Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

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Rallendk

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Hey there.

Decided to try my new bought Evinrude 3hp today, but i ran into a lot af problems pretty fast..

Firstly, the pull cord was really hard to pull. It seemed like it worked as it was supposed to around 1 of 5 times. The other 4 times, it stuck halfway, or needed a lot of force to go anywhere. Suddenly while pulling, the cord got all loose, and I could pull it all the way out without it going back in.

I popped the case open, and saw that the small gear had moved to the wrong side of the big one, as I have tried to show on this picture:

Evinrude_starter.jpg

After loosening the bolt I've marked in red, I managed to get it back in the right position, but now it seems like something else got turned, which I cant get back. When pulling the cord now, it is getting caught between two turning wheels, causing it not to be pulled back inside engine. I hope the following two pictures illustrate what I mean:

1.jpg
2.jpg

Also, when messing around inside the motor, half of the times I couldnt move the speed handle afterwards. Maybe the problems are connected somehow?

Can anyone help me get it back in working order? It would be really nice to try and get that thing started and running :)
 
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Rick.

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

My best guess is that you perhaps pinched something when you re-tightened the bolt (marked red). You can pull the rope out as much as you can and then tie a slip knot in it so it will not retract, then pull the bolt again while holding the whole mechanism tightly together. Watch the coil spring protruding out the back does not get pulled into the housing. I would suggest you get yourself a manual as there is really good instructions in the service manual on how to fix the recoil. To many words to type for me. If you get it to a point where it is working a bit try spraying it with lots of wd40 and that may be all that is required. On one of my own I loosened the bolt slightly and it worked just fine. Best of luck. Rick.
 
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Rallendk

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

Rick. said:
My best guess is that you perhaps pinched something when you re-tightened the bolt (marked red). You can pull the rope out as much as you can and then tie a slip knot in it so it will not retract, then pull the bolt again while holding the whole mechanism tightly together. Watch the coil spring protruding out the back does not get pulled into the housing. I would suggest you get yourself a manual as there is really good instructions in the service manual on how to fix the recoil. To many words to type for me. If you get it to a point where it is working a bit try spraying it with lots of wd40 and that may be all that is required. On one of my own I loosened the bolt slightly and it worked just fine. Best of luck. Rick.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your suggestions! I will try to look into it tomorrow.

Does it look right on my second and third picture? Are those two things supposed to lock together around the cord?
Any links for manuals would be appreciated aswell!
 
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Rick.

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

My IT guy said he will help me download some pictures this afternoon. I can show the position of everything on my 4HP that looks the same. As far a a manual goes. The best are the factory manuals. Either Johnson of Evinrude for your year and HP. I always find them on Ebay. There is one seller particularly that I've had excellent dealings with and his tag is searayman. Rick.
 
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Rallendk

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

Rick. said:
My IT guy said he will help me download some pictures this afternoon. I can show the position of everything on my 4HP that looks the same. As far a a manual goes. The best are the factory manuals. Either Johnson of Evinrude for your year and HP. I always find them on Ebay. There is one seller particularly that I've had excellent dealings with and his tag is searayman. Rick.
Click to expand...

Thanks! That would be really nice of you.

There is some kind of cover directly behind the bolt I marked in red in the first picture. Behind this are multiple discs. The cord is being trapped between "splits" on two of those discs, as seen in the last tnwo pictures. Since one of those discs can spin around and be in multiple positions, I'm thinking that maybe it is in a wrong position. Should I spin it around to another position?

Hope you understand what I mean. My english isnt the best :/
 
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Rick.

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

20130301_113708_resized.jpg20130301_113721_resized.jpg20130301_113759_resized.jpg20130301_113815_resized.jpg20130301_113835_resized.jpgHere are the pictures I promised. I hope they help you. Let me know if you need more or some sort of clarification. Pictures three, four and five show the recoil at rest ready for the next pull while others show the gear slightly elevated but not engaged with the flywheel. . Rick.
 
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Rallendk

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

Rick. said:
View attachment 183580View attachment 183581View attachment 183582View attachment 183583View attachment 183584Here are the pictures I promised. I hope they help you. Let me know if you need more or some sort of clarification. Pictures three, four and five show the recoil at rest ready for the next pull while others show the gear slightly elevated but not engaged with the flywheel. . Rick.
Click to expand...

Wow. That is really helpful. Thanks a lot!!
I think the third picture shows exactly how everything is supposed to be set. I will try to make my motor look the same later today! :)
 
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Rick.

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

Great I wasn't sure which one would help, if any. By the way, your English is excellent. Let us know how you make out. Rick.
 
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Rick.

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

BRP -- Parts Catalogs
If you go here you can see a parts diagram of your recoil which is very helpful. Sorry I didn't think of it sooner. Not sure what year your engine is but mine is a 71 4HP Evinrude and it is on the list for you to look at. You have to keep drilling deeper by manufacture,year, HP, model etc. but it's very easy to use. Rick.
 
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Rallendk

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

Thanks a lot for everything!

I have been trying to fix it today, but ran into a new problem..

I have managed to get the arm with the small gear in the right position. Afterwards when pulling the cord it hits the big gear perfectly and makes everything spin. After a few pulls the arm tends to move out of position though. It seems like the resting position is getting higher and higher, resulting in a situation where it gets too high to move the big gear around when being pulled.

Is anything supposed to be fixated by anything else than the bolt I marked in my first post? I have kept trying to fasten it harder and harder - i have even tightened it so much that I broke my wrench. Lol. Will try to pick up a better wrench tomorrow and use even more force to tightening. I have also found my motor on your link, so I will take a look at that. Thanks again!
 
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Rick.

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

Your going to have a wreck if your making the bolt that tight. It only needs to be slightly more than snug. Perhaps you need to load your spring a little more to get the gear to drop back down. Loosening the bolt will also help the gear to drop into position. I assume you gave it a good shot of oil as well? Rick.
 
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Rallendk

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

Rick. said:
Your going to have a wreck if your making the bolt that tight. It only needs to be slightly more than snug. Perhaps you need to load your spring a little more to get the gear to drop back down. Loosening the bolt will also help the gear to drop into position. I assume you gave it a good shot of oil as well? Rick.
Click to expand...

Hmm. Well, in that case I guess I dont have a solution anyway then :/
The thing thats moving up is the one I marked on the below picture. When that one goes up, the resting position of the arm follows. I need to get this thing to stay in the same position all the time. How is any oil or spring fiddling supposed to help with that? :)

Edit: im thinking more about it, and maybe wd40 or oil would make things run smoother, and avoid the back disc following the arm.. That's what you're thinking?

movingup.jpg
 
nwcove

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

i dont have one of your model year motors here to reference from, but is the adjustment screw in the hole ( towards the spark plugs), if it is, there should be no way for the cup and stop assembly to rotate??? and the idler sprocket ( small) has to be located between the two stops on the cup.
 
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Rick.

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

nwcove said:
i dont have one of your model year motors here to reference from, but is the adjustment screw in the hole ( towards the spark plugs), if it is, there should be no way for the cup and stop assembly to rotate??? and the idler sprocket ( small) has to be located between the two stops on the cup.
Click to expand...
nwcove has it correct. The little screw/bolt at the back with the 5/16th head should lock everything from turning. Loosen it up and then hold the gear fully up into the flywheel so that it engages totally,but just fully (no additional pressure) and that's where you tighten up that little bolt. You do that while holding the resting part at the lowest point before you tighten the bolt. Rick.
 
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Rallendk

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

Thanks a lot to the both of you! I will try finding that mentioned screw today, though I dont really understand where to look. Ill give it a try, but i might come back asking for pictures :)
Thanks again!
 
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Rallendk

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

I cant find any bolts/screws that possibly does anything like that :/

I have tried to capture some pictures of the engine inside:

1.jpg2.jpg3.jpg2.jpg5.jpg

Where would that mentioned bolt be?
The only thing that looks like it could have something to do with it is the bent plate on the first picture, and the top screw on the fifth picture. The bent plate cant be put in a position where it does anything though, and the screw is really tight, so i think its just holding things together..
 
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Rick.

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

It's the screw in your first picture (last group) and it's closest to your nose.LOL. The one holding the arm with the offset bend in it. With that fastened properly there is no reason for the inner plate to rotate up when you pull the cord. Rick.
 
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Rallendk

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Re: Starter/pull cord problem (Evinrude 3hp)

.. i'm starting to figure out that those two are actually supposed to stick together! :)
broken.jpg

Fortunately, I think I can get my father in law to weld it together for me. Unfortunately, a very long roll of metal ribbon came out when I screwed things apart. Might take some time to figure out how to get that back in ;) The name of this ribbon-thing would be appreciated. That might help me search for a solution. For info, its the ribbon that sticks a little bit out in the first picture in my last reply. That one is kinda turned around itself inside.
 
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