Hey all,
Hoping I can get some help on this motor I recently bought. 1978 Chrysler 25 hp, electric start, tiller steer, short shaft. Model 252H8D Serial 3211. Magneto Ignition (points condensers coils).
I bought it in a foolish way, didn't pay attention to the obvious signs:
1.) Motor had been sitting outside on an old boat uncovered for some time.
2.) Was really dirty under the motor cover.
3.) When pulled it off the boat, could tell that fuel had been sitting in carb for quite awhile.
4.) Guy had no gas tank or any way to prove that it ran (other than his colorful stories about what a 'great motor' it is).
Alright, alright... lesson learned.
Anyways, got it home and hooked up a battery to it. Starter works great, motor doesn't start. Checked plugs. 1 firing, 1 not. Did some reading.
Pulled flywheel (key not sheared), took some emory cloth to the point contacts and checked gap (both were .018). Still no start.
Since I don't have a test light or meter, I thought perhaps I would switch the 2 condensers and see if the problem would swap cylinders along with them. Alas! BOTH plugs now firing. Figured the small 12volt connections on the points blocks must have been slightly corroded an not making good connection. Cleaned them thoroughly.
Motor now runs, fairly smooth I suppose, though I wouldn't call it a 'sewing machine'. Smokes like crazy. Yes it is white, but the smell of 2 cycle oil is so "heavy" it almost chokes you to be near it. I do not have a ton of experience on this, but I don't believe it is steam. Plugs appear to be oily and not 'steam cleaned'.
Ordered new sets of points, condensers, carb kit. Installed points and set the gap to .020 as recommended (although not 100% confident that they are EXACTLY 180 degrees apart). Replaced both condensers, inspected coils - no cracking/oozing... both look good. Replaced spark plugs with new ones. Timing plate not sloppy and appears to do what it is supposed to do. There is more I can say about my 'procedure' with the points install, if you think there may be a problem here, I will be more elaborate in another post, but this one is already going to be lengthy.
Pulled carb off and put rebuild kit in. Carb was not as tarnished as I had expected it to be. Carb kit came only with gaskets, float needle and float seat. Had to use the 'old' main jet. Did not soak carb body overnight, just blew out the passages with air and scrubbed what I could with brass wire brush and pipe cleaners and carb spray cleaner.
Same thing. Motor will start but:
1.) Won't idle - it takes more throttle than 'neutral' will allow to keep it running.
2.) Even 'cold' you cannot use any choke or it dies.
3.) Smokes like crazy, smoke smells very heavy of 2 stroke oil and almost chokes you. Yes it is mixed at 50:1 - checked and double checked.
4.) Seems like it is pushing alot of unburned fuel right out the exhaust as well. Leaves a big fuel 'slick' on the water, more than I would expect it to, but I don't have a lot of experience on what is considered normal.
5.) I am guessing on this one, but even in neutral under no load, it doesn't seem like it can rev more than say 3500-4000 rpm (that is with the motor 'tricked' into thinking it is in gear and allowed full throttle range.
6.) In gear and under load, falls on its face and has no power. Can barely run.
Other things I have checked:
Compression - 95# on cylinder 1 and 97# on cylinder 2.
Reeds - peered into the reed block when carb was off and saw no sign of damage, although that inspection was half-fast at best.
Things I am thinking I can still try without buying parts:
1.)pull the reeds block and do a closer visual inspection.
2.)while running, spray some WD40 or carb cleaner around the engine surfaces and listen for an RPM change.
3.) while running, pull one spark plug wire off and see if there is any difference in case a coil or plug wire is bad or weak and not producing a full burn in 1 of the cylinders.
Any help provided or where to look next would be GREATLY appreciated! I would rather spend the time tinkering than the money buying parts and replacing. Thanks.
~ JC1972
Hoping I can get some help on this motor I recently bought. 1978 Chrysler 25 hp, electric start, tiller steer, short shaft. Model 252H8D Serial 3211. Magneto Ignition (points condensers coils).
I bought it in a foolish way, didn't pay attention to the obvious signs:
1.) Motor had been sitting outside on an old boat uncovered for some time.
2.) Was really dirty under the motor cover.
3.) When pulled it off the boat, could tell that fuel had been sitting in carb for quite awhile.
4.) Guy had no gas tank or any way to prove that it ran (other than his colorful stories about what a 'great motor' it is).
Alright, alright... lesson learned.
Anyways, got it home and hooked up a battery to it. Starter works great, motor doesn't start. Checked plugs. 1 firing, 1 not. Did some reading.
Pulled flywheel (key not sheared), took some emory cloth to the point contacts and checked gap (both were .018). Still no start.
Since I don't have a test light or meter, I thought perhaps I would switch the 2 condensers and see if the problem would swap cylinders along with them. Alas! BOTH plugs now firing. Figured the small 12volt connections on the points blocks must have been slightly corroded an not making good connection. Cleaned them thoroughly.
Motor now runs, fairly smooth I suppose, though I wouldn't call it a 'sewing machine'. Smokes like crazy. Yes it is white, but the smell of 2 cycle oil is so "heavy" it almost chokes you to be near it. I do not have a ton of experience on this, but I don't believe it is steam. Plugs appear to be oily and not 'steam cleaned'.
Ordered new sets of points, condensers, carb kit. Installed points and set the gap to .020 as recommended (although not 100% confident that they are EXACTLY 180 degrees apart). Replaced both condensers, inspected coils - no cracking/oozing... both look good. Replaced spark plugs with new ones. Timing plate not sloppy and appears to do what it is supposed to do. There is more I can say about my 'procedure' with the points install, if you think there may be a problem here, I will be more elaborate in another post, but this one is already going to be lengthy.
Pulled carb off and put rebuild kit in. Carb was not as tarnished as I had expected it to be. Carb kit came only with gaskets, float needle and float seat. Had to use the 'old' main jet. Did not soak carb body overnight, just blew out the passages with air and scrubbed what I could with brass wire brush and pipe cleaners and carb spray cleaner.
Same thing. Motor will start but:
1.) Won't idle - it takes more throttle than 'neutral' will allow to keep it running.
2.) Even 'cold' you cannot use any choke or it dies.
3.) Smokes like crazy, smoke smells very heavy of 2 stroke oil and almost chokes you. Yes it is mixed at 50:1 - checked and double checked.
4.) Seems like it is pushing alot of unburned fuel right out the exhaust as well. Leaves a big fuel 'slick' on the water, more than I would expect it to, but I don't have a lot of experience on what is considered normal.
5.) I am guessing on this one, but even in neutral under no load, it doesn't seem like it can rev more than say 3500-4000 rpm (that is with the motor 'tricked' into thinking it is in gear and allowed full throttle range.
6.) In gear and under load, falls on its face and has no power. Can barely run.
Other things I have checked:
Compression - 95# on cylinder 1 and 97# on cylinder 2.
Reeds - peered into the reed block when carb was off and saw no sign of damage, although that inspection was half-fast at best.
Things I am thinking I can still try without buying parts:
1.)pull the reeds block and do a closer visual inspection.
2.)while running, spray some WD40 or carb cleaner around the engine surfaces and listen for an RPM change.
3.) while running, pull one spark plug wire off and see if there is any difference in case a coil or plug wire is bad or weak and not producing a full burn in 1 of the cylinders.
Any help provided or where to look next would be GREATLY appreciated! I would rather spend the time tinkering than the money buying parts and replacing. Thanks.
~ JC1972