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Model number of outboard, year, make, hp?

If the engine has been sitting for quite some time, the carburetors usually need cleaning and rebuilding... BUT... keep reading. DO NOT start throwing money and parts at a engine until you inspect it thoroughly.

Remove spark plugs... take a compression check. What is the psi reading of each cylinder?

Plugs still removed... using a spark tester whereas you can set a adjustable air gap for the spark to jump, set the gap to 1/4" for a magneto system, and to 7/16" for a solid state ignition system. The spark should jump that gap with a strong blue lightning like flame... a real SNAP!... Does it?

A reasonably priced spark tester and compression gauge can be purchased at any automotive parts store... or build the following... let us know what you find.

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(Spark Tester - Home Made)
(J. Reeves)

You can use a medium size philips screwdriver (#2 I believe) inserted into the spark plug boot spring connector, then hold the screwdriver shank approximately 7/16" away from the block to check the spark or build the following:

A spark tester can be made with a piece of 1x4 or 1x6, drive a few finishing nails through it, then bend the pointed ends at a right angle. You can then adjust the gap by simply twisting the nail(s). Solder a spark plug wire to one which you can connect to the spark plug boots, and a ground wire of some kind to the other to connect to the powerhead somewhere. Use small alligator clips on the other end of the wires to connect to ground and to the spark plug connector that exists inside of the rubber plug boot.

Using the above, one could easily build a spark tester whereas they could connect 2, 4, 6, or 8 cylinders all at one time. The ground nail being straight up, the others being bent, aimed at the ground nail. A typical 4 cylinder tester follows:

..........X1..........X2

.................X..(grd)

..........X3..........X4

This can obviously be modified to a 6 or 8 cylinder setup tester.

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