timing a 1960 evinrude starflight 75

Please help!! I am looking for any information on timing this engine. Family owned boat since new.Died 10 years ago,disasembled today.NO spark then,none now. This engine has no coil,a dual point system.One hot wire going to distributor and points, one ground from harness to switch?, to ground.Looks like a bad fusible link in the hot wire going to the distributor which is where I think I lost my spark.My problem now is timing the engine to the distributor. I have a new belt and am ready to go. Is it similar to timing a car?<br />Any help to get this old beast out and fishing again with my 3 and 5 year old sons would be greatly appreciated. Thank You

Re: timing a 1960 evinrude starflight 75

If the spark plug wires are leading out of the bottom of the distributor, that unit would be a magneto with the coil being inside of it.<br /><br />If this is the case, that wire leading to the port side of it is a kill (ground) wire leading to a "M" terminal of the ignition switch. DO NOT apply any voltage to that wire as that will destroy the coil I mentioned.<br /><br />The wire leading to the switch you mention, if that switch is atached to the top area of the magneto near the pulley..... that switch would be a neutral safety switch. It's purpose is to interrupt (disconnect the circuit) to the starter solenoid when too much throttle is applied. You wouldn't want the engine to start at too high a rpm.<br /><br />If indeed you have a magneto, time the engine as follows.<br /><br />On the top rear portion of the powerhead just to the rear of the flywheel there is a water cover plate with a raised mark on it. The flywheel also has a raised timing mark on it. Align those two marks. If a manual starter exists, there will be a timing mark on that too, in which case, align all three marks up.<br /><br />Now, at the magneto, notice that at some point on the pulley, there is a timing mark between the pulley teeth and/or on the outside edge of the pulley. There is also a timing mark on the outside edge of the plate that the points are attached two. Align those two marks, then install the belt. That's it as far as the timing goes.