Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

[katfish2123]

What year, model, size is this motor? Dad says a Lark IV

Model - 40372D
Ser - E03531

The boat has been setting at my uncles house for 5 years or so. He said it ran when he put it up.

First off, I read a thread from 2005 that had a very similar situation to the one I have.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=103361&highlight=lark+iv+model

The pictures in this thread look just like my engine. It has plenty of problems, but as for right now I am trying to get it to get fuel. Has new plugs mentioned in the thread (J4C) new fuel tank and fuel, plenty of compression. I haven't tried sucking and blowing on the pressure side of the fuel pump line hose though.
I did, however, take the carb off and clean it up. I don't understand where the jet would be on this carb as I have not worked on a carb before. In that thread they said they had all of the same situation as me and it ended up being trash in the jet. Is that the hole that goes down to the bottom of the bowl?

Also, the starter looks to have been on an off many times. There are only 2 bolts holding the starter bracket on and I believe there is supposed to be at least 5.

It has no generator and I believe it was just taken off on purpose as the yellow and blue (or yellow and green) wires for it are taped off in the engine compartment.

The motor has selectric shift as I can tell from the posts on here. I rewired the whole fuse panel/block and voltage regulator before I noticed that it didn't have a generator. BTW, It has a very nice schematic drawing inside the box if anyone needs a picture of it.

The shift/throttle cable is locked up and by reading the other post that may have something to do with it.

When I do get this thing to run, I know I want to put a water pump/impeller in it or at least have one around.


whew..... I know it is a lot. Just wanted to get as much info out on the first post as possible. I'm sure I missed a lot and will have to fill in the blanks, but any help on these issues, parts and lack of knowledge would be greatly appreciated as this boat has a lot of meaning to me since I learned how to fish and ski from it and now it's mine.

Thank you in advance.
Katfish

 

[JB]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

Your engine is a 1963 Evinrude 40HP, kat

Go to the Engine FAQs forum and do "Awakening a sleeping outboard" and, if needed, "Outboard won't start".

Let us know.

Oh, and BTW, that engine wants a 24:1 mix.

 

[katfish2123]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

I ordered a service manual and I'm getting a water pump and throttle cable within the next couple of days.

I tried to check the reeds like it says in the other thread.(to suck and blow on the pressure hose for the fuel pump. I tried it in many positions as I didn't really understand how they said to do it. It got a little more restricted when the piston was toward the front of the engine, (I guess that's considered down.) but it didn't ever get impossible to suck or blow air.

I also tried the spray bottle. It worked for very short bursts. It really didn't run, you could just tell it was trying to fire. It will run for a little longer with starting fluid and even longer if I put fuel from the spray bottle directly into the cylinders. (as I am working on this motor by myself and can't turn it over and spray at the same time.

Is the little brass fitting on the bottom of the carb (inside the bowl) is it supposed to go inside the hole in the bottom of the bowl? It seems to me that the carb wouldn't be able to supply fuel if it is down in that hole and from eyeballing it it looks like it would be at least tight in the hole in the bottom of the bowl.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

I would order carb kits and go through the carb, wait for the manual or try looking at evinrude drawings, they only go back to 1968.

http://shop2.evinrude.com/ext/index.aspx?s1=49caa9cd109c65f296748a508af7434f

 

[katfish2123]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

A guy at work cleaned the carb out for me. He said there was a bunch of dirt in the carb, even after I had cleaned it. I haven't got a chance to try it yet. I will let you guys know what happens. Still waiting for the manual to come.

 

[katfish2123]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

Just got the service manual in the mail. Seems as if the choke has been changed out, but everything else seems to be OK. Except the generator that I knew wasn't there already, of course. Will keep you guys posted and may post picures soon in case anyone comes across this problem again.

 

[katfish2123]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

I read this over and over in these forums, to put oil or some type of lube into the cylinders. Well, I just figured it was good because it was turning over. In this process of thinking it was good I had to use a fully charged battery and the truck with jumper cables to get it to turn over and I figured the starter might be a little bit bad or something.

Well I sprayed WD40 into the cylinders and let it set for a little while, maybe 5 minutes, with the motor tilted up and the spark plugs out. The reason I finally came to do this is that the bendix on the starter got wedged/stuck into the flywheel so I took the starter off and tried to pull it. Without the spark plugs in it and the starter off I couldn't pull it.

Anyway, I put in the WD40, let it set and turned it over with the spark plugs out and it turned over like crazy. Of course the whole time spitting out the WD40 I had sprayed in there. I pumped up the ball and installed the spark plugs and it ran, just like that. Then I removed the jumper cables from my truck and with the old battery I had been using it sang the engine into another comfortable run.

Now that the motor is running and starting comfortably I have some more work to do before being able to take it out for the "new" first voyage. It needs a throttle cable and I need to make sure the gears shift.

I want to say thanks to all on this site for the wealth of knowledge and mostly for sharing it. We are all more intelligent and productive people because of it.

I will keep ya'll posted on my progress.

 

[katfish2123]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

This motor has selectric shift as I stated earlier. I took the boat out today to try it and it took 5-10 seconds for it to go into reverse and it never strongly engaged in forward but would push the boat at higher rpm's. I kept trying it and ended up that the reverse nor the forward would move the boat or even seem to engage. Any assistance on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Kyle

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

What kind of lubricant was used in the lower unit?

 

[katfish2123]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

I don't know. Where do I get the correct oil? I will be more than happy to change it out as I have been working on this motor now just trying to get me on the water for about 6 months now. I will say that it runs really good. Pull start on first pull but I have a wiring problem with the starter or the starter is bad, but I will leave that until I get it shifting. Maybe I will just keep pull starting it if it keeps running this good.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

Wow. If you can pull start a 40, then it is tuned up well.
The lower unit oil is not the normal 80W-90 gear oil. The correct oil is referred to as "Type C" lubricant, for electric shift lower ends. I think the dealer calls it "Premium Blend" now.

 

[katfish2123]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

I got the gears shifting! Now the old rusted cable (throttle cable?) broke and I need to get a new one. Any idea where I might be able to get one or anything that would work.

The motor is a lark iv with a Johnson Super seahorse cover and maybe the foot has been changed out and the forward control is off of a Johnson electromatic.

 

[katfish2123]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

I took the motor out and it was running great then the motor flooded it's self out and was pouring gas out the front of the carb. It's like the float is stuck open. I took the carb apart and with me blowing on the fuel intake fitting on the side with the carb upside down the needle on the float cuts off the air as it should with the fuel flow. It has an old cork float that I took off and it floats.

I put it back together and pumped the ball and and I'm guessing the bowl filled, the ball never tightened and fuel poured out the front of the carb.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

For whatever reason, the needle valve is not sealing. This could be from a bad needle valve/seat, float mis-adjustment, or float sinking in gasoline. The original coating on the cork float was shellac, which is alcohol (ethanol) soluble.

 

[katfish2123]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

Which of these would make it so sudden to just cut off going down the lake? Could it be trash somewhere in the carb? I have the carb apart right now and got a rebuild kit that I may have more questions on how to do. I took the needle valve out and didn't see any trash, but I also know it wouldn't have to be very big to make it stick. Also, the jet in the bottom front of the carb does it screw out or is it fixed?

As for the lean/rich needle, does it just let more air into the back part of the carb through the tiny holes that look like a smiley face?

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Lark IV not getting fuel (I think)

Alot of trash in the carbs comes from the old fuel lines. The ethanol in modern fuels is a very good solvent, and will break off hunks of old junk from the inside of the fuel lines, as well as dissolving them slowly. It's best to replace them, particularly the one between the fuel pump and carb,