1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

[petrmik]

Hello everyone! I spent some time looking through this forum trying to read every thread that had to do with coils, ignition, sea horse motors etc.

Got the motor a couple of months ago. It started in a barrel before i got it. I started going through the motor before putting it on the boat. Found out that it runs on 1 cylinder only. No spark to the second. What i did:
-replaced spark plugs
-tested compression - ~110psi on both
-cleaned and set the points to 020
-tested coils - one not firing was bad
-replaced bad coil (with sierra coil) - still no spark
-swapped the condensers around - still no spark on the bad cylinder

---------------------
So, getting good spark on the old coil and no spark on the new. Visually inspected the spark plug wire for any cracks or spots where it was arching (maybe) - but didnt find any.

Can't understand why when i connect an ohm meter to the end of the spark plug wire that doesnt have spark and touch ANYWHERE on the block, flywheel, condenser, other coils ground... i get about 7 on the meter.
When do the same with the wire that has spark (which is still hooked up to the old coil) i get 1 (no continuity) from the tip of the wire to anywhere on the block, coil, points ect.


I am confused. I hope to take advantage of the joint experience of boat captains and crew on this forum! What else should i do to get the second cylinder to get spark? It's getting really nice outside and i want to take my 14ft boat out cruising and cant

Thank you all


Misha

 

[petrmik]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

just trying to move the post up in the list

thanks all in advance

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

I would say if you are getting a short on the spark plug wire, then the wire needs replacing.

 

[coolguy147]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

make sure u didnt cut any coil wires cause that short out in a instant. do u have a kill switch hooked up to the motor?

 

[jdsgrog]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

I have a '67 33hp johnson and I have had spark problems throughout the life of the motor. I did get her running well last year, but at the end of the season, I lost a cylinder again. I decided to try something different and I disconnected the wire from the armature plate that connected to the kill switch and I got spark. I'm still in the process of working on it, but my guess from this is that it may be a problem with the kill switch.

In your case, I am uncertain. Could be a simple ground problem. But I thought I'd give you some other possibilities.

 

[freddyray21]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

if that has the runaway vacuum switch unhook the wires to it and see if you have spark. It's designed to kill spark to one cylinder in case of a runaway.

 

[petrmik]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

Thanks for all the replies!

I don't think i cut the coil wire. (?)

It does have some kind of a vacuum driven device on the same side as the electric starter. Not sure if it's the kill switch or not. I will try to play with it's wiring though.

What kind of reading should i be getting with the ohm meter from the tip of the spark plug wire to the ground of the coil on a good sparking setup? 7 kohm?

 

[jdsgrog]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

I'm not sure of the ohm reading and I haven't seen much discussion on it. But I've followed the advice of everyone on the forum that says to make sure the spark is a "nice blue spark." If it's blue, it's a good spark and that motor will run strong...at least mind did.

 

[lindy46]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

That cut-out switch may be bad - it's designed to ground out the bottom cylinder in case of a runaway. Is it the bottom cylinder that's giving you problems?

 

[petrmik]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

yeah, it's the top cylinder that's not firing... any way around the switch? could a point possibly be bad? i guess i can swap the points since i know one of them is working...
Thanks for all the input!
More thoughts are welcomed

 

[lindy46]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

If it was the cut-out switch it would be the bottom cylinder. You may have a short in the stop switch wire - that should be the black wire that attaches to the points and runs through a grommet in the bottom of the armature plate. Make sure the insulation on that wire is not worn and shorting out. It would be the wire from the front coil/point set.

 

[petrmik]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

Thanks for all the replies. After a bunch of testing figured it out.
I installed a new coil incorrectly. The ends were not flush. THey stuck out just long enough to damage the coil right after i installed it. Replaced the new coil again and getting nice spark on both cylinders. Tuned the motor and it starts like a new car engine with a slight turn of a key. Pulls strong at all rpms and gets my 73 thunderhawk to about 33 - 37 mph without a problem.

And yet i think i have a gear problem now. It seems to slip out of a gear about every 15 or 20 secs for a split of a second, just long enough to jerk the motor pretty bad. Sounds like its missing, but its not.
Ideas? I guess i need to take the lower unit apart and go thru gears? What am i to expect to see once there?

Misha

 

[jasper60103]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

Regarding the gear slip.
Is this a tiller or remote setup?

Before taking apart the gearcase.
If you have a remote setup, check if it works properly by operating shift lever on motor. Could be remote or cable problem.

Also, I would check the shift rod connector.
Open the small cover on the leg. Make sure the screw is
properly inserted and tight. The screw should go thru the indentation on the shift rod.

 

[petrmik]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

It's a remote setup. Will definitely check the screw. Checked the forward/reverse cable, adjusted it. It moves the rod on the motor all the way, so it's not the linkage. Could it be low on lower unit lube? i added some to it before taking the boat out. But the lower screw on the leg is stripped, so i couldn't drain the oil. Instead i added some to the top hole. I know you're supposed to push it bottom up until it comes out of the top..

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

Disconnect your gearshift cable and manually shift into forward. Run the boat and see what happens. If the gear slamming stops, you have a cable problem. If not, you have a problem in the engine's shift linkage or have a bad clutch dog. If the clutch dog is bad, you may have worn surfaces on the forward and reverse gears too. Sometimes, however, the problem is only with the forward gear.

 

[coolguy147]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

did u replace the impeller lately? or take off the gear case recently? well u may have a cable rod in the motor problem. if u didnt put htem together the right way then ur screws may be screwed up too. gotta replace though. take out the screws and make sure there threads r all nice looking. then put the rod back in and make sure its all the way in the right way

 

[coolguy147]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

then again before u do that put the motor all the way in foward from the control box. (may have to turn the motor around a bit for it to pop in gear ) then ur lever on the motor should be all the way to the right with no more movement if ur facing the lever. unless u have ur hood on it then the decals should say foward neutral reverse if there still there

 

[old boat 54]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

Thanks for all the replies. After a bunch of testing figured it out.


"And yet i think i have a gear problem now. It seems to slip out of a gear about every 15 or 20 secs for a split of a second, just long enough to jerk the motor pretty bad." Sounds like its missing, but its not.
Ideas? I guess i need to take the lower unit apart and go thru gears? What am i to expect to see once there?

Misha

I know this is an old post, but was wondering if you found the problem with what seems to be " slipping out of gear." I have a 1966 33 horse and it has the same symptoms I thought at first it to be ignition problem, but I am not sure. Appreciate any responce.

 

[old boat 54]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

bump

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1966 33hp Johnson RXEL-14R spark

Hi pertkmilk. I have a '66 33hp RXEL-14D, which is very similar I believe. Here's a great link with an entire parts diagram and manual for my motor, so I think it should be fairly close to yours (I hope). I recently had a similar problem with a 10 hp and it was indeed the clutch dog. not surprising that they would wear down after so many years. you might be able to get away with spinning it around, but then reverse gear will suffer. Good luck.

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/v...ntage-evinrude-johnson/381417/38141700001.htm