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1972 9.5HP Evinrude

7

72evinrude

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Hi folks.....I just purchased a 1972 Evinrude (9.5HP) that wasn't running so I did a carb. rebuild and now it turns over and runs but concks out on slow trolling speeds and it bogs down on full throttle (no power). I had mistakenly taken the fuel pump completely apart (instead of just removing the 2 manifold screws I removed the other 2 screws also that holds the filter to the pump) and two springs popped out and the whole assembly went all over the garage floor...YUK ! I put it back together but I think I might have screwed up and put it back together wrong? Could the fuel pump be the problem with the engine not running at high or low speeds? Or could it be a timing issue ? I haven't worked on an outboard since I was a kid so I'm wet behind the ears ! Any help appreciated....Eric
 
Pull the flywheel and check ignition coils for cracks, very common problem.--------------Fuel pumps are rarely a problem, and can in fact be tested using the manual fuel pump ( primer bulb on the hose )--If squeezing that keeps the motor running than you have a faulty pump.
 
Thanks for the info. You mentioned how to check the fuel pump and I did in fact have a problem ......I keep squeezing the bulb and it wouldn't get hard. Could that mean the pump isn't working properly? As mentioned, I might have oriented the gasket & diaphram inside the fuel pump improperly and or put in the two springs wrong which regulate the fuel pressure. I do get a spark on both plugs and the engine starts but it doesn't have any power when I throttle up. Any ideas? Eric
 
Spark must jump a gap of 1/4" or better, otherwise you really have " no spark "----------------Did you remove the high speed jet / orifice to clean it ??
 
Hi.....plugs are firing and engine is running so the spark must be "jumping" enough as mentioned and the ignition coils must be doing there job also. I hired a marine mechanic to do the carb. rebuild so for $210. I hope he cleaned it out properly ! As mentioned twice before, engine runs but not at idle speeds or at full throttle. Since the engine is running, it seems logical its a fuel delivery issue like the fuel pump but I'm no mechanic. Does anyone out there have any experience working on small outboards? Thanks Eric
 
I would sell one of those motors rebuilt for about $400.00 including a full 1 year warranty ---Parts and labour.----So $210.00 for a tune-up seems a bit excessive.
 
Hi.....all they did was a carb. rebuild for $210. and it still runs like crap !!! They also screwed 3 things up on the job: 1) they forgot to re-install the carb stabilizer bracket....2) they didn't install the retaining clip to the back of the rich/lean control (slow speed jet) properly and so the control knob on front of control panel popped out and changed the setting....3) they screwed the "idle adjust" knob on outside of engine all the way in so it couldn't be run at slow trolling speeds (hand throttle could only be turned down to the "START" position......they did that because they couldn't get it to run properly at the "SLOW" throttle position !!! They charged $72 hr. and had some kid in training do the work (as best I can determine- they never tell you that of course) but I still got charged for an A1 marine mechanics price. Needless to say I won't bring it back there again and I just ordered the parts I thought I might need online (a new fuel pump, flywheel puller, high speed jet tool and points & condenser which just came in today) and will do it myself. I'll let you know later today if the fuel pump was the culprit or if they forgot to do something else on doing the carb. rebuild which won't surprise me ! PS.....even though this engine is an old model 1972, I bought it from the original owner who stated he only put 100 hours on it !!! I believe him since there was little wear to the original outside paint and the inside engine screws & bolts didn't even have one scratch on them and it appeared it had never been serviced before. So I'm getting a "new" old engine which I'm told delivers more HP than newer model 9.5HP engines and Evinrude didn't make junk back then ! Thanks everyone for all your help...Eric
 
Thanks for sending the hyperlink about my fuel pump. Now you can see that even an advanced mechanic could screw up putting one of these back together if it expoloded apart like mine did ! I had no time to study how it went together and so when the two springs popped apart the pump, it went all over before I could check it out. WORD OF WISDOM to future mechanics/hobbyists.....only remove the two screws that hold the assembly to the manifold and leave the other two screws in place. Also you can clean the filter only, by just removing the large screw on outside front cover and leave everything else (the other 4 screws) as-is. If you want to clean the fuel pump also, I would just remove the two manifold screws and place the whole filter/pump assembly in a solvent and just remove the cover screw to clean the filter and then put it back on the manifold. Otherwise you'll have to try and figure out all those drawings at the link that was sent !!! Eric
 
Eric, don't put the fuel pump in solvent!! You'll screw up the diaphram. Failure of the primer bulb to get hard when squeezing has nothing to do with the fuel pump itself. It means you either have a leak in the fuel lines or needle & float in carb stuck open or need replaced. Set your low speed needle adjustment at 1 1/2 turns open and start motor and adjust from there. With carb off, look down at the reed plates and check for sand. If dirty, gently wipe them out with a paper towel. It's a simple but touchy system. Good luck.
 
Hi.....thanks for the good advice. I decided to buy another fuel pump ($83) and installed it. It ran a little better on slow idle speeds but it still bogs down at high speed (smokes a lot/ no power). I had paid $210. for a mechanic to look the engine over and they stated on the receipt that they did a "carb. rebuild". I got it home and it ran terrible !!! I decided to take the carb apart and was astonished and quite disturbed to find out that it still had the 40 year old gaskets in place, old cork float assembly, etc.......apparently all the mechanic did was spray the inside of carb with cleaner and then reinstall it, and all for $210. !!! I just bought a carb rebuild kit and will do the job myself. I believe the high speed jet & orifice plug/valve seat in float assembly wasn't removed & cleaned so I will replace them when the kit comes in and hopefully it will run at high speeds. The mechanics manual also shows how to nock out the 2 core plugs and put new ones in which I will attempt since those areas will be cleaned better after they are removed. The manual states to use a "Sealer 1000" around the outer edge of new core plugs but watching u-Tube on TV last night, every mechanic I saw that did a core plug removal just punched a new one in without any sealer......any comments anyone ? I'm also going to try and take apart the leaf assembly as you mentioned since the mechanics manual states there is two orifices/valve openings on outer edge of the leaf plate and one apparently has a screen in it and that those should also be cleaned. If I hadn't been duped by the mechanic earlier I would be enjoying this more ! I really like working on things to try and get them running again and will never give that Marine store any future business as long as a live and I will make sure the locals I talk to know about their shady business practices. Again I want to thank everyone who has responded to my post in the past and I have listened carefully to what each of you have stated. One person also mentioned that the poor performance might be "leaky" or bad insulation on the coil windings under the flywheel but other than doing a visual check for cracks I really don't know how to determine a bad coil. I just assumed if I'm getting spark to plugs and the engine is running, that the ignition part of it was OK but maybe it needs some timing parts also like points, condenser, new coil windings, etc. One last note; I ordered points & condensor and a flywheel puller to install them but can I use a car's timing light to check the timing after I install the points & condensor? Thanks everyone for all your help....Eric
 
Start with the basics>Compression test,Spark test as was stated jump 1/4 inch,And fuel supply,the 3 things to get a motor running.Those motors to fine tune need new spark plugs set at .30, New points set at .020, new condensers. If the 3 tests are good then you should be able to tune it up and it will run fine.
 
One more thing to check is the two wires running to the stop switch. They are held in place with a flat metal push on washer on the left front corner (looking from the front of the motor). Over time the coating on the wires can crack where this washer makes contact with the wires creating an occasional shorting situation on one or both cyls.
 
I'm thinking if your motor's boging at high speed it could be incorrect float adjustment. Small bowl space with a large float doesn't leave much reserve gas in the bowl at high speeds. Fuel flow has to be working near perfectly for this carb to keep up with demand at high speed. If by chance you put a new fuel hose fitting on your tank line to motor, Make damn sure you got a Johnson/Evinrude fuel connector and not a Yamaha/Mercury connector. They look nearly identical but their not. Yamaha/Mercury connecter has a little larger diamater. It will plug on to the motor and look normal but will suck air. Many, Many people go to Walmart and purchase a new connector and not read the card because it looks just like their old Johnson connector and presto, their motor won't run correctly once the fuel pump takes over feeding the motor.
 
Hi.....thanks for the new info. I had seen the kill switch wire was worn through almost exactly where you indicated (near retaining washer) and had taped it up earlier so there would be no arcing of hot wire to the engine surface (ground) so thats OK. I replaced the plugs already and set them to .3 as you stated but the mechanics manual stated that old points should be set at .020" as you stated but that new points should be set at .022" . I'll be getting new points & condensor this week. Never heard of the pump hose issue before.....interesting. I went to a Marine store and since they were out of new hoses the employee made me up a new hose so I don't know if its a Mercury or Johnson connector that he used? Not sure how I could tell ? One last note: I figure that since I'm going to rebuild the carb. I should also take off the intake manifold under the carb.(its held in place with nine hex screws and one flat head screw). This way I can get to the leaf plate & two leaf valves under the intake manifold to see if after 22 years of sitting if they are gummed up, etc. It appears the leaf valves are on the other side of leaf plate so I might have to take the plate off also to clean them........anyone ever do that job ? Do you think it would help the engine run better ? According to the manual if those valves don't seat properly the engine won't run correctly. One last note: apparently a mouse was living under the cover and he had chewed the foam insulation on underside of cover and it went down into the top of carb through the butterfly and into the engine as well as everywhere else. I'm sure between 22 years of sitting and all that tiny foam falling into top of carb . that that could be causing issues also ! Eric
 
Eric, No need to remove carb base to inspect reeds. Just look down with a small flash light and see if they look dirty. As they say, If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Only remove them IF necessary. It's hard to tell the difference between the Yamaha/Mercury fuel connector and the Johnson/Evinrude fuel connector without comparing them side by side. The Yamaha/Mercury connector has a slightly larger fuel orfice. The Yamaha/Mercury will plug onto a Johnson/Evinrude but the Johnson/Evinrude will not plug onto a Yamaha/Mercury. Plug your fuel line onto the motor and squeeze the bulb until it gets hard, then look for a fuel leak around the connector. Set your point's at .20" and your plugs at .30". (Champion J4C)
 
Thanks for the reply. I have no fuel leaks so I guess the connector is OK. Since everything else was all gummed up & dirty in the carb. after 22 years of sitting and foam particles got down into the carb., and since nothing is running, in this case the phrase "if its broken fix it" applies so I'll be cleaning the leaf plate assembly. Unfortunately on my outboard, you can't see the leaf plate or valves by just removing the carb. since the intake manifold is over the leaf plate assembly. The mechanics manual states to remove the intake manifold first and also states: "the leaf valves must be free from all varnish & gum and the leaves must lay perfectly flat so they form a seal with the leaf plate. Fuel recirculating check valves and screens (located on edge of leaf plate) must be free of gum and varnish". One last note: does anyone know if you can use a car's timing light on an outboard engine or do I need a light specifically designed for the voltages present on an outboard? Thanks Eric
 
Car timing light works OK ( use a garden tractor battery ) ------The 2 single timing marks are on an edge , bottom of the flywheel. Spark should occur between the 2 vertical marks on the magneto plate.
 
Hi folks.......just replaced & set the points to .02" & put in new condensors and the timing is perfect now ! I also got in the carb. rebuild kit yesterday and did a complete overhaul and replaced the float assembly, gaskets and even took out the two core plugs so I could do a thorough cleaning of carb. Now you must all be thinking this 1972 Evinrude must be purring like a kitten right ? WRONG ! It purrs like a kitten at slow trolling speeds and runs fantastic at slow speeds (no knocking and no smoke) BUT it is still bogging down at high speeds (no power) and smoking up a storm. After it boggs down I take out the new plugs and find that the lower spark plug cylinder is getting foulded so at high speeds one cylinder is getting foulded and pooping out while the other is firing OK. I need a true expert's advice......anyone up for it ? Thanks again for all your help in the past- Eric
 
"racerone"..... is this getting too advanced for you? Maybe someone else knows more and can help. Special thanks to "majkmann" and "dew2" who seem to know their stuff and helped me out a lot! I'm still thinking its the leaf plate & valves that aren't functioning properly which would cause lack of power according to the experts who wrote the mechanics manual. Eric
 
The 9.5 HP is not a mystery to me , not at all.------------------Will spark jump a gap of 1/4" or better ( this is a most important test ) ?????--------------Have you checked the plug wires where they take a 90 degree bend coming out of the magplate, they often crack there.
 
You havent told us what compression you have. Also you may want to run the engine with a timing light hooked up ( one cylinder at a time) to the point of where it bogs. Watch your timing light to make sure your ignition isnt dropping out..
 
Compression on that lower hole??upper too?.Could be low comp. or a faulty coil,as was stated the plug wire could be cracked,Not making contact.check to make sure the armature plate isnt wobbling or loose.
 
72evinrude ------appears to refuse answering to simple trouble shooting steps.-How can one lead him to what may be the trouble on that motor !--------Have coils been removed to check for " burn through " and shorting ( from the bottom ) to the magplate ?
 
Andrew, James, any moderators

Get a tool kit for sale.
Spark tester and comp tester!
Post it on very page.
This should have been done long ago.
Both tools are $30 max.
 
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Hi everyone and thanks to everyone who have helped me out in the past. To answer your questions, the spark plug wires look new and a spark plug tester showed spark on both plugs while running. I did a visual check on coils and pulled them out partially and they looked new also and didn't see any cracks in insulation or where plug wire comes in underneath. There is no wobble to armature or flywheel. Compression checked out at 75psi on both cylinders with no drop in pressure but the mechanics manual doesn't state what a good reading should be? Anyone know what this small 1972 engine should read ? I have never hooked up a timing light to an outboard to see how it runs at the point it boggs down? I asked about this earlier and noone seemed to know. I asked if a car's timimg light can be used and noone replied? If you can use a car's timing light, how do you make the hookeup? Thanks again for all your patience and help during this post. Eric
 
Does not post # 18 say you can use a car timing light !!!!!!!!!!---------Tells you where to look for the timing marks too.------------Heck I worked on those motors when they were new , and own about 10 of them .
 
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"racerone"....he stated 'use a garden tractor battery" also......do you agree with that? As far as I knew, you use the power source from the engine under test, not a seperate battery otherwise how can you check the firing? If I'm wrong, explain to me in detail how YOU would hook up a tractor battery to test the firing on this outboard using a car's timing light???
 
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