CATALINAWineMixer
Cadet
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2023
- Messages
- 29
Hello everyone, I’m hoping someone knows this engine and can point me to the source of my issue. I bought a 1973 StarCraft with a 100hp 1972 model year Evinrude Starflite engine on it after my Marquis Catalina was left in shambles. [I posted on here about it and will continue down that project after I get back on the water in this new (older) boat, this community is great!]
I picked up this boat/trailer for less than $1000 and was fully aware of the no start issue. The previous owner was very straight forward and forthcoming with me, it has a ton of original documentation and a few service records to go along with it. Boat had two owners prior to him and one had it for close to 30 years and was not pushing 80 years old and could no longer enjoy it or work on it.
The recent previous owner of my new boat had taken it out one time and stated it ran and even got on plane quickly, but after it planes out he was trying to speed up and it apparently started to bog down almost as though it was misfiring. He explained the situation to a weekend warrior boat mechanic who told him it was likely the power pack and instructed him to purchase a new power pack from CDI, so he did. He bought the CDI replacement power pack for the engine model year mentioned above - CDI part number is 113-8362 (direct aftermarket replacement part for this engine).
I have the instructions for the CDI which he stated he followed when installing, this included removal of the Clipper Circuit Assembly (I have this piece but is not currently installed due to the CDI instructions stating it should be removed, the instructions do not state if it needs to be reinstalled so I left it off as the previous owned already had removed it)
P.S. I have no experience with battery power packs as my other motor was a 1985 Evinrude 70hp VRO (deleted/bypassed). I am used to coil on plug/individual ignition coils/cylinder.
This electric shift/distributor stuff is a whole new ball game for me, and I am out of my league at the moment.. so far I have read through the vast majority of the factory service manual
After installing the new power pack, the motor would no longer start for him. He only took it out the one time that it worked and suddenly nothing.
The motor cranks and cranks and cranks with not even the slightest cough or sneeze to show a sign of life.. The motor had 3 of the 4 original spark plug wires when I got it. Initially I only had spark on 2 cylinders (2 & 4) I replaced the spark plug wires on those two and even picked up 4 brand new spark plugs. Since those few changes I have verified I have spark on all 4 cylinders now. (Step in the right direction, for sure)
Went to attempt to start it and still the same thing, cranks strong but no life, again not even a cough. Next I drained the carburetor bowls to make sure there was fuel, it poured out so I know fuel was making it into the float bowls.
NOTE: I did notice that after pulling the plugs the bottom two cylinders (3 & 4) plugs had no fuel on them at all.
After noticing no fuel on this plugs I decided to replace the fuel lines from the tank all the way up to the “T” at the carbs as they looked older and attempted to start it again, but nothing.
Next I pulled the carbs and removed the jets and gave them a tsunami of brake parts cleaner and carb cleaner into every orifice I could despite not seeing a single blockage just to be sure. I then reassembled the carbs and placed them back at the engine for another start attempt…
Still same thing, no cough, no sneeze, just nothing.. (I assume since it would crank it has to be in neutral, which is required in order to start anyway)
I also even installed a brand new fuel pump that matches the required specs (Amazon special)
P.S.S. f I attempt to start with the remote switch in any other position than neutral, it won’t even crank so I’m pretty sure it’s in neutral as required. Someone correct me if I’m wrong please.
I have tried using a jumper from bat (+) to solenoid (+) to weed out a bad wire in the positive circuit between battery and solenoid, I have also done the same with the bat (-) and engine block ground (-) with the same results, still just cranks.
I have also sprayed some premix fuel/oil into the cylinders to see if I could get it to do something, even for just a second..
I have a multimeter and from what I can tell, the blocking diodes are in tact (1 in the remote control console) and a nutsack looking one under the cowling, using the diode feature of my multimeter, I had a .4 reading in one way and nothing or OL with leads reversed (the manual states a reading one way and none in the other indicates a functioning diode).
I did notice that the voltage at the starter solenoid and the key switch battery connections, do match the battery voltage itself so I do not suspect any parasitic loss in this part of the circuit.
When I tested voltage at the button switch selector on the Neutral/Green terminal with ignition switch on start position, it only shows a 10-10.4V reading even when the battery is at 12.3V.
Continuity checks on the selector switch seemed good, Reverse engaged beeped when touching the Blue/Green terminals. Neutral beeped between Green and Ignition/Purple-Green.
One thing to note is that I used the J.Reeves method for bypassing the auto/electric choke so it is only actuated when the ignition is in the start position and the toggle switch is activated. This works as expected and I do not believe this is the issue as it is related to a bulletin OMC put out as they realized this was a common issue for this engine year.
NOTE:
From what I can tell there is no remote kill switch near the console, I have checked all glass fuses but they are all good.
NOTE:
Compression test was done and the results are as follows…
Cylinder #1 ~120psi
Cylinder #2 ~125psi
Cylinder #3 ~130psi
Cylinder #4 ~115psi
What am I missing?? Any suggestions on tests I can do or something I am missing that would definitively point to an answer? Does anyone know anything about this motor? It has been 4 days and I am at a loss.. I have done tons of searches hoping for an answer.
Please save me
I picked up this boat/trailer for less than $1000 and was fully aware of the no start issue. The previous owner was very straight forward and forthcoming with me, it has a ton of original documentation and a few service records to go along with it. Boat had two owners prior to him and one had it for close to 30 years and was not pushing 80 years old and could no longer enjoy it or work on it.
The recent previous owner of my new boat had taken it out one time and stated it ran and even got on plane quickly, but after it planes out he was trying to speed up and it apparently started to bog down almost as though it was misfiring. He explained the situation to a weekend warrior boat mechanic who told him it was likely the power pack and instructed him to purchase a new power pack from CDI, so he did. He bought the CDI replacement power pack for the engine model year mentioned above - CDI part number is 113-8362 (direct aftermarket replacement part for this engine).
I have the instructions for the CDI which he stated he followed when installing, this included removal of the Clipper Circuit Assembly (I have this piece but is not currently installed due to the CDI instructions stating it should be removed, the instructions do not state if it needs to be reinstalled so I left it off as the previous owned already had removed it)
P.S. I have no experience with battery power packs as my other motor was a 1985 Evinrude 70hp VRO (deleted/bypassed). I am used to coil on plug/individual ignition coils/cylinder.
This electric shift/distributor stuff is a whole new ball game for me, and I am out of my league at the moment.. so far I have read through the vast majority of the factory service manual
After installing the new power pack, the motor would no longer start for him. He only took it out the one time that it worked and suddenly nothing.
The motor cranks and cranks and cranks with not even the slightest cough or sneeze to show a sign of life.. The motor had 3 of the 4 original spark plug wires when I got it. Initially I only had spark on 2 cylinders (2 & 4) I replaced the spark plug wires on those two and even picked up 4 brand new spark plugs. Since those few changes I have verified I have spark on all 4 cylinders now. (Step in the right direction, for sure)
Went to attempt to start it and still the same thing, cranks strong but no life, again not even a cough. Next I drained the carburetor bowls to make sure there was fuel, it poured out so I know fuel was making it into the float bowls.
NOTE: I did notice that after pulling the plugs the bottom two cylinders (3 & 4) plugs had no fuel on them at all.
After noticing no fuel on this plugs I decided to replace the fuel lines from the tank all the way up to the “T” at the carbs as they looked older and attempted to start it again, but nothing.
Next I pulled the carbs and removed the jets and gave them a tsunami of brake parts cleaner and carb cleaner into every orifice I could despite not seeing a single blockage just to be sure. I then reassembled the carbs and placed them back at the engine for another start attempt…
Still same thing, no cough, no sneeze, just nothing.. (I assume since it would crank it has to be in neutral, which is required in order to start anyway)
I also even installed a brand new fuel pump that matches the required specs (Amazon special)
P.S.S. f I attempt to start with the remote switch in any other position than neutral, it won’t even crank so I’m pretty sure it’s in neutral as required. Someone correct me if I’m wrong please.
I have tried using a jumper from bat (+) to solenoid (+) to weed out a bad wire in the positive circuit between battery and solenoid, I have also done the same with the bat (-) and engine block ground (-) with the same results, still just cranks.
I have also sprayed some premix fuel/oil into the cylinders to see if I could get it to do something, even for just a second..
I have a multimeter and from what I can tell, the blocking diodes are in tact (1 in the remote control console) and a nutsack looking one under the cowling, using the diode feature of my multimeter, I had a .4 reading in one way and nothing or OL with leads reversed (the manual states a reading one way and none in the other indicates a functioning diode).
I did notice that the voltage at the starter solenoid and the key switch battery connections, do match the battery voltage itself so I do not suspect any parasitic loss in this part of the circuit.
When I tested voltage at the button switch selector on the Neutral/Green terminal with ignition switch on start position, it only shows a 10-10.4V reading even when the battery is at 12.3V.
Continuity checks on the selector switch seemed good, Reverse engaged beeped when touching the Blue/Green terminals. Neutral beeped between Green and Ignition/Purple-Green.
One thing to note is that I used the J.Reeves method for bypassing the auto/electric choke so it is only actuated when the ignition is in the start position and the toggle switch is activated. This works as expected and I do not believe this is the issue as it is related to a bulletin OMC put out as they realized this was a common issue for this engine year.
NOTE:
From what I can tell there is no remote kill switch near the console, I have checked all glass fuses but they are all good.
NOTE:
Compression test was done and the results are as follows…
Cylinder #1 ~120psi
Cylinder #2 ~125psi
Cylinder #3 ~130psi
Cylinder #4 ~115psi
What am I missing?? Any suggestions on tests I can do or something I am missing that would definitively point to an answer? Does anyone know anything about this motor? It has been 4 days and I am at a loss.. I have done tons of searches hoping for an answer.
Please save me
