what's left! HA!