Hello, my name is Tony. This is my first post here.
I just purchased a 1980 MFG Gypsy with a 1971 50 hp Johnsom motor. As the story goes, it started hard every year, the owner walked away disgusted, but then returned and it would start. After that, it ran all summer. It would not start for him when I bought it and it had brand new plugs.
I bought a brand new battery and that got me nothing. I took the "flywheel" off and sanded the inside and then sprayed it with Electro-motive cleaner. I also took a brash brush and battery cleaner to the electric pick-ups that are inside the "flywheel" part. Again, it would turn over like crazy, but not start.
I then got out the test light. With the key on, I had power to the soleniod. With the key in the start position, I had power to the two large wires and also the lower of the small wires (white I think), but no start. I touched the test light to the top (I think) orange coil wire and had nothing. I then checked the wire opposite it with the test light... "POP"....engine fires off and whirls to life. At this point, I did not have the water on it, so I shut the key off, but it kept running. I quickly pulled the gas line off to stop it.
I grabbed the mouse ears and put the garden hose to it. With the water to the engine, I tried to start it with the key again and this time it fired right up. It stayed running, but seemed to be on a hi-idle ( maybe not, this is my first boat). I shut off the key and it did not stop. If I remember, I tried the "kill switch" toggle and it did nothing. Again, and I hate this, I pulled the gas line.
Once the engine stopped, I tried restarting it with the "kill switch" up and down. In both positions, the starter engaged. The switch runs to the Black/Yellow wire on some box next to the solenoid. The white wire below it is the one I jumped (grounded out) that got it started. The other side of the toggle goes to a mess of wires under the dash.
Under the toggle for the choke are two cut wires, one gray one black.
I have built a ten second 86 Mustang GT along with other car projects, but this is my first boat engine.
I want to get a handle on what I am doing before I break something that is really maybe just an easy fix.
I just purchased a 1980 MFG Gypsy with a 1971 50 hp Johnsom motor. As the story goes, it started hard every year, the owner walked away disgusted, but then returned and it would start. After that, it ran all summer. It would not start for him when I bought it and it had brand new plugs.
I bought a brand new battery and that got me nothing. I took the "flywheel" off and sanded the inside and then sprayed it with Electro-motive cleaner. I also took a brash brush and battery cleaner to the electric pick-ups that are inside the "flywheel" part. Again, it would turn over like crazy, but not start.
I then got out the test light. With the key on, I had power to the soleniod. With the key in the start position, I had power to the two large wires and also the lower of the small wires (white I think), but no start. I touched the test light to the top (I think) orange coil wire and had nothing. I then checked the wire opposite it with the test light... "POP"....engine fires off and whirls to life. At this point, I did not have the water on it, so I shut the key off, but it kept running. I quickly pulled the gas line off to stop it.
I grabbed the mouse ears and put the garden hose to it. With the water to the engine, I tried to start it with the key again and this time it fired right up. It stayed running, but seemed to be on a hi-idle ( maybe not, this is my first boat). I shut off the key and it did not stop. If I remember, I tried the "kill switch" toggle and it did nothing. Again, and I hate this, I pulled the gas line.
Once the engine stopped, I tried restarting it with the "kill switch" up and down. In both positions, the starter engaged. The switch runs to the Black/Yellow wire on some box next to the solenoid. The white wire below it is the one I jumped (grounded out) that got it started. The other side of the toggle goes to a mess of wires under the dash.
Under the toggle for the choke are two cut wires, one gray one black.
I have built a ten second 86 Mustang GT along with other car projects, but this is my first boat engine.
I want to get a handle on what I am doing before I break something that is really maybe just an easy fix.