Evinrude 88 SPL stalls

[jbrighton]

My brother just gave me his boat with an 1988 Evinrude 88 SPL motor on it. He ran the motor fine last year & not at all this year. We dropped the boat in the water, it starts ok, runs a little rough but stalls when it is shifted into gear. I changed the plugs, checked/cleaned the fuel filter and used new gas. The problem still persists. I can get it moving at very slow speeds if I press the prime when it feels as though it will stall. The carb appears clean, and the prime bulb is semi-hard. What else should I look for? Thyanks for any assistance.

 

[JB]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL stalls

Howdy JBrighton. Sounds like your engine is starving for fuel. Try pumping your bulb when you ask it to accellerate. Double check that your tank vent is open. Disconnect the fuel line from the fuel pump to a carb and see if it squirts a good stream into a plastic bottle when you turn her over. <br /><br />If those things fail to improve things you may be down a cylinder or two. Remove the plug wires, one at a time (engine idling). If there is no change that cylinder is not making power. Check for spark. If you have a dead cylinder with no spark, try swapping parts between cylinders to isolate the bad component.<br /><br />Let us know how all that works.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB

 

[blowfish]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL stalls

WOW, there is someone who has an 88SPL<br />Evinrude motor.....I cant beleive it!!!<br />I myself had the same problem, the exact same problem, it would not start, it hade been sitting up 4 two yrs (garage), put fresh gas, cleaned the spark plugs ect. Dropped the motor, it would start and idle but would quit, when in gear. called one boat shop they wanted 200+ to put carb kits, (aint got 200+ kids school cloths and all) found this site here, and figured i was getting ripped $ff. Found another place, 90<br />bucks. Must have her, must pay, she goes today.

 

[jbrighton]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL stalls

Thanks for the help. I checked the fuel pump and it appears to be pumping fine. I am going to check the carbs & put the kits it. I did notice something a little odd on the motor. The idle adjustment screw is not flush. It is about 1/2" from touching the base. If I push the whole assembly down it will go flush but does not stay there. Is it possible that this assembly (it is attached to the carbs with a linkage) needs to be adjusted and/or lubricated?

 

[Capt DHD]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL stalls

Hello JB;<br />Do not mess with any linkage settings, If you change the cam setting you will throw off the pick up timing specs, hence, timing through out the entire power band. <br />Pull the carbs, clean them well. You have 4 jets in each carb bowl. Make sure you clear each and be certian not to mix them up.<br />The top chamber gasket is an update it is included in each OMC (Bombardier) original carb kit. They have a channel cut out of them. You may notice where the originals in this area are a little sucked in, this would close down proper fuel flow at low speed. This old style gasket could attribute to your problem.<br />In any case service the carbs. Dont mess with the factory settings. Go try the motor.<br />As a note, if you think the timing is incorrect, have someone who is familiar with sinc'ing these engines do it. May save you a piston.<br />Good luck...Capt DHD

 

[jbrighton]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL stalls

Thanks for the info Capt. DHD. I will service the carbs as soon as possible and try it out. It is tough to worry about my motor right now in light of the attacks on our country. I was leaving the previous message yesterday when I got word of the attacks. I live on the jersey shore and have several friends who work @ the World Trade Center and are still missing.

 

[jbrighton]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL stalls

I finally got the carb kits and cleaned and installed them in my carbs. The jets in both the carbs were extremely clogged (one carb was very bad). Cleaned them up, installed kits, and she runs like a champ! <br /><br />Thanks for all the assistance, it is much appreciated.