1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

[slowleak]

I have a 1990 Evinrude 3hp that's been sitting for about 5 years, its got strong compression and maybe 10 hours of use on it since new.
It was winterized and stored indoors with a dry fuel tank and fuel system.
I got it out the other day, put some gas in it and ran it in a trash can full of water. It fired up on the second pull, ran for about a minute then shut off, it will restart only with full choke and it repeats the start/run/stall over and over again. A couple of times it ran long enough to shut off the choke but it stalled again. It never loses spark, its running out of gas. This motor has an on motor fuel tank.
I pulled the carb bowl, all looks super clean inside but I didn't go any further. Any ideas where to look?

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

Assuming the carburetor is thoroughly clean (make sure air passes thru all fuel passageways), check and clean the fuel filter which is either screwed into the built in fuel tank if so equipped, OR at some point in the fuel line between that tank and the carburetor.

Sitting for five (5) years, winterized or not... usually the carburetor becomes somewhat fouled, however your explanation describes a running engine as long as fuel is supplied to the carburetor.

 

[boobie]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

When you had the carb apart did you check the jet in the bottom of the high speed nozzle for being clean ?? It needs a packing wire run through it.

 

[boobie]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

Edit........

 

[slowleak]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

Everything looks spot clean in the bowl and around the main jet. I thought at first maybe the tank vent was blocked but I tried running without the gas cap and it does the same thing. The amount of time it runs varies, the longest so far was about 3 minutes, with it stalling long before that point most of the time. The fuel bowl is plastic and sort of clear/tinted. I can see gas in the bowl but its never full. I don't see any filter?

 

[JohnnyRudeClassics]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

I'd just do a "quickie" carb rebuild, spraying carb cleaner or gumout through
all of the passages to try and make sure all passage ways are clear ( be sure
to wear eye protection, that spray can wind up in the wrong place, also if you
use carb cleaner be careful as it may dissolve something or other made of
plastic or rubber type material )

You can look on boat[dot]net or marineengine[dot]com for the carb diagram
to help in the disassembly and re assembly. Might be helpful in determining
where to spray cleaner.

Since you are not getting a full bowl of gas, make sure the float needle and
passage are clean and working.

Also, with the integral fuel tank, my guess is the fuel pump is deleted, as it
should not be necessary because of gravity feed. However if it is not, a fuel
pump rebuild or replacement may be in order.

 

[slowleak]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

I called the dealer and was told this don't have a fuel pump, its just gravity feed, there's a plastic tank, a brass fitting, rubber hose, then to the carb. The bowl is plastic and sort of looks like tinted plexiglass.
The parts book shows both a fuel pump and fuel fitting option but this one doesn't have it, never did.

What gets me is that its ran long enough a few times to know that the carb is working fine, then all of a sudden it runs out of gas. Just like if I left the vent closed. I even tried replacing the fuel line figuring that maybe it was collapsing somehow inside but no change.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

With the fuel hose disconnected from the carburetor... if the fuel runs out slowly, too slowly, then I would assume there is either a fuel filter inside the tank, OR if that fuel hose looks to be two hoses connected together... a filter of some kind at the joining area.

 

[JohnnyRudeClassics]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

when you pop the fuel line off of the carb, does fuel flow freely?

you can also do the same with the carb bowl removed and the fuel
line attached, holding the carb low enough such that the gravity
feed should work, when you move the float down and up does
fuel flow and stop in the respective positions?

is there a strainer on the fuel pick up (drain?) in the tank?

maybe that guy is clogged / gummed up just enough to fill
the carb bowl eventually, but just such that it can not keep
up with the running motor's fuel demand.

when an old motor that has not run in years drops in my lap
carb-wise, it never has taken anything other than a "quickie
carb rebuild" to get the motor running reliably if not optimally
( then again if the motor looks really pathetic, I pass on it, even if
they are gonna give it to me, I do not have the space to start a
salvage yard, the motor has to end up running or it has to go ),
eventually though I always throw a carb kit (with modern float if
necessary) in, as well as rebuild the fuel pump ( if present ) and
replace the internal fuel lines ( just to be certain it all will be able
to stand up to the ethanol in the gasoline we typically get these days)

 

[slowleak]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

When I pull off the fuel line, I can empty the tank in a few seconds, with the bowl off, the fuel line is still attached to the bowl. The bowl holds the float as well. The float and bowl are clean and appear to work fine. I can push down on the float and overflow the bowl, if I hold the hinge in place it shuts off the fuel. The bowl appear to be some sort of plexiglass, tinted dark gray, almost black, the float looks like white foam. I was near a dealer today so I stopped and got a full carb kit for this and some modern fuel hose. I'm sure some modern gaskets and a new float will be needed with the ethanol fuel we see here anyhow.

 

[JohnnyRudeClassics]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

once you give that carb a good cleaning
and rebuilt with that kit you picked up,
that motor will probably run just fine

if the run stop cycle was longer, I might
suspect the coils or condenser, but from
what you describe, it sounds like the issue
is fuel / induction related.

good luck and let us know how things turn out.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: 1990 Evinrude 3hp runs and dies

once you give that carb a good cleaning
and rebuilt with that kit you picked up,
that motor will probably run just fine

if the run stop cycle was longer, I might
suspect the coils or condenser, but from
what you describe, it sounds like the issue
is fuel / induction related.

good luck and let us know how things turn out.

Sure wish i knew haw this fella made out i'm having same issues with my 1990 3hp.