Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

phillnjack2

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Apr 30, 2011
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Evinrude 1995 60hp triple
Model BE60TLEOC


Ive seen it wrote down now loads of times about timing the engines at full throttle while running on the water.

Now how on earth am i supposed to do that with a timing light while bouncing up and down in a 13ft boat ?

i suppose ill have to make a shield of some sort to stop any daylight where the timing light needs to be pointing.

But surely there is another way to do this.
at the factory they dont wind these engines up full throttle on the backs of boats do they ?
so must be a easier way to set max spark advance timing.

ive done the idle timing, now need to check the max spark advance.
and being as it stops way way before full throttle, why do i need to be at full throttle ?
is it a cdi thing altering it ?

Getting a bit confused again with this outboard timing stuff, but slowly getting there ha ha .
just cant see the need for the engine to be on boat travelling flat out.
even read where it said test tank no good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



phill
 

daselbee

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

Phill....I have posted a few times how to do this...it is a modification of the Joe Reeves method. On your motor, you can disconnect that link rod, leave it disconnected, and move the whole linkage so that the timer base rotates and hits it's stop. Do it with the engine off first, and see how it works. The timing setting is done with the engine running, but make sure the throttle butterflies never open while doing this method. Search for my post. It goes into detail on how to do it. There is no need for the 4 degree offset that Joe Reeves method calls for. As you move the linkage to rotate the timerbase, the engine will speed up, but it will remain "controlled" in that it is not generating any HP, it is not getting any gas other than idle gas, and it is just racing up faster than idle. It may go up to 2500 rpms or so. Don't worry about that. Just get your timing reading, shut it down, set/adjust the stop screw, and retest. Make sure you understand...the engine hits WOT timing long before the throttle butterflies hit their WOT position. That is normal. When set properly, re-attach the link rod.
 

phillnjack2

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

Yes my timing does hit the stop way before WOT. thats a relief to know already ha ha

so this way i dont have to be hanging on for dear life while my buddy wacks on the throttle and tries to kill us both !!!
thats great news as well.
it did seem strange to have to have it going down the river WOT and trying to see a small timing light while squeezing the
cheeks very hard and praying the driver is watching forward and not at what im doing.
i had visions of me making a tower and hangine from it like a micro light pilot with a timing gun in one hand a roll of
toilet paper in the other.

ill look for the posting you have done on this right now.

phill
 

Rapio

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

A suggestion if needed: Mask out and paint timing marks sector with flat black spray bomb. Paint the degree marker you need and the pointer white. This will help you find the degree your looking for with a timing light in the daylight
 

phillnjack2

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

engine already comes with a black flywheel, and my timing marks are lovely and white due to tip ex ha ha
but on a bright day it realy aint easy trying to see them.
unlike on a car with a bit of shade from the hood and being low down etc.

but if daselbee's way works then thats my best and safest thing to do i reckon.


phill
 

clanton

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

The reason for the full throttle timing is the timing will move a few degrees from increase in voltage as RPM increase, without the timing base moving. The increase could be from 0 to 6 degrees, depending on engine, and maker of powerpack, timer base, and stator. Set it anyway you like, but final check should be around 5000 RPM. This could be done by using a factory test prop, standard prop, with blades cut off, dyno, or back boat in water on trailer, secure boat to trailer, tilt engine enough for prop to loose grip of water.
 
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phillnjack2

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

once i check to make sure its about right then ill have a bash at full throttle on the river with timing light for final check.
wouldnt do it on the trailer though, i have a roller coaster trailer and its a proper easy gliding thing.
liable to pull the cleats out due to no friction between boat and trailer.you only have to gently touch this and the boat just
glides off the trailer at the ramp.

i do have an old bashed up prop that i was going to cut about and maybe drill as test prop, but the books say not in a
test tank with test wheel !!!!! seems very strange to me..
boat needs to be moving (that to me is wrong due to factory dont do this to every engine they sell so must be done
in a tank or just set up manualy.

i shall report back on here tomorrow or saturday with my findings of what its at now, i expect it to be wrong due to
not getting maximum revs from the engine no matter what prop i seem to use. be a bit confused if its already correct !!!!!!
ive got the new fuel pump also waiting to be fitted so all could be going well by end of the weekend.

not been getting over 5700 rpm with any props and hope the spark advance could be the cause of this as well ????


phill
 
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boobie

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

If you make a test wheel out of an old prop you can back the boat right in the water and run it wot as there is very little forward thrust. Mercury used cut off props in their service schools in their test tanks back in the 70's.
 

boobie

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

Joe Reeves still has the best procedure for setting the wot timing with the mtr just cranking over. I've used it and it works.
 

clanton

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

Not in test tank for setting idle. Boat needs to be in water in farward gear for final idle setting.
 

Fed

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

You still going Phill? LOL!

My book (1988 90HP) calls for a test wheel, different motor I know but I can't imagine them changing procedures. Did you get a real manual yet or still on the dodgy one?
 

clanton

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

Did not notice you were in England. Motor still the same tho. I have OEM manual if you need more info and specs. Private mail will get my attn. to check forum post.
 

schematic

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

There is no need for the 4 degree offset that Joe Reeves method calls for. As you move the linkage to rotate the timerbase, the engine will speed up, but it will remain "controlled" in that it is not generating any HP, it is not getting any gas other than idle gas, and it is just racing up faster than idle. It may go up to 2500 rpms or so. Don't worry about that. Just get your timing reading, shut it down, set/adjust the stop screw, and retest. Make sure you understand...the engine hits WOT timing long before the throttle butterflies hit their WOT position. That is normal. When set properly, re-attach the link rod.

This is the easiest and accurate way of setting max timing. Been doing it this way for years. I go one step further. When your 2500 rpm is reached, I manually "snap" the carb linkage directly and observe the exact reading at max rpm. As Clanton says....it varies from engine to engine.

(damn, I thought this was my invention!)

kudos to daselbee
 

phillnjack2

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

No NO NO i chucked the dodgy book away,it was no good at all.not even good enough to start a barbi with ha ha
it went in the rubbish bin,it was a total waste of space & time.
once i realy started looking in to it, there was so much duff advice and wrong settings to be seen in that book..

im still after the proper omc book, missed one on the eeeeeeebaaa .emailed the fella and someone had just pipped me to it.
asked at dealer and he tried to sell me another crappy after market one, i said no i want the real thing, he said he wants
the money up front and will order it and dont know how long till it arrives, so he got told where to go. ha ha
its amazing how many people have been advertising them and when i get intouch, they dont actualy have the
one for my model or year etc. Grrrrr

as for setting timing , i still cannot see why it needs to be on the boat even for idle setting, the brand new
engines dont have any issues, and they have not been set up on boats, no way.

so i think the Joe Reeves and Daselbee way has got to be my next move for max advance timing.
the idle timing has been done now and it got the engine fired up, i followed advice from schematic and others and
it all went from bad to good ha ha
just need to adjust carbs once i fit new fuel pump (tomorrow).
the old mixture screws were 2 full turns, i think thats a bit too little and will try 2 & 3/4 turns then either way a bit to
see what happens.

i will happy to get this engine back to running good, then ill be slightly going over the 7mph river speed limit ha ha ha



phill
 

phillnjack2

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

when you say "snap" the carb linkage ?
do mean grab the roller and send that to fully open butterly's for a split second to see the
max advance is still right at like 5000-6000 etc ?

if timing its at 17 degree's btdc at 2500rpm with butterflys shut...will the timing show different at 5500 rpm ?
or should this be the same due to max timing lever stopping well before the butterfly's will be fully open.

hope im comming across ok ( i know what im thinking ,but other might not ):confused:

phill
 

Fed

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

If I were you Phill I'd be begging clanton to scan the link & sync pages and send them to you.
 

schematic

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

when you say "snap" the carb linkage ?
do mean grab the roller and send that to fully open butterly's for a split second to see the
max advance is still right at like 5000-6000 etc ?


yes

if timing its at 17 degree's btdc at 2500rpm with butterflys shut...will the timing show different at 5500 rpm ?
or should this be the same due to max timing lever stopping well before the butterfly's will be fully open.

It will be 2 - 6 deg earlier due to higher induced voltage from high speed presented to timer. Its this variation that we are looking to compensate for.


Do not attempt this method unless you are totally comfortable with its theory of operation. I do this all day long so I know what to expect...

Also be sure you have the leg submerged in water.......not running on the hose, or runaway is possible.
 
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schematic

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1,102
Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

Joe Reeves still has the best procedure for setting the wot timing with the mtr just cranking over. I've used it and it works.


it works but it can easily be 2-3 deg out. Close enough for most people......but not dead on!
 

boobie

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

I used that procedure years ago before I ever met Joe Reeves. And when I got done doing it, just for the heck of it I would put a test wheel on the mtr and take it to the lake. It was always right on when checked with a timing light. Especially at wot.
 
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schematic

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Re: Timing at full throttle on the boat ??

I used that procedure years ago before I ever met Joe Reeves. And when I got done doing it, just for the heck of it I would put a test wheel on the mtr and take it to the lake. It was always right on when checked with a timing light. Especially at wot.

My experience is as Clanton said......" increase could be from 0 to 6 degrees, depending on engine, and maker of powerpack, timer base, and stator"

This way takes out the variables.


If Joes method works for you.......go with it.
 
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