'72 Evinrude 85 V4 won't run

[iDriveAVan]

Recently picked up a 16' runabout off craigslist. Has a 1972 Evinrude 85hp V-4 Crossflow motor on it. Model number 85293R. Electric Shift.

I know very little about outboard motors and am have a heck of a time getting the thing to run. When I first tried to start it without doing any work it wouldnt even try and catch at all. I have a 12v battery charger that has a 250amp engine start setting so i know its not a battery amperage problem.

Since buying it i have done the following
-Cleaned up every electrical contact I can reach without pulling the power head off (including contacts in controls)
-New fuel tank
-New Fuel line/primer bulb
-New spark plugs all around
-Checked that all 4 cylinders have spark
-Mixed fresh fuel. added slightly more oil than a 50:1 (approx 40:1)so as to ensure motor was properly lubricated after sitting.
-Checked compression. Cylinders have 110,115,120,125 psi.
-Pulled carbs and found them all gunked up. Fully disassembled and cleaned with carb cleaner and compressed air. Did not remove jets.
-Checked floats and made them parallel with top of float bowl.
-Rebuilt carbs with new carb kits.

After rebuilding the carbs the engines still would not start and i found that the float needle on the upper carb was sticking, and not letting any fuel into the bowl. I took both carbs apart and used a little WD40 to lube up the float needles and the bowls fill up fine now. Engine still will not start. Thought i may have a fuel pump issue so I pulled the pump off and disassembled it and ended up breaking a piece of plastic on the inside so I am working on finding a replacement fuel pump.

With the fuel pump bypassed i have used the primer bulb to fill the bowls and try to start again, no luck. With starter fluid i can get the engine to catch and run for 30 seconds but it wont stay running, even if i squeeze the primer bulb to put pressure on the fuel lines. I then found labeling on the engine for 4 low speed mixture screws and backed them out 1/2 turn from seated but that did nothing either. I cant seem to find any info on what the factory setting on those screws are supposed to be.(See Pic)

So where should I turn next?

 

[F_R]

Re: '72 Evinrude 85 V4 won't run

Those are NOT adjustment screws, they are plugs. They are to be screwed in all the way, snug. OK, you said the carburetors were all gunked up but you didn't remove the jets. You can almost bet the farm that you should have. They must be absolutely positively squeaky CLEAN, with no trace of any gum or varnish.

Secondly, you made no mention of servicing the ignition system. That is the weak spot on those motors. Even in new condition, the distributor system was not all that great. Not only that, but it has breaker points that must be adjusted to .009", no more and no less. Lastly, there is a silver spring in there called an anti-reverse spring. If not serviced regularly, it wears and the dust coming off it fouls the distributor. Yeah, I know you said it has spark. That by itself doesn't impress me.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: '72 Evinrude 85 V4 won't run

With starter fluid i can get the engine to catch and run for 30 seconds but it wont stay running, even if i squeeze the primer bulb to put pressure on the fuel lines.

Welcome to the iboats.com forum! The members here are great and the experts, which I am not but F_R is, can help you with any problem. When F_R posts in a thread, I pay attention because I always learn something new. Using "starter fluid" means ether to me and that is generally discouraged because it contains no lubricating oil and may wash away some/any residual oil from the last time your motor was run. Spray some pre-mix in there instead if you repeat that test. Good luck!

 

[iDriveAVan]

Re: '72 Evinrude 85 V4 won't run

Those are NOT adjustment screws, they are plugs. They are to be screwed in all the way, snug. OK, you said the carburetors were all gunked up but you didn't remove the jets. You can almost bet the farm that you should have. They must be absolutely positively squeaky CLEAN, with no trace of any gum or varnish.

Didn't remove the jets because all I had read previously was that you need a special screwdriver and that they can be extremely tricky to remove correctly. Figured that being that it was all cleaned out I should be good. Any tips or secrets to removing the jets other than finding just the right size screwdriver? Also any way to clean the gum or varnish off better once they are out other than carb cleaner and compressed air?

Secondly, you made no mention of servicing the ignition system. That is the weak spot on those motors. Even in new condition, the distributor system was not all that great. Not only that, but it has breaker points that must be adjusted to .009", no more and no less. Lastly, there is a silver spring in there called an anti-reverse spring. If not serviced regularly, it wears and the dust coming off it fouls the distributor. Yeah, I know you said it has spark. That by itself doesn't impress me.

Ill take a look at doing this first, is there a way to test the "power" behind the spark or if the distributor is in good shape after setting the points? Figured that spark wasnt the problem because the engine will run off of starter fluid, but the different characteristics of gas and starter fluid could do it i guess? I'll see if I cant get this done tonight after work.

Thanks for the guidance!

 

[iDriveAVan]

Re: '72 Evinrude 85 V4 won't run

Welcome to the iboats.com forum! The members here are great and the experts, which I am not but F_R is, can help you with any problem. When F_R posts in a thread, I pay attention because I always learn something new. Using "starter fluid" means ether to me and that is generally discouraged because it contains no lubricating oil and may wash away some/any residual oil from the last time your motor was run. Spray some pre-mix in there instead if you repeat that test. Good luck!

Guess I'll sacrifice an old water spray bottle I have laying around then...

 

[Willyclay]

Re: '72 Evinrude 85 V4 won't run

Didn't remove the jets because all I had read previously was that you need a special screwdriver and that they can be extremely tricky to remove correctly. Figured that being that it was all cleaned out I should be good. Any tips or secrets to removing the jets other than finding just the right size screwdriver? Also any way to clean the gum or varnish off better once they are out other than carb cleaner and compressed air?

Here's a link to an old thread in the FAQ's that may help you with that issue since it contains the specs for the "special screwdriver".

http://forums.iboats.com/engine-fre...ns-faq/carb-cleaning-instructions-244013.html

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: '72 Evinrude 85 V4 won't run

I always remove the jets, then use an aerosol can of Gumout on all the passages inside the carbs. Do one passage on one carb, then the same passage on the other. Closely note the spray volume coming out of the carb exit hole. Both carbs should have the same sparay volume/pattern on exit. Then go on to the second passage on the first carb, etc, etc. You did not mention what the spark plug tips looked like after cranking over the engine. Are they wet or dry? That will tell you something. Wet=no spark. Dry=no fuel.

 

[boobie]

Re: '72 Evinrude 85 V4 won't run

How did you check your spark ?? Grounding out the plugs and checking it doesn't cut it. Spark should jump a 3/8' open air gap on a spark tester.