1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

tommydeal

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This is my first outboard and I don't know how to use it yet. I've ordered the manual but until it gets here, I could use some pointers. I'm having trouble getting it started. It's extremely hard to pull the cord. It's much harder to pull than any other pull-start engine I've used in the past. I've got it primed with a 50:1 fuel mix and the throttle is set to 'start'. Is it normal for a motor of this age or am I doing something wrong? This is a 1972 Evinrude 25hp and it was sold to me in running condition.
 

steelespike

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

Is it hard to pull like it is dragging or just on the compression stroke?
I would pull the lower unit and see if it will turn easier.You probably will need to replace the impeller anyway.Don't do anything till you determine the health of the power head.
The drive shaft may be partially seized.Should pull effortlessly with the plugs out. Fairly easy with the plugs in.
 

F_R

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

Is it hard to pull like it is dragging or just on the compression stroke?
I would pull the lower unit and see if it will turn easier.You probably will need to replace the impeller anyway.Don't do anything till you determine the health of the power head.
The drive shaft may be partially seized.Should pull effortlessly with the plugs out. Fairly easy with the plugs in.

Agreed, before doing anything, remove the spark plugs and give it a pull. Should pull very easy. If it does, and is hard to pull with the plugs in, it sure indicates that it is just compression. I suppose you know that they got 25hp out of an 18hp mainly by increasing compression, right?

Of course if somebody has filled the cylinders with oil for storage, it may be extremely hard to pull till you get that oil out.
 

rjezuit

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

Make sure it is not in gear. Rick
 

tommydeal

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

Thanks for the responses. I pulled the spark plugs and it pulled very lightly so that's good. But still very stiff with the plugs in. I noticed the gaps on the spark plugs were very different, they should both be the same right? I was using gas that I had stored for a couple of months but it did have stabil in it. Maybe I should try with a fresh mixture.
 

jasper60103

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

yea, you definitely want to lookup the spec on the plug gap, and both should be the same.

Also, if mounted to the transom it's easier to pull. I have hard time with pulling a motor on a stand. I almost tipped the stand over pulling my old big twin.
 

14ftgrumman

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

Fresh gas-50:1 mix. Gap plugs at .030". NO STARTING FLUID. Pump primer bulb 'till hard. Pull choke. Some times you have to take a guess where to have the indicator on the throttle handle, due to wear and tear on the pieces that make up the throttle linkage.

Make sure that you have the lower unit in the water 3/4 the way up. This motor will not run on muffs.

And as above, it is easier and more stable to have the motor on the boat to start, the stands are kinda tippy.
 

tommydeal

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

I'm going to to reset the gaps on the plugs and get some fresh gas tomorrow. I didn't have enough water in the barrel either. I suppose the shift lever should be in the middle for neutral, right? The spark plugs are covered in oil, should I clean them? I do have it on a stand, I'll mount it on the transom and see if it's easier to pull.
 

jasper60103

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

I normally clean my plugs with a wire brush and brake cleaner, but carb cleaner will work too. Oh, and dry them off with a clean paper towel.
 

samo_ott

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

I clean my plugs on a wire wheel. Works great. Yes, put it on the boat to pull it. It's VERY difficult to pull start even a small engine on a stand let alone a 25. I think I have the same engine. Mine's a 72 or 73. But it needs work.
 

wilde1j

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

Make sure not to overprime ... it's a buster to pull over a motor with decent compression that's been overprimed.
 

steelespike

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

If it is heavily oiled it will be ddifficult to pull over crank it several times with the plugs out. Put the plugs back in and crank it a few times and check the gap on the plugs.If the gap is pinched you may have a piston bumpimg the
plug. Do you have the right plugs in it.Champion J6C?
 

tommydeal

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

It came with Champion JC4's in it. I'll see if I can grab some J6C plugs tomorrow.
 

Elbo

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

Compression on one of these is tough.Anything over 15 hp Im done .It takes a hoss to pull one of these.That motor will take an electric starter.I've seen em on Ebay for 40.00.If you plan to keep it,get an electric starter,or make sure it is very well tuned or you will be to worn out to fish! good luck.
 

tommydeal

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

Once I get it running I may look into putting in an electric starter but I thought it was pretty expensive. Can you show me an example of a kit I might be able to use?
 

moonfish

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

When I was working on one of these old 18-20's, it was insane to pull over. I think the pull rope was the wrong length or something else was going on but it's fine now. Even on a boat, it's hard to pull because you're sitting or bending over? The sturdier your mount is, the easier it is. If it doesn't crank in one or two pulls, stop and fix something.

If you get it running good, one pull and all you need to do is fiddle with the choke a bit. I'd spend my $ on coils, wires, gaskets and a fuel line.
 

Elbo

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

Ive learned a lesson from the one that I have.What I did was found an old motor that had an ele start on it .I bought it and change it out for 100.00.I don't know if they make a kit to do that.These old engine are all ready set up to do that.Ones from the sixties up to 79 will work. Go to Shop evinrude.com and you will find a break down of ur motor.Some had starters some didn't.But hey welcome to the world of boat motors.For me there almost as much fun workin on as is fishing."goes hand in hand"Remember there is always someone that will trade a 10 hp for it.It all depends on how fast you want to get there.
 

tommydeal

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

The guy at West Marine gave me the NGK equivalent of the Champion J6C and said it was as good or better. One of the spark plugs that was in there before was definitely getting hammered by the piston or something because I reset the gap several times and it kept getting smaller. The new plugs are shorter so this shouldn't be a problem going forward. I set the gaps and swapped the new ones in, along with fresh gas mix. Still nothing, seems like no spark or maybe no fuel getting to the cylinders. I did pull it several times without the plugs in to disperse some of the oil. But something is still not right. Just to make sure I'm doing this correctly, here is my procedure:

1. Shift lever in neutral
2. Throttle on start
3. Choke out
4. Fuel primed
5. Muscle out the pull cord a few times
 

F_R

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

The guy at West Marine gave me the NGK equivalent of the Champion J6C and said it was as good or better. One of the spark plugs that was in there before was definitely getting hammered by the piston or something because I reset the gap several times and it kept getting smaller. The new plugs are shorter so this shouldn't be a problem going forward. I set the gaps and swapped the new ones in, along with fresh gas mix. Still nothing, seems like no spark or maybe no fuel getting to the cylinders. I did pull it several times without the plugs in to disperse some of the oil. But something is still not right. Just to make sure I'm doing this correctly, here is my procedure:

1. Shift lever in neutral
2. Throttle on start
3. Choke out
4. Fuel primed
5. Muscle out the pull cord a few times

1. Shift lever in neutral
2. Turn throttle toward "Fast" as far as it will go (It will only go part way in neutral---that is the real start position, pay no attention to what it says on the dial)
3. Choke out
4. Fuel primed
5. Pull rope. If it starts, push choke back in. If it doesn't fire in about 3 pulls or less, push choke back in and pull again. If it still doesn't start in a few pulls, something is wrong. Stop pulling and figure out what that something is.
 

tommydeal

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Re: 1972 Evinrude 25HP - Very hard to pull

I think the "Very hard to pull" issue is resolved. Looks like it's a combination of good compression, some oil in the cylinders and that this model and year is just plain hard to pull. I don't think it has anything to do with why it won't start.
Thank you all so much for the responses.
 
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