1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

Trying to get my 40 to idle and run smooth!!!
In a nutshell, I purchased the 40 not knowing anything about how the engine operates, always used early outboards 24/1 ratio engines. anyway when I purchased the engine they ran it and it ran ok on the hose I was in a hurry so I gave them the money and put the engine in my hatchback, 5 months later (now) and 1000 miles away (new location) I have the engine on my boat it runs the same but the red lever on the side is not in the auto position they told me at time of purchase that the red lever adjusts the mixture (wrong they were). If I put the lever in the auto position I have to keep pushing in on the key to keep it running and it runs very rich! I have went through the carbs twice and there is nothing in the carbs initially there was but they are clean, clean ! I have set the floats to level when the carbs are upside down. I cleaned the needle and seat with extra fine steelwool and have checked the needle and seat when the carbs were put back together with air pressure and they work smoothly seating and unseating. the vro is plugged on the oil side and does not leak any air in, I have replaced the fuel filter with an aftermarket clear one and use 50:1 premix! the primer appears to be operating normal, clicks when key pressed in! the thermostat leaks a little past the seal when I blow through it, and it does open all the way when I put it in preboiling water? I dont think the thermostat is the culprit. If the engine runs when I baby the key pushing it in doesnt my prob have to be the carbs??? the only link and synk info I can find online is setting up the cam roller and throttle opening sequence. I think the current sync is ok?? the compression is 137 on each cyc! the plugs are new but fouled, I dont think the plugs are the issue either.
When I bump the key, push in and get it to run (rich) I can push the fast idle lever up and the engine will increase and run up, but is soon loads up with fuel and stalls?????
I have been cussing this thing and I feel defeated please help!!!!
I have repaired and rebuilt other outboards and jetskis and feel I know a little about two stroke engines except this one????
Help!!!!!!

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

Sounds like your compression is okay but have you checked the spark on it ?? Should jump a 7/16 " open air gap on a spark tester. Have you checked the high speed jets in the float bowls under the bowl drain plug ??

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

I had this issue with my 92 commercial, if you have very fine idle screw threads, try your initial setting at 3 1/2 turns out from seated not 1 1/2 turns

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

I grounded the plugs to the engine and had my wife turn the key and a good blue spark was present at both plugs I will try again and to see if it will jump 7/16, the bottom jets in bowls are very clean ,went through the carbs twice,I will also try the 3-1/2 turns out as they are 1-1/2 out now!

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

K engine will idle and run with red lever in auto mode , turned low speeds 3-1/2 also turned top advance screw in a lot to were it would stay idling ?

My question now is when I raise the cold start lever / fast idle lever it starts accelerating and then as I raise it it sounds like it wants to take off? Is this because there is no load on the engine or the advance I turned in ?

I dont have lynk instructions, I think I have the sync ok?

It will idle with the cover on and go into gear forward and reverse without stall in a barrel.

Is the top advance screw ok to advance for idling?

Also the 3 - 1/2 turns seems ok on the slow speeds, i turned both directions and did not have any impact, but I did go back to 1- 1/2 and would not start!

Thinking of a test run but dont want to get stranded?

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

Good to hear you are getting somewhere fartz, I felt the same frustration as you did! I tuned mine from the 3 1/2 out, screwing in 1/8th of a turn and let it sit for a few seconds then another until it started popping and missing then backed it out about 1/4 turn, did each carb that way and seems to be running nice so far. The fast idle leaver will do just that. Hope it goes well for you.

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

A little confused on the 3 1/2 turns out if the manual and everybody is saying 1-1/2???
Also confused about the idle timing advance why I have to turn it about all the way in, when the setting when I got the motor was mostly 3/4 of the way out? not making sense?
I'm going to play with it in the morning and if all seems good I'm going for a test run!
Any body know why the engine wants to race away with the fast idle pushed up, or is this norm?
Engine is in barrel but not in gear, just sounds like carb or timing is jacked up in some way and something is catching up (racing) so I put it back to idle (maybe norm for neutral?)

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

From what I can tell the idle screw threads where changed at some point to fine threads, tighter adjustment I guess? But the old 1 1/2 was for coarse thread, with finer threads you need more turns to get it to the same point as the 1 1/2 turns of a coarse thread idle screw, don't know about idle timing advance as mine set spot on as per my manual. So not sure what you are doing there.

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

Can you give me an idea of what set spot on is for the idle advance screw, I have mine bottomed out to get a good idle?
Everything seems ok for a test run on the water might go tomorrow!
Thanks for your help.
Are you close to the barrier reef fletch_n?

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

If its idling good take it for a spin and see how she runs, mine is set at 3 1/4 out from seated but what ever works for you, I have fixed intermediate and high speed jets so only have adjustment on idle circuit. Noah mate no where near the barrier reef, in on the west coast, better weather and beaches! Ha ha

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

finally took the test run, not so good.
left the doc and when i accelerated the the engine wanted to take off and then when i pulled back the throttle,it wanted to just die and not restart that easy like it was loaded up. another thing weird is initially it idled ok when I got back to the doc it would not idle nor would it idle back at the house on the hose? I ran the boat on plane for about 5 min trying to get it warm, and under load knowing the engine has not been ran for years i think. It seems like the carbs I know they are very clean but I did not use rebuild kits (new needle and seats and other new parts). Starting to feel defeated again! Can anyone help, I dont think the timing is the issue because when it would idle you could just bump the key and it would start?

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

finally took the test run, not so good.
left the doc and when i accelerated the the engine wanted to take off and then when i pulled back the throttle,it wanted to just die and not restart that easy like it was loaded up. another thing weird is initially it idled ok when I got back to the doc it would not idle nor would it idle back at the house on the hose? I ran the boat on plane for about 5 min trying to get it warm, and under load knowing the engine has not been ran for years i think. It seems like the carbs I know they are very clean but I did not use rebuild kits (new needle and seats and other new parts). Starting to feel defeated again! Can anyone help, I dont think the timing is the issue because when it would idle you could just bump the key and it would start?

Re: 1990 evinrude 40 hp help!!!!

I need that lower unit if you ever decide to sell