1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

[trackerdave]

Ok, first off thanks to everyone that has replied and assisted with my previous problems this board has taught me much.<br />I have a 1979 55hp evinrude on the back of my party barge, have re-built the carbs and done basic maintenance. My first problem is that my choke spring is shot and I cannot find where to find a new one. No help from my mechanic. My second issue is starting the engine. I have to manually work the choke (no spring) and throttle to get it to start. It almost seems that the engine is not getting enough fuel to start? Any suggestions on either of these issues would be appreciated. <br />-trackerdave

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

Your Johnson/Evinrude dealer should be able to provide the spring. Is the choke solenoid working? Any home center or hardware store has a wide selection of general purpose springs that may work. Starting procedure is pretty straight forward. Fast idle lever up, squeeze primer bulb til firm, push in on key while cranking. If your choke has a separte switch, activate it while cranking.

 

[Tom Scully]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

Is it the spring in the solenoid under the plunger, or the spring that connects the solenoid shaft to the choke arm on the carb?

 

[trackerdave]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

The choke solenoid is working, I guess I'll take the old spring to the hardware store and do some searching (i was told they wouldn't work, not sure why). Upinsmoke, what you described is exactly how I try and start it, what I have to do is take the cover off and manually work the throttle and choke with someone else working the key (unless I have my trusty string and paperclip with me). Once it is running (with fast idle lever up) it sounds great, when the lever is dropped it will 90% of the time sputter and die. If I quickly shift into gear it will hang on and at a decent rpm begin to run fine. The problem is when I try to dock, if I drop it into idle it dies. <br /><br />Tom Scully, it is the spring that connects to the choke arm on the carb. For some reason my mechanic told me that a spring from a hardware store wouldn't work. Is this correct?<br /><br />Thanks ahead of time,

 

[Tom Scully]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

That is correct, it is a very particular shape of spring. The part # is 316075, I checked my local parts supplier and they have 1 in stock for $7.<br /><br />it sounds like you may need to clean and/or rebuild your carbs. Had the same problem with my and a good cleaning fixed it.

 

[trackerdave]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

I'm making a call now to a local shop to see if I/they can find one. Thanks so much for the part #!<br /><br />I did clean the carbs and she actually ran great on Mother's Day (thank goodness) but now kind of doing the same old thing. It is possible that there was some small bits of trash in my fuel so I guess I'll pull them off again for another cleaning.

 

[Tom Scully]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

It could be trash in your fuel or, if like mine, it could be foam from the engine cowling getting sucked into the carbs.

 

[trackerdave]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

Foam from the engine cowling? How could I check for that/ what causes that? Getting over my head now, I guess the manual is coming out.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

dave, before you rebuild the carbs. try resetting the low speed idle screw in the water. if yours has one, some don't. there is also a throttle stop that may be adjusted to far back.

 

[trackerdave]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

I thought about the low speed idle screw but didn't know how it would affect idle. As I said, it will run with the warm up lever fully lifted but when lowered it will die. Can I adjust the screw with the lever lifted (possibly increasing to a higher rpm) and then lower the lever? Any advice on resetting this or the idle stop (i'll have to check the manual for the location of this and the low speed screw ((top carb or bottom?)) ).

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

both carbs, wathc the throttle linkage as someone move the throttle, it is a screw or bolt the the the linkage will rest against at retracted throttle.

 

[Rancherlee]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

My 79' Johnson 55hp (same engine) was having similar issues like yours with starting and low idle speed (didn't want to troll). After I rebuilt the carbs I still had the same problems and it ended up being a weak coil (I changed them both, 32$ each at the dealer for new ones) Idles and starts like a champ now but will FLOOD out if I used the choke more then 1/2 second, most of the time I don't even need to use the choke to get it started unless its a cool morning.

 

[Tom Scully]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

The foam is around the inside of the engine cover to reduce noise. As it get old and dries out it flakes off and can enter the carbs. If it is a problem you will see small pieces of old foam sitting in the engine pan. You may not even have it in yours as allot of people remove it for just that reason.<br />Those carbs don't have a low speed idle screw.<br /><br />As Rancherlee suggests weak and or intermittent spark can also cause the same symptoms. <br />Spark, fuel delivery and compression should be checked anytime you are having problems with the engine running properly.

 

[trackerdave]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

No foam in my cover which I guess is a good thing, last thing I need is more symptoms. <br />Rancherlee, is changing the coils a difficult procedure? I'm fairly handy and can follow diagrams and instructions just wondering what it would take. I might as well give it a try, it can't hurt.<br /><br />thanks

 

[trackerdave]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

Tom Sculley, no low speed idle screws? I think I remember reading that in my manual, something about my year model not having them, I guess I'm referring to the two screws that are on the front of each carb (gold). These are visible through the air dam, not sure what the names are, they are what I was calling low and high speed idle screws.

 

[Tom Scully]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

There are no adjustable idle screws on those carbs. Go to evinrude.com, there are engine diagrams available with exploded views of the carbs as well as all of the part #'s. <br />Do a search here on iboats on how to build a simple spark gap tester and test for a good spark before changing the coils. They are cheap and easy to change, but why throw parts at a problem that may not exist.

 

[trackerdave]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

Tom Scully, can't thanks you enough for the resources, I just got off the phone with my local dealer and ordered the allusive choke spring. After looking at the exploded diagram and the screw/screws I'm referring to are the 'Screw Plug, idle passage'. I thought that these had something to do with the adjustment. I'll search for the spark gap tester.

 

[trackerdave]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

Just spoke to my neighbor that owns a hardware store, he's bringing home a spark tester and compression tester hopefully tonight. He also mentioned that he'd pick up two new spark plugs while he's there but I can't find the part/model # anywhere. (manual is at home) Anyone know this?

 

[Tom Scully]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

Champion L77JC4.<br />To adjust the idle use the idle stop screw on the rod for the timer base at the throttle arm.<br />It is item #51 on the diagram for the cylinder and crankcase on the evinrude site. It advances the idle timing.

 

[trackerdave]

Re: 1979 Evinrude 55hp choke/ starting issue

Tom Scully, I'll try that before doing the spark/compression checks. Any advice on how to set it? I have to have the warm up lever all the way up and play with the throttle and choke to start, I imagine that once it's running I can loosen? the screw and lower the warm up lever to see if there's any improvement?<br /><br />Thanks for the spark plug #, I think I'll be putting my mechanic on hold for awhile seeing as how he's already told me certain parts were'nt available unless etc. more money.....<br /><br />Hopefully I can get some boat work done tonight before the rain.