72 Evinrude 50 hp need help starting my first boat

[1stboatguy]

Thanks for the starting procedure tips, seems like all motors have their little preferences lol
I got the carbs off last night and put them in some cleaning dip. Going to clean them up tonight and then order a rebuild kit.

I will also check the fuel pump so thanks!
Also yes the fuel tank is vented and fuel seems to be getting to the carbs without any problems.

 

[1stboatguy]

Ok I got the carbs all put back together, it looks like it has had a rebuild somewhat recently but I still can't get it to start. I went through the starting procedure as mentioned and it did sputter a little for a second and that was it.
I did notice after I let go of the choke that there was some fuel that came out the front of the carbs discs and ran down the front of them.
I decided to pull the plug that is brand new and check for fuel. They seemed pretty dry, with just a smidge of oily looking residue on it. I can try to post a picture but it makes me wonder if I am not getting sufficient gas from the carbs to the plugs?

 

[1stboatguy]

No Title

 

[jbuote]

I might be nuts, (still pretty new.. lol) but does that look like some water on the plug to anyone else?
​I very well could be wrong, but do you see water droplets in the plug hole or on piston top if you look through plug hole with flashlight or something?

 

[1stboatguy]

Thanks, I don't think it is water, I did crank it a few times and then checked for any water drops by pulling the plug and wiping a rag on the end of a pencil and looking with a flashlight but there wasn't any. The plug was wet with some gas but not soaked by any means.

I did pull the hose from the fuel pump and turned the key and got plenty of gas coming out and going to the carbs.
I even pulled off the other hose from the fuel pump (that goes down to the bottom of the motor) and it was pushing a lot of air through from the motor.
The diaphragm was a little worn looking but not horrible.
Also yes the fuel gets all the way to the bowls of the carbs.
I'm kind of at a loss as to where to go from here :blue:

 

[jbuote]

Hmmm...
​Clogged idle passages maybe?
​I used my air compressor to blow through all the passage ways in the carbs when I cleaned mine..
​Can also use a fine soft wire or mono fishing line or something to run through the passages to be sure they are clear..
​Under those silver dome caps should be clean too (If not already)..

​I didn't have any hiccups after rebuilding mine, so I don't really have any good "Carb Cleaning Troubleshooting" advice...
I'm sure somebody here can walk you through the cleaning, what you did, maybe missed etc..

​If that all checks out, I'd maybe think of checking reeds, but wait for somebody more experienced than I am with fuel delivery to suggest a real and appropriate course of action..

Sorry I don't have more on the carbs... LOL

 

[Paulywog0667]

If your coils are giving good spark and the fuel line isn't backwards, idk. That is my carb experience. The gears on the hydroelectric default to forward though. No voltage to either solenoid and it stays in forward. Nuetral will be 12v to one solenoid and reverse to both. The throttle cable and carb balance are probably more the issue. The motor should be able to start in forward though. Neutral on would send it to neutral. Won't hurt anything.

 

[1stboatguy]

Update....IT'S RUNNING!!!!!!!
Guy's I can't thank you all enough for getting me this far!
After cleaning up the carbs really good and verifying that fuel was reaching the plugs and that my spark was great I still got not start.
It has been driving me nuts until I realized that somebody perhaps messed with the idle settings. I found online that the screws should be 3/4 out from tight ( they were over 1.5 turns out) so I dialed them out at 3/4 turn and it at least tried more than ever to start and the fuel wasn't running out of the front of the carbs.
I decided to try something else and gave it a little throttle and choked it-- Fired right up!!
There is a point at which is too far forward for the engine to crank (throttle advancement switch) and it likes to have about a 1/4 inch of throttle to start.

I suppose now it is fine tuning and adjustments to get it running strong because it would die out on its own UNLESS I hit the choke for just a second right before it died and that would keep it running. I did this for about five minutes and about every twenty seconds I would have to hit the choke to keep it running.
I gave it some throttle (in neutral of course) and the same thing would happen with the throttle up.

Any ideas on adjustments to get it running smooth?

Also I replaced the impeller this afternoon and it looked to be in good shape but pumps plenty of water out.

 

[jbuote]

That is GREAT NEWS!!!!
Nice work!!

​There's a member here who has TONS of knowledge.. Found a write up of his carb tuning tips..
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engin...-by-joe-reeves
​^^ There's the link in case you haven't seen it.. lol..

​Ideally, you'd want to adjust idle and final mixtures on the lake.
​Biggest reasons for this, backpressure on exhaust, and engine load.
​If you're setting these at home, (muffs or barrel..) you can get close.

​Once again, I'm at camp so don't have my manual, but I think idle rpm should be around 7-800rpm.. That is on the lake.
​On muffs, there's no backpressure on the exhaust, so you'll need to set final idle to about 1000-1200rpm. Then when you get it on the lake, the backpressure drops your Rpm.. but you should be able to get it close on muffs or in a barrel..
​Just bring all the tools you'll need to tune carbs again, and set idle when you get to the lake..
​It'll be close and run good in your driveway, but with those settings, it'll probably run bad on lake.. you WILL have to do final adjustments on the lake..

​You did the link & sync on it too right?
​Since you took off and cleaned the carbs, put them back on and got it running, I'm guessing you did, but.. Did you? LOL

​As for having to hit the choke....
​Usually, that's a sign of running too lean.. (as far as I know,. lol)
But, check out that link above, and if after that fine tuning, if you still have to use choke to keep it running, then when it starts to die, instead of hitting choke, squeeze primer bulb from fuel tank..
​Does that keep it running too?

​Which remote do you have for it?
Mine has a "Start Lever" which advances the throttle a little, but then mine is a Johnson too, so...
​But yeah.. Going to need that little bit of throttle on initial start from cold no doubt..

 

[jbuote]

Actually, Now I'm curious. LOL

Update....IT'S RUNNING!!!!!!!
Guy's I can't thank you all enough for getting me this far!
After cleaning up the carbs really good and verifying that fuel was reaching the plugs and that my spark was great I still got not start.
It has been driving me nuts until I realized that somebody perhaps messed with the idle settings. I found online that the screws should be 3/4 out from tight ( they were over 1.5 turns out) so I dialed them out at 3/4 turn and it at least tried more than ever to start and the fuel wasn't running out of the front of the carbs.

​How could someone else have had the idle needle 1.5 turns out after you cleaned the carb?
​Taking the needles out and cleaning the passages (soaking, compressed air) and putting new bushings from carb kit is all part of the carb cleaning.
​If they were 1.5 out from someone else, then did you not take them out??

 

[1stboatguy]

Haha I didn't realize I had to take them out...:facepalm::facepalm:
I did use the compressed air and chem dip! lol
I will go through his carb tuning procedure and I think that should do the trick. Playing around with it here at the house will help me get it figured out so when I am on the lake I know just what it needs.

It's been raining all day so hopefully I can get out there later tune it up as well as see if squeezing the primer bulb works like choking it if it starts to die.

My remote is a push button shift with a single throttle lever and choke switch.

Also for clarification the motor IS in neutral. I pushed it into gear just to make sure for a quick second when it was running and it went right in to forward.

 

[jbuote]

Yeah.. The core plugs should come out too so you can get under them for cleaning..
​While the following vid is not the same carb, the principals are the same of what should be done.. lol

​I'm sure there are better videos out there, but a quick search popped this one up and it seems to cover the basics pretty well..

​In case it can help you.. lol