1990 Evinrude 150xp high idle

[waterinthefuel]

I own that engine and it's idle is 1000 under no load, 800 with a load. It makes a terrible "crunch" sound when you shift it into gear at that high idle setting. I had it worked on and was told that this is the correct idle setting for this engine. Is this true?Help!Thanks!

[ob]

By load ,do you mean with the engine submerged out of gear?If so 800 is about right.Key to shifting from neutral position to reverse or forward is to shift briskly into gear without advancing throttle.Shifting slowly/carefully just grinds the gear lobes and will significantly shorten their service life. Normal for it to idle at around 1000 on flush muff.The proper factory recommended idle speed setting should be determined in water with the engine in forward gear/no throttle and the boat unrestricted.

[wilde1j]

Idle is too high ... adjust for ~ 650 RPM in gear in the water.

[waterinthefuel]

No, under a load I mean with the prop engaged.

[dorkhead]

Just turn it down. End of story.

[ob]

And practice the brisk shifting technique I mentioned above.Fact is,if your idle speed was excessive by 100 rpms or so,shifting properly with a healthy lower end gear set and shift dawg would not cause terrible crunch sound you are experiencing.At any rate,good luck .

[gatorred]

yes mine is 1000 to 1200 try cem-pe-co gear lube mine got better with gearlube change rpm are same it goes down but even people can't hear it come off plane i could be wrong on rpm i know it up when cold

[dc in ms]

on my evin 175 manual calls for idle at 800....drops 650 when placed in gear

[waterinthefuel]

That's the thing, we've tried turning it down. The adjustment screw has bottomed out at 1000rpm. And yes, we use the fast shift method, it's not grinding into gear, just makes a loud THUMP when engaging. It's the idle. If we hit the choke to slow it down, it glides into gear at its correct speed. We will wear out the choke continuing this method of shifting. It's temporary fix to a very annoying and seemingly permanent problem.

[ob]

With the adjustment screw backed out ,insure that each carburetor flap is fully opening and closing.If not you may have to readjust the throttle linkage or flaps so that each closes equally and fully.If the linkage is in adjustment ,I wouldn't have a clue as to why you couldn't get the idle to drop.

[OBJ]

Waterinthefuel....did you try getting the idle down by using the trunion nut on the throttle cable? Might be it's set wrong.Try disconnecting the throttle cable and retard the throttle lever manually. If the idle goes down, reset the trunion nut on the throttle cable.

[steamboatwilly]

Im not sure, but can you not lower the time to adjust the idle?

[ob]

Originally posted by James Williams: Im not sure, but can you not lower the time to adjust the idle?

That's true James.If the cable trunion/linkage is not out of adjustment the idle timing could well be out of adjustment.Or both.

[waterinthefuel]

Great advice guys. My 28 had a high idle problem after it's carb rebuild and a quick adjustment of the tunion (sp?) nut fixed it. I didn't think the old 150 was that simple. I'll have to try it.

[OBJ]

Yep, what ob said. Sometimes folks will just run up the throttle cable trunion to get a higher idle....probably because the engine stalls when put in gear.....cause the sync/link and idle timing where not set correctly in the first place. My guess is the idle timing and sync/link will need to be done, hopefully with the rig in the water.BUT....let's hope the throttle cable adjustment will work.