Won't idle - help me confirm my hunch

packman35

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Jul 21, 2008
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I posted a while back about a E115TLET I have that I recently rebuilt the carbs on. Since I have rebuilt the carbs, the engine will not idle. When I squirt it with the primer solenoid, it revs briefly but then sputters and dies. I have rebuilt the carbs and cleaned all the jets and orifices three times. I have changed all the fuel lines after the filter. I have replaced the red lever on the primer solenoid (it was cracked).

My thoughts are that I have an air leak somewhere in the carbs themselves. The bowls are full of fuel so if it was a fuel pump issue wouldn't the engine run for a few minutes until the fuel in the bowls ran out? Mine wont run without additional priming for more than a few seconds. It will run at high speed but it is lean. Perhaps I didn't get a good seal with the bowl gaskets? There were new with the carb kits. I didn't use any sealer.

I am looking for any ideas before I start digging into the bigger issues like a bad fuel pump or something. Again, it ran OK before I cleaned the carbs. A little rought at idle and hard to start (that's why I rebuilt the carbs) but it ran.

Thanks!!
 

outlaw241

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Jul 14, 2003
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Re: Won't idle - help me confirm my hunch

maybe you installed the floats upside down
 

Lone Duck

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Oct 17, 2007
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Re: Won't idle - help me confirm my hunch

check carb to intake gaskets. you can do this with a spray bottle of fuel while cranking engine. If it runs or revs up. you have found the problem.
 

packman35

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Re: Won't idle - help me confirm my hunch

I am pretty sure the floats are installed correctly. I will check the intake gaskets as suggested.

So does everyone agree that it is likely a leak in the carb/gasket area itself and not necessarily a fuel supply issue?
 

tashasdaddy

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Re: Won't idle - help me confirm my hunch

did you remove all 6 jets. most only remove 4, the obvious ones. 1 behind each bowl drain, the 2 in the upper half, people miss the 2 in the holes of the carb bowl. sounds like you missed these 2. set #3 in the carb diagram http://shop2.evinrude.com/ext/index.aspx?s1=bf6ad09c53cead335fcfd8a6471c0f7f

just repaired one with that problem, owner clean carbs 3 times, without a manual.
 

packman35

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Jul 21, 2008
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Re: Won't idle - help me confirm my hunch

Thanks TD for the reply. Yep, I got all six. The ones shown as #3 on the diagram were actually the ones that were most gunked up.

What about the bowl and idle channel gaskets. I installed them with no sealer. Could this be my air leak? I have an OEM manual and it didn't say to use sealer so I didn't.
 

psteurer

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Nov 10, 2008
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366
Re: Won't idle - help me confirm my hunch

You said in your first post that you were running good at high speed but the problem is you cannot get it to idle. During your carburetor rebuilds did you remove the welch plug on top of the carburetor and see if there is crude in there? I am not familiar with your carburetor, but on some OMC carburetors the top welch plug will reveal the passage way where the fuel flows during the idle circuit. You should have gotten new plugs in your rebuild kit. To remove it, just stick an ice pick through the aluminum plug and pry it up.
 

packman35

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Re: Won't idle - help me confirm my hunch

No, I didn't remove them. I think Evinrude calls them core plugs. I don't know what they or the lead shots do so I didn't mess with them :redface:
 

psteurer

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Re: Won't idle - help me confirm my hunch

I will defer to others here that have more knowledge than me on this. But I would recommend that you remove the core plugs and see what you find. The reason I say this is that I had a carburetor that did just what yours is doing. I pried out the plug and the idle holes were full of black crude. I cleaned it out, and the engine idled. They are easy to remove by inserting something sharp into the plug (don't go too deep) and pry it out. To replace them, just get a wooden dowel ( or a socket) smaller than the plug diameter and tap with a hammer. The plugs are pressure fit. I have never removed the lead shots. they control another part of the fuel circuits.
 
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