1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

sullybeav · Aug 7, 2007

Ok, i have searched and searched, and reading all the corresponding posts i am getting very confused. I have a 1969 115hp Evinrude I bought for my boat. This motor hadn't been started in a few years when i bought so I replaced plugs, sprayed down the carbs, put some mystery oil in the cylinders and rotated the engine by hand to get ready and started the motor. ran fine and started and restarted for the first day. Now it won't start at all, won't even cough. It does not even appear to have spark. The pulse pack appears to have been replaced at on point, wiring looks good. Hopefully someone has some ideas, I have the motor in my garage, can take pictures of anything, if anyone has any ideas or places to start i would be very interested.

Thanks guys

reload · Aug 7, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

First replace the water pump before you have some real trouble. Do you have a manual? You will need one. Look in the troubleshooting section and follow the instructions. What have you checked so far? Do you own a meter?

sullybeav · Aug 7, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

water pump has been changed. I have a seloc manual and i think it's more confusing than helpful. yes i do own a multimeter.

tashasdaddy · Aug 8, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

take the prop off, as it is an electric shift, and starts in forward. be safe. there are some good test here. C & P without the "
"http://www.boatpartstore.com/page28.asp"

sullybeav · Aug 8, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

Thanks for the link, i printed that out, a little update, i was out there looking at it today, after trying to turn it over, if i leave the key in the on position I can hear the pulse pack making ticking noises, does this mean it is good? or i am just thinking too postively? Thanks again.

tashasdaddy · Aug 9, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

i never remember our 69 115 making a ticking noise. they are noted for blowing power packs, they were one of the first with them. 4 years was the most we ever got out of one. crossing the battery cables blew them also.

F_R · Aug 9, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

Never heard one tick either. But sure heard of a lot of them suddenly failing. Or working intermittantly.

Loose or dirty electrical connections will kill them too. This motor requires good preventative maint.

tashasdaddy · Aug 9, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

and a fully charged battery. actually i have no idea what the ticking would be. unless i'm wrong, the ignition, only controls the starting circuit, and kill circuit. as the motor will run with out the controller. it's powered from within.

F_R · Aug 9, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

Not correct. This is CD from the old school. The powerpack is fed 12v from the battery via the ignition switch. Everything has to be hooked up.

JB · Aug 9, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

Have you investigated "Outboard won't start" in the Engine FAQs, Sully? At least you would know what system is not working.

Boatnik70 · Aug 9, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

My 1970 85hp amplifier ticks with the ignition switched on, and it does work. You really need to do the Joe Reeves light bulb test to be sure, though:

You can check out your powerpack as follows: (Battery Capacitance Dischage Powerpack Test) Purchase a small 12v bulb at your local automotive parts store (the 12v bulb is to look like a flashlight bulb, not a headlight bulb). Solder two wires to that bulb, one to the side of the bulb (ground), and the other to the positive point. Remove the spark plugs. With the key in the on position, make sure that you have 12v going to the pack at the terminal block (purple wire). Now, connect the ground wire from the bulb to any powerhead ground. Connect the wire from the positive point of that bulb to the powerpack wire that is connected to the coil wire on the terminal board (blue wire). Crank the engine and observe that bulb closely (CLOSELY!). If that bulb glows even the slightest bit, the powerpack is okay. It may be a very dim glow... just so it glows! If it doesn't glow, the pack has failed. Keep in mind, that type powerpack (Battery Capacitance Discharge) demands a top notch battery of at least 70 amp hours. Any less will, in time, cause powerpack failure.

sullybeav · Aug 12, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

Great ideal, I will try the test in the morning. Thanks again.

sullybeav · Aug 12, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

Ok, so i did the bulb test, and it did not glow. However I did disc the two wires leading to the trigger, and when i touch them the pack makes a click like i was describing earlier leading me to believe that it is trying to fire. Maybe trying to fire but with no output? Guess I'll have to shell out for a pulse pack.

Boatnik70 · Aug 13, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

Before you buy a new amplifier, try one other test, as it may be a problem with your points. Disconnect the amplifier white/black striped wire, and then with the ignition switched on (not cranking), touch the end to ground a few times. If you get a glow now, your amplifier is fine. I had a weird problem with mine where I thought maybe the amplifier was dying after a couple hours running, but it turned out that one set of points had a little pivot bushing that would vibrate up and out of place, causing the points to remain closed (white/black striped wire grounded all the time).

Hopefully you'll find the amplifier OK with this test, and then you'll just have to remove the flywheel (with a puller) in order to see what's wrong with the points. Good luck.

GLT · Aug 15, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

I have a 1969 85hp johnson. Amp went bad on it, so I pulled it and the coil out. Put an automotive coil and ballast resistor in and it's been running that way 4 years now. Not sure how much the resistor is needed either. I've ran with and with out and can't tell much of a difference.

sullybeav · Aug 15, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

How did you wire that in with the trigger? there are two trigger wires coming off the distributor. That would be an interesting idea.

GLT · Aug 15, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

The wires from the distributor come from the points. One of which should already be connect to ground and I didn't change. The other wire connects to the negative side of the coil with the ballast resistor inline. The ignition wire (+), that is feeding the amp now, connects to the positive side of the coil.
I'll try and post a picture tomorrow, Tried to tonight but have dead batteries in the camera.

sullybeav · Aug 15, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

Therein lies the problem, i do not have points, my ignition is eletronic.

Boatnik70 · Aug 16, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

sullybeav said:
Therein lies the problem, i do not have points, my ignition is eletronic.

You should have 2 sets of points, hidden under the flywheel. You'll need a puller to remove it. Since the points are only used to ground out the white/black wire from the amplifier, they have no high voltage going through them (unlike an automotive setup), and should never wear out. But they might be stuck, dirty, or gapped incorrectly--they need to be set at .010" max.

sullybeav · Aug 16, 2007

Re: 1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

I pulled the flywheel off and sure enough no points. There is a trigger and pickup under there that signals the pulse pack.

1969 115hp Evinrude no start scenario

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