I need help understanding my Ignition system

1970 Evinrude 60HP Model no. 60073D
I attempted to run this motor for the first time since I got it and did get it running but not easily.
I have replaced the following parts:
Amplifier, Coil, Sparkplug wires, Rectifier, Points, Thermostat.
I have rebuilt the following parts:
Lower unit, Carbs, Fuel Pump, Starter, Remote Control wire harness.

Motor is getting Good spark and Fuel.

Now according to the forum guide on a cold start it says to have the throttle at fast idle with choke applied. My motor will not crank unless the throttle lever is all the way to slow. When it is in this position the distributor base moves toward the rear of engine. Is this retarding or advancing timing? When the throttle lever is moved to start the distributor base moves toward front of engine and the switch under the flywheel is no longer depressed disabling start. Engine will not start with throttle lever in slow position so I don't know what I am supposed to do.
I am very new to this as this is the first outboard I have ever owned.
I have Solec & OMC manual for this motor but I just want to learn the basic theory of what is going on so I can work better at fixing this.

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

As you move the throttle toward slow, the timing retards. Opposite is true when you throttle up. The carburetors are precisely linked to this to give the correct carg opening at any spark/speed setting. This is often called link & sync.

The motor should start with slightly advanced spark and the carbs just barely being cammed open. If it won't crank at that setting, adjust the safety switch.

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

If I adjust the switch to allow it to crank when throttle lever is a start position it is always closed therefore does not do it's job anymore. Maybe I'll take another look tonight when I get home. Thanks for your reply!

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

Maybe the link & sync is off then

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

The throttle link is correct length, I did link & sync but maybe did it wrong. Throttle cam mark is dead center on the roller as it is supposed to be. I haven't had a look at it today to confirm the switch is not doing it's job but did get a new set of plugs to see if that helps.

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

ray I also have a 1970 60hp and mine will not crank with the lever in the start position but according to the manual the sync is correct, but I have no spark either.

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

rayodunne said:

The throttle link is correct length, I did link & sync but maybe did it wrong. Throttle cam mark is dead center on the roller as it is supposed to be. I haven't had a look at it today to confirm the switch is not doing it's job but did get a new set of plugs to see if that helps.

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I hope you got QL77JC4 or L77JC4 plugs. If not, go back to the store.

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

Thanks F_R for keeping up with me in this thread!
I got the QL77JC4 plugs as advised in the forum.
Put them in and it sprang right up to life! Couldn't believe it! My joy didn't last long about 3 mins then it died and would not start up again. I tried maybe 3 cranks and nothing and then I said to myself something is up the choke is still on but I had released the choke lever a long time ago! I had a closer look nad the auto choke solenoid had jammed on!
I took it off and into the barn to have a closer look at why it was jamming. Well the spring in worn out and not pushing the piston back out so it jams in when activated. I am going to get a spring tomorrow and test this motor further.
When it ran it ran smooth and I brought it down to just a little above slow idle before it tried to stall which is what I expected as I still need to adjust the slow speed idle needles after rebuilding the carbs.
I am still happy it fired right up. Until tomorrow night for another update.
Ray.

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

mcgyver6857 said:

ray I also have a 1970 60hp and mine will not crank with the lever in the start position but according to the manual the sync is correct, but I have no spark either.

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Hey Mcgyver6875 I posted in your thread with some advice as to what to do! Just don't want this one going off topic thanks!
Ray.

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

Ok I took the boat out on the water yesterday for the first time. Engine starts and runs. When running it sounds fine. I have full throttle range in neutral but when I engage forward or reverse it bogs down and dies. When I do get it running in gear I have 1500rpm WOT. Took it home.
When I got home I pulled the flywheel and started from the points up! I checked Compression and got 123-125 on all cylinders. Checked the points and they were .010.
I checked timing and in order to get the timing right I nearly ran out of thread on the rubber stop?
I have the omc manual and followed the directions as best I could for a link & sync.
I'm lost as to why it won't run right!

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

You need to find out which cylinder is not working, then find out why. Remove and ground one spark plug wire at a time till you find the one that makes no difference in the running. That one is just going along for the ride.

You can't have "full throttle range in neutral". If you gave it full throttle in neutral, and it was firing on all 3 cylinders, you might blow it sky high as it hit about 15000 prm. In other words, don't be doing that.

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

F_R said:

You need to find out which cylinder is not working, then find out why. Remove and ground one spark plug wire at a time till you find the one that makes no difference in the running. That one is just going along for the ride.

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I will check it out tonight! After I sort out the starter bolts that seem to loosen by themselves. The previous owner had a bad habit of stripping threads!

F_R said:

You can't have "full throttle range in neutral". If you gave it full throttle in neutral, and it was firing on all 3 cylinders, you might blow it sky high as it hit about 15000 prm. In other words, don't be doing that.

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Oops! I did say I'm new to outboards! Won't be doing that again! Thanks!

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

rayodunne said:

I checked timing and in order to get the timing right I nearly ran out of thread on the rubber stop?

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Why would this screw be running out of thread! I have noticed in pictures from other motors that the screw is normally half way!

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

Idle mixture may still be too lean, correct adjustment is on-the-water, in forward gear, adjust to best idle PLUS about the width of the screwdriver slot or two.

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

Well it seems I might be running on 1.5 cylinders as I did a test on the carbs and I got the following results!
Covering the throat one at a time:
Top Carb - Attempted stall - Good
Middle Carb - Nothing - No Fuel or no spark
Bottom Carb - Major increase in idle - Meaning Running Lean
Can someone confirm that I need to rebuild the Middle and Bottom carbs. From what I have read on the forum this would be the case!
I have a good bright spark at all plugs so I'm leaning towards my amateur carb rebuild in the winter. Thanks for your help guys!

Re: I need help understanding my Ignition system

rayodunne said:

Why would this screw be running out of thread! I have noticed in pictures from other motors that the screw is normally half way!

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I tried to sync carbs and distributor and it's impossible because the difference between the two cannot be made up by adjusting the throttle yoke. I'm confused as to why if my ignition system is to be timed at 22 a WOT that hen I set it to 18 a WOT Crank I have no thread left on Advance stop and can't do a sync because of this? The distributor base is to far behind the carbs, I centred the roller when the carbs are closed on the scribe line. then I went to sync and ran out of thread on the yoke. I'm trying my best to get this motor running smooth and want to do it right.
Rebuilt all carbs and redid the fuel lines so all are performing good. Engine will idle rough about 900 rpm in water. I have a 200 gal cattle trough so I have no issue running it under load at idle. I'll scan the manual instructions tomorrow so anybody can look at them and tell me I'm doing it wrong or right! I just want to learn so being wrong is fine!