Logo
FULL SITE MENU

1990 60hp evinrude losing power or shutting off at mid throttle

Very thorough joe , thanks guys for the info. Hey Joe, what would be your next move if you were me. The engine starts fine, idles fine and when I leave the dock most of the time it takes of to wot and in five minutes or so while I'm at wot it will jerk like its missing or something. It might just shut off completely from wot. Like you turned the key off! Then I will immediately start it up no problem and for the next 10 attempts it will not go past about a quarter throttle without shutting off and while its shutting off I am pumping the crap out of the primer bulb. Still shuts off. That's why I'm hesitant to buy a fuel pump. When it shuts off there is no alarm! I looked at the timing advance plat and it moves consistantly with throttle lever and sometimes, maybe 1 out of 15 attempts it will make it to wot for a short while. That's why I don't think its the timing advance plate. But when it acts right for 10 min or so at wot it always has this sputter if at full throttle.just one little sputter every bout 10 seconds.now if I back off the throttle just a hair. This sputter quits for a while and engine runs fine until it shuts off again. What do you think......bad power pack ....collapsing pulse hose to fuel pump.....bad fuel pump....bad thermostat? What would make it do these symptoms but every now and then run just fine? I'm going crazy! !!! Lol
 
Without actually being there, I'm afraid I am somewhat at a loss to advise you. However, remove the black/yellow (kill circuit) wire from either the ignition switch or the powerpack, whichever is easier. If at the powerpack, make absolutely sure that it is indeed the black/yellow wire that leads to the igniiton switch.

If this cures the problem, the ignition switch has an intermitent short which is either shorting to ground somehow.... OR a voltage flaw has developed within the ignition switch that is allowing a extremely small amount of dc voltage flow to that kill circuit, and applied dc voltage to the powerpack will (in time) destroy the powerpack.

Keep in mind that with that black/yellow wire disconnected, it will be impossible to shut the engine down via turning the key to OFF at the ignition switch.
 
Last edited:
Shane, how are you making out with that motor? I have similar issue and live too far from the lake to... actually I just live too far from the lake!
 
Well...I determined not to get da fuel pump. I bought a new power pack and installed it Friday. I could tell right of the dock that I had fixed the problem, the boat engine was back to life again for a few hours until it was hard to start and would barely idle and cut off and overheat alarm going crazy. I think the root of my engine problem is overheating and causing it to go into SLOW mode. I guess my next venture is to start with a simple new thermostat and keep trial and error with it through the cooling system all the way to a new water pump. If your reading this Joe, do you know if there was a service bulletin on the thermostat system for this engine?
 
Sounds like my motor, thought it was fuel related but ended up being a powerpack, starts idles fine and would run fine at wot, then just lose power, like the power pack would get warmed up from electricity flowing through it and then fail. Slowly over time it got worse, thats when I finally found this site and started reading. Dont give up, also I was using ethanol fuel at first, but have quit after finding water in my fuel, which ethanol attracts.
 
Thanks so much, i have ordered the repair manual, i will see if there is a way of testing the power pack. Happy boating to you and thanks again for taking the time!
 
Well , its been quite a few weeks since I left a post. Since I put a new powerpack on it did a little better but was still bogging down just not as frequently. But still not reliable. Kept getting the overheat alarm and ran poorly. So I bought a new heat sensor switch and a new thermostat. When I installed them, the brand new thermostat wouldn't open up to let water through the exhaust ! So I left the new switch but put the old thermostat back in ( at least it let the water through ) After that, the motor ran like a champ as long as I would run 1/4 throttle or higher. If I putted around too long at idle speed it would alarm as overheating then I would speed up and it would be fine. So I'm thinking the impelled might be wore out and not pumping enough water at low speeds. Going to order one now.
 
Ok. I installed the water pump repair kit. That wasn't the fix but never hurts to have a new water pump. My boat starts fine idles fine, if I throttle it up to fast it will cut off. If I throttle. Up to 1/4 slowly, from there it takes off and reaches WOT just fine. And runs great at wot. If I cut it off and start it back up in a minute or two, it will crank up fine. But if I wait ten minutes.or so its hell to get it started. I have to open the manual primer valve, pump.the fuel bulb and then start it. Any ideas.....plugs are new and by specs.
 
What is the primer solenoids function in the operation of a running outboard and how can I troubleshoot it to see if its working properly?
 
The primer solenoid could be described as an " electric squirt bottle "-----When the fuel system has pressure and you push the key in, it squirts fuel into the intake manifold.----It is a better system than choke flappers !!-----It works when there is pressure either from operating the manual fuel pump or the motor fuel pump when the engine is cranking.------It can be operated manually with the red lever as well.----------Lever should be inline with primer body for normal operation
 
brodie78 said:
Have u ohm tested the timer base
Click to expand...

Shane, have you figured it out? I have the same motor. I'm pretty sure I just blew a powerpack because my timer base was shorting to ground. Look at the wiring. My stator was replaced in '02 and the wires look nice. The timer base is original and the wires are falling apart. The CDI troubleshoot guide is the best I've found. A timing light helps in testing for spark while on the water....
 
Back
Top