So I went to tune my outboard today in a barrel because the idle just wasn't that great. It would pop back and die. So upon getting it fired up i was fighting getting it to sit there and idle long enough to tune. Well one of the times cranking the engine suddenly sounded like zero compression. Checked the plugs and pistons. Fine. Checked the reeds. Also fine. That's when I noticed the flywheel had sheared the key off. The flywheel is alittle marred up from spinning on the crank. And the crank is alittle as well. But nothing drastic. What I did notice when I took it apart was that flywheel nut came right off with a 3/8 drive ratchet and not much effort so I assume it wasn't very tight to begin with. So I went out to my local ace hardware. Grabbed another key. Now honestly I don't know if the ones from the hardware store are up to the task or not. But I threw it in. Torqued it down best I could with said 3/8 ratchet and cheater bar. It was a struggle because the flywheel kept wanting to spin. Anyway I got it where I thought it was ok. Fired it up. Adjusted the idle mixture screw because it was almost completely in. And backing it out the engine purred like a kitten. Perfectly smooth idle. No popping. No back firing. Would fire up with the bump of the key. I figured that back fire/popping is what caused to shear it off. Well I walked away satisfied with the results and came back about an hr later and the motor was struggling to fire back up. Think I flooded it honestly. Well the moment I hear the motor actually fire once it did it again. Sheared the key right off. Again the flywheel nut was looser than it should have been when I went to loosen it.
So what's going on? Not enough torque on the flywheel nut? Flywheel not mating to the crank good enough? Hardware store key not up to the task?
So what's going on? Not enough torque on the flywheel nut? Flywheel not mating to the crank good enough? Hardware store key not up to the task?