2 HP Evinrude, late 70s-early 80s

[jprobb]

Hi, I should have posted this a few months earlier but I thought I would have the time to actually look at the motor before it got too cold.
In the summer we took this motor down a pretty weedy waterway and it was so bad that the motor would stall out and it wasn't clear, but appeared as though the engine was smoking, but water was still coming out of the back as it always had.
Couldn't restart the engine for a while after but turned over easily. Didn't seem like anything had really changed. Paddled back to our starting point and then tried the motor again, and it fired up and again we trekked down the waterway, but again got to a certain point where it stopped and then we couldn't start it again. Paddled back again and called it a day.
Got back home and externally everything looked fine. I dropped the bottom end and looked at the gear oil (was clean but replaced anyways), checked the impeller (intact and nothing impeding it), then attached a hose to the water tube and was able to easily flush out the water jacket with no debris coming out. Put it back together and started it again, then it wouldn't run long before stalling out. I started thinking this was coincidence and knew the carb had not been touched as long as I was aware so I kind of did a poor man's rebuild, which showed that it needs an actual rebuild to replace degrading o-rings and maybe a deep clean

 

[racerone]

???----Rebuild ?----There is not much that can go wrong with one of those simple carburetors.

 

[Crosbyman]

motors stop from lack of fuel ( bad filteringf blocked carb orifices etc...) . lack of sparks,heat and lack of basic care ....

carb and magneto on a 2hp does not get simpler has mentionned by racerone
see 3hp... 2hp has only one coil !!

1953-1967 Evinrude 3HP Litetwin Tune UP Project Ignition System Tune-Up | Outboard Boat Motor Repair

www.outboard-boat-motor-repair.com

see 3hp carb... basically same design as the 2hp

1953-1967 Evinrude Johnson 3HP Tune UP Project Carburetor Tune Up | Outboard Boat Motor Repair

www.outboard-boat-motor-repair.com

Outboard Motor Carburetor Repai

Johnson

 

[jprobb]

???----Rebuild ?----There is not much that can go wrong with one of those simple carburetors.

Correct, not much that can go wrong but when something does go wrong, you are hooped. I have found that the vast majority of the small engine issues I experience, whether lawnmower, garden tractor, tiller, or small outboard, are as a result of a dirty carb. I do blame some of it on fuel quality as I never experienced the amount of issues with fuel when I was in Southern Ontario compared to the literally yearly issues here in Manitoba.
Not a big rebuild but replacing a few key parts will make a difference.
I was only concerned about whether it got overheated and then there might be other damage that someone else might have recognized that I was overlooking.

 

[F_R]

I am concerned about the repeated quitting and smoking in that weedy waterway.

 

[jprobb]

I am concerned about the repeated quitting and smoking in that weedy waterway.

And this was what I was trying to determine whether it was an issue or simply coincidence. There is no doubt that the engine struggled and got bogged down with lily pads, but further inspection of the cooing system demonstrated not only no blockages, but no evidence anything had been sucked up into the tube or was in the head. Impeller was intact and in good condition with everything turning smoothly. Compression is present. Takes a while to start, as if fuel starved, then will run for a little bit and then die, as if fuel starved. Having seen how some other engines react to overheating situations, with scored cylinders or valves getting stuck, I think I will just swap on another carb and maybe go from there. As mentioned, there isn't much to these motors so at least the possibilities are limited. Wouldn't hurt to pull the flywheel as well and replace some components while I am in there.

 

[racerone]

Does spark jump a gap of at least 1/4", yes or no ?----Reed valves do not get stuck on these motors.---Agreed pull the flywheel and check the coil.----They are often cracked / burned through to magneto plate.

 

[jprobb]

Does spark jump a gap of at least 1/4", yes or no ?----Reed valves do not get stuck on these motors.---Agreed pull the flywheel and check the coil.----They are often cracked / burned through to magneto plate.

I have to be careful what I do with this motor right now as my wife is not aware I have it in the house but there is no way I can work on it outside and my garage isn't heated either. Got a late start at looking at it Going to be at least another month before we maybe get above zero temperatures so this might be okay since parts tend to take a long time to get ordered and delivered.

 

[jprobb]

Does spark jump a gap of at least 1/4", yes or no ?----Reed valves do not get stuck on these motors.---Agreed pull the flywheel and check the coil.----They are often cracked / burned through to magneto plate.

Took the flywheel off and everything looks good. The coil has an outer appearance like it is new. I think I will leave this all intact for now and just grab a carb kit. The flywheel is easy enough to pop off so if I want to go back I can easily do the points and condenser.

 

[jprobb]

Took the flywheel off and everything looks good. The coil has an outer appearance like it is new. I think I will leave this all intact for now and just grab a carb kit. The flywheel is easy enough to pop off so if I want to go back I can easily do the points and condenser.

So I have been taking my time with this and tore the carb apart to find the disintegrating cork float as well as some other things that were not quite right. I cleaned it all up and started putting it back together with the new parts and when I got to the low speed jet, something didn't look right at all. I then realized that the tip of the needle valve was actually stuck in the port and had broken free from the valve body. I was able to get it out and then looked at the how it fit into the valve body, noticing the flange was cracked, so I assume someone cranked this jet in tightly. I am not going to pay the $110 for a new one here and will pick one up in a month or so, but in the meantime I yanked the one out of my other 2hp, which looks pretty much the same except one piece versus this one that was clearly 2 piece.
I hope to have it all back together by this weekend so I give it a run.
When setting up the jets, how far do I back off each from closed position?

 

[jprobb]

Just to update this thread, I finally got the necessary parts and put things back together. It fired up nicely and I was able to get it to idle lower than I ever remember it being able to idle. I couldn't do much with it in a garbage can so when we actually used it on the water it started easily and ran great...at low speeds. I used it to troll for over 2 hours a day for about 3 consecutive days, without any issues so the original problems were likely coincidental. That said, when I wanted to crank it wide open, it would stall out, presumably from too little fuel. I tried playing with the high speed needle a little bit but I never got the chance to really see what was going on....and then the rain came, so now the motor is sitting in a shed at the lake. I guess next year I will yank the high speed needle out again and make sure everything is okay with it.
In the meantime, my son wants to get my dad's 1951 Firestone/Scott Atwater 5 HP running again so we will give that a shot.