I have just bought a 1981 Evinrude 4.5 Long shaft. It is E5RLC1C which based on information on this and other sites tells me the year and that the long shaft is it's original configuration.<br /><br />This is a little more complex than my existing suzuki DT4 and I have a few questions, would appreciate your humoring and assisting me. I will try to be complete :<br /><br />What is the starting procedure ?<br /><br />1. No fuel shut off valve ? did I just miss it or is it always on ? (onboard tank which I assume is gravity fed)<br /><br />2. Whats with the funky choke and which position should it be in for starting and should I be looking for it doing something specific under the hood when I twiddle it to check that it is working ?<br /><br />3. What's with the lean / rich knob - how should it be set for starting ?<br /><br /><br />So basically I think I should set the choke and pull firmly on the rope like I do with Suzie - but it doesn't seem to pull smoothly, there is a metal doo-hicky attached to where the starter rope goes round (on a horizontal axis) that seems to want to jump up and engage with the flywheel (both have mathing teeth), but it seems a little floppy/sloppy right now and needs to jump maybe an inch (and does) - it just doesn't seem right - is this normal (I am thinking not). Also there is no natural recoill or draw to pull the rope back in. Again, I'm thinking this is not normal.<br /><br />The motor appears to turn over nicely and from what I can tell is not seized in any way.<br /><br />I do appear to have a clean carb, fuel lines, tank, fresh 50:1 fule etc and good plugs - though I am not sure how to check for a spark without being able to turn the motor over.<br /><br />I can upload photos if needed but you all seem to know this stuff in your sleep so my guess is you'll say- "oh yeah thats the gizzmo that didn't ........ and you just need to do this".<br /><br />I am based in Metro West Boston and boat in Rhode Island (upper Narragansett bay)<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Mark
...pulls straight out for starting. It closes a choke plate in the carb throat. This gets a rich fuel mix for cold starting. If the engine is in good shape, once the engine fires, push the choke back in.<br /><br />3. You shouldn't have to mess with the lean rich knob. This knob is used to adjust the idle once the engine is running. However, if it's miss adjusted, it could cause hard starting.<br /><br />4. The metal doo-hickey with teeth is the starter pinion. When you pull the rope, it engages the flywheel to turn it. Yeah, I know, strange set up.<br /><br />Basic starting process.....turn the twist grip to start, pull the choke, make sure the tank is vented (some have a vent knob to open), pull the rope. Cold start should take a couple pulls the engine is in good shape. Again, once the engine fires, push the choke back in.