559hg starting

Criv69

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I've got a seeming nice 559hg motor. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Two weeks ago I was able to get it to idle for about 5 seconds before it would cut and now I'm getting nothing. I'm not sure if it's a spark issue, timing, or fuel delivery.

Primes fine and newly cleaned carb.
New plugs gapped at .40
One plug seems to have weak spark but I'm not sure what is causing it
New starter
Plugs have white deposits and are dry
Does seem to backfire occasionally after cranking it.

I'm somewhat at a loss. This motor sat for some time but seems to be in good shape overal except I get get it to run. Any help would be appreciated.
 

Frank Acampora

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Remove the flywheel and clean the points. Gap them to .020. Re-gap the plugs to .030. Then see if it fires. If not then look for fuel delivery. To test for fuel, remove the plugs and put about a teaspoonful of premex (50-1) into each cylinder. replace the plugs and crank. It will be flooded but as it clears it should fire, run for a second, and stall.
 

Criv69

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Remove the flywheel and clean the points. Gap them to .020. Re-gap the plugs to .030. Then see if it fires. If not then look for fuel delivery. To test for fuel, remove the plugs and put about a teaspoonful of premex (50-1) into each cylinder. replace the plugs and crank. It will be flooded but as it clears it should fire, run for a second, and stall.

I will do these things tonight and get back to you. Thanks.
 

Criv69

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after struggling for an hour or so I finally got the flywheel off. It appears the key sheared. What effect would this have on my timing? I'm sure this has something to do with my problems. I'll be ordering a new key tonight as I'm sure no one will have one locally. What steps do I need to take to correct my timing? Thanks!
 

Frank Acampora

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The key also locates and drives the cam. It is a modified woodruff key with a straight extension down to engage the cam.Once it shears, the cam is no longer located correctly in relation to top dead center. Once you put the new key in timing should be very close to correct.
 

jerryjerry05

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Don't mess with the timing, unless you changed something it should be OK.
Set the carb screw at 1 and 1/2 out and then adjust once the motor is warm and in the water.

Oh yea, get 2 maybe 3 keys as they can break again.
 

Criv69

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Don't mess with the timing, unless you changed something it should be OK.
Set the carb screw at 1 and 1/2 out and then adjust once the motor is warm and in the water.

Oh yea, get 2 maybe 3 keys as they can break again.

So am I right in my thinking that this is what could be causing my running problem? I'll regap and clean the points as well, see if that solves the weak spark in my one plug.

Before removing the flywheel I did put a small amount of gas into each cylinder and cranked it but not still nothing, not even a backfire this time.
 

Frank Acampora

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If the flywheel is not properly seated and correctly tightened, these two cylinder engines will frequently break the key upon the first start (or attempt). So, before you install the flywheel lightly coat the hub and the crankshaft taper with lapping compound. Then without the key, rock the flywheel a couple of times. Rotate 90 degrees and rock a couple of times. Repeat until you have completed the circle.. Clean the crankshaft and flywheel hub. Put vertical pencil lines on the crankshaft taper. put on the flywheel and rotate. At least 80% of the lines should be rubbed off.

Install the flywheel and key. Torque the nut to 95 foot pounds. Too loose and the flywheel will shear the key every time. Borrow a torque wrench if need be.

Too cheap to buy lapping compound or can't find some? Borrow some of the wife's powdered abrasive sink cleaner (Ajax for example) and mix into a paste with oil. Not as good as lapping compound but (as Romeo said) "twill do"
 

jerryjerry05

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If the key broke then the added gas might not ever fire?
Or if it does it should backfire or misfire.

New boat/motor in 88 was fishing and turned off the motors.
One wouldn't restart no matter what I did.
Starting fluid/ premix nothing.
Sheared the key.
 

Criv69

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So, the new key finally came in the mail yesterday, I cleaned the points and re-gapped as instructed and now I have no spark at either plug.
 

wickware

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1. Double ck point gaps and at what point cam?s lobs location you set them at .020.
2. Ck continuity between point?s closed contacts with ohmmeter. Any lint or Etc can interfere.
3. Double ck plugs are grounded good to bare metal in checking for spark or use in-line spark tester.
4. Ck ignition switch is testing on to ignition vs killing spark.
5. Ck, Ck, Ck, IMO you are missing one of the basic needs.
6. If you have lost spark that is saying Ck Adjustments.
7. Please post a good close view of your Mag Sys with the points open on cam lob (#1).

Good Luck, I hope It Has Fired!!!
 

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Criv69

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It seems the flywheel is making contact with the stator which I believe would kill the spark. Am I correct in this thought?
 

Criv69

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It also seems as though I must have scrapped something against the stator and some of the wire is exposed, I'm assuming either or both of these would kill the spark.
 

Criv69

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Hey you guys I still need some help on this. I'm totally at a loss.
 

Frank Acampora

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Remove the flywheel and check the wiring to the points. Each set should have three wires on the insulated post and the wire terminations should NOT touch anything but the post. The three wires are: 1. wire from hot side of coil, 2. Wire from condenser, and 3. Wire from kill circuit (these are the two wires that look like lamp cord and attach to the blue and white terminals on the engine, assuming magneto ignition.) With battery and coil ignition there should be two white wires.

Be certain you placed the cam with the rotation directional arrow facing up. Putting the cam on upside-down will sometimes prevent spark.

The other side of the coils should be connected to the carrier plate. The carrier plate needs to be grounded to the block by a black wire. This is because the carrier plate is insulated from the block by a plain bronze greased bearing.

While it is unlikely that both condensers are bad it is possible and a bad condenser will prevent spark.

Check that the spark plug wires are solid in the coils and check that the wire inside the boot is not broken. It is a regular steel spring. It does often rust and break right where it is pressed into the wire.

I just noticed that you said the engine has a stator. This would be battery and coil ignition. The stator is part of an alternator which charges the battery. The battery charges the coils to create spark. If the stator wires are scraped to expose the wire and creat a short it will not or should not affect running. Since the rectifier is a one way valve, the battery can not discharge into the shorted stator. the engine should start and run until the battery drops below a critical voltage.

The blue wires from the ignition switch connect to the positive side of the coils. The white wires connect to the negative sides of the coils. With the ignition switch on and the points closed 12 volts flows through the coils to the points through the white wire. The coils build up a magnetic field in the primary windings. When the points open, voltage stops flowing and the magnetic field in that coil collapses, cutting through the secondary windings, creating an high voltage pulse delivered to the spark plug.

SO: with no spark, check that the positive side of the coils are getting 12 volts. check that the white wires are attached to the points and are not shorted or grounded anywhere.

The flywheel gently rubbing against the laminations of the stator is not desirable but generally will do no harm. Rubbing against the wires of the stator is definitely not good and means the hub of the flywheel is worn too big, letting the flywheel sit too low OR---You have not properly set the stator down on the mount and have not adequately tightened the mounting screws.
 
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Criv69

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I'm starting to run through all the wiring today. I'm attaching pictures of everything as it sits now. If anythings jumps out let me know but sounds like something got ungrounded when I pulled the flywheel a few weeks ago.

I had reasonably good spark before pulling the flywheel to replace the broken key. Now I have no spark. Its gotta be a ground somewhere, I hope.
 

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Criv69

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I was going over some diagrams and noticed a breaker. It looks like it cuts off the ignition system but doesn't effect the starter. Is there a possibility I tripped this breaker? How do I reset it?
 
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