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17ft'r

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I have a 1963 18hp Johnson. I have finished looken at the lower end gears (nothing) looken too bad.
Replaced the water pump "impeller" and some gromlets/gaskets and am ready to see if this motor has life.

This motor although taken care of has (not) been started in about 5 to 7 years.
I think I need some advise as how to better my hand so to speak before I pull the "rope of life" on this motor. I think I will just (prime) the carb and give the clylinder a bit of oil and give her a pull.

Does that sound logical?

Thanks in advance,

17ft'r
 
It's some of the things I'd do.
Wish we lived closer, I like that kind of thing.
The quick n' dirty thing is to pull the plugs. Grond them and pull it through a few times to see if the plugs fire.
Check the compression with your finger.
Listen for Squeals and screetches that might indicate a Piston Ring problem.
Plugs die from sitting. You could afford to replace them, but only if it don't fire.
Do you have some mixed gas you can squirt into the plug holes?

Now put the plugs back in, pull it through to make sure both cylinders have compression.
Squeeze the bulb till you see some gas in the carb.
Pull the choke out and pull on the rope.
Cross your finger and all that stuff, but I'd bet it's gonna fire after a few pulls.

If you don't know why it was left in the shed, you might want to check the point setting, and see if the points are clean and moving.
 
Those are great ideas, that will atleast give me some heads up. As a good friend who sold me the motor said, " the motor was running fine when it went to the shed".
It is known to (jump) out of gear from time to time. I looked into that and found what I did not want to find and that was some (damage) to the "lugs" on the "forward" gear. I tried to (re-construct) the raidii cause I am not buying another gear for $614 +. I understand "bungee cords" are on sale at the local (Walmart).
Hey anyway thanks for the advise and I'll (post) the results of the (pull).

17ft'r
 
I'd also be tempted to put a squirt of Mystery Oil down each cylinder, pull the rope gently to distribute and let it sit for a day or so before starting.
 
Good advice, as near as you are if goes off wrong you just might hear the bang.

Thanks,

17ft'r
 
Plugs are so cheap, I wouldn't even consider putting the old ones back in. Just buy some new ones, set the gap and install them. When you check for spark, if it's not a strong blue spark, you need to at least clean and set the points.
 
thudpucker said:
It's some of the things I'd do.
Wish we lived closer, I like that kind of thing.
The quick n' dirty thing is to pull the plugs. Grond them and pull it through a few times to see if the plugs fire.
Check the compression with your finger.
Listen for Squeals and screetches that might indicate a Piston Ring problem.
Plugs die from sitting. You could afford to replace them, but only if it don't fire.
Do you have some mixed gas you can squirt into the plug holes?

Now put the plugs back in, pull it through to make sure both cylinders have compression.
Squeeze the bulb till you see some gas in the carb.
Pull the choke out and pull on the rope.
Cross your finger and all that stuff, but I'd bet it's gonna fire after a few pulls.

If you don't know why it was left in the shed, you might want to check the point setting, and see if the points are clean and moving.

pulling the plugs and grounding them to the block is not how you check to see if your motor is getting good spark. to check spark you need to eliminate the plugs from the equation. buy or make a spark tester either way buying one is under 10 bucks and you can make one in about 2o minutes with some 8 guage wire a chunk of wood, heavy duty staples and an alligator clip. you want your spark to jump a 3/8 inch gap and be a BRIGHT blue and make a sharp snapping noise... your plugs may have spark but if your spark from the motor is weak it new plugs or good plugs do you no good...
 
All above are good ideas.Checking for spark just let the spark jump from the wire to the block without the plug.You can get by without a spark plug checker.
 
crazymanme2 said:
All above are good ideas.Checking for spark just let the spark jump from the wire to the block without the plug.You can get by without a spark plug checker.

how are you gonna let the spark jump from the wire to the block? through the boot????? ive been told that you can destroy a coil or your stator doing that by 2 mechanics and would advise against it....


simple.....ijjjjj.png
 
I would challenge either one of those mechanics to explain to me how letting the coil arc to ground whether it's from the shaft of a screwdriver that was inserted into the boot or it's going through a spark tester is going to destroy a coil. It's doing the same thing regardless of which method is used, and that is the voltage/arc travels to ground. Maybe you misunderstood what the mechanics were saying or maybe they didn't know what they were saying. Not all mechanics are educated when it comes to electricity/electronics. An ign. coil is actually 2 coils of wire that make up the primary and secondary windings. A magnetic field is created by applying voltage to the input/primary winding. When the input voltage is dropped (ign points open), the collapsing magnetic field induces a voltage in the secondary winding. This is the voltage that creates the spark you see with your tester or the plug or whatever method you view the spark with.
 
JMichael said:
I would challenge either one of those mechanics to explain to me how letting the coil arc to ground whether it's from the shaft of a screwdriver that was inserted into the boot or it's going through a spark tester is going to destroy a coil. It's doing the same thing regardless of which method is used, and that is the voltage/arc travels to ground. Maybe you misunderstood what the mechanics were saying or maybe they didn't know what they were saying. Not all mechanics are educated when it comes to electricity/electronics. An ign. coil is actually 2 coils of wire that make up the primary and secondary windings. A magnetic field is created by applying voltage to the input/primary winding. When the input voltage is dropped (ign points open), the collapsing magnetic field induces a voltage in the secondary winding. This is the voltage that creates the spark you see with your tester or the plug or whatever method you view the spark with.

neither one said it WOULD destroy it but it could. they both said that to properly and accurately check your spark the spark plug can NOT be part of the loop or equation. they(father and son) have been in business repairing outboards for 46yrs so when they tell me something im gonna beleive it. im gonna give him a call and have him explain to me why you cant use the plug to get confirmation of good spark and why you should never ground the plug to the block, maybe i misunderstood him on the plug to block part but i dont think so....i'll post what he tells me. and btw im not trying to start an argument or nothing like that i just seen ur post and remembered what i was told...
 
theyre on vacation right now but i left a message with another omc guy with decades of experience and im waiting for a reply,
wish i could remember why they said that but oh well were gonna find out...
 
X2, the electrical charge is being discharged, it will NOT destroy a coil. tell your mechanics nice try, on selling coils. they make spark testers, same as using two wires on a board. the gap can be adjusted on the commercially available testers.
 
lovedr79 said:
X2, the electrical charge is being discharged, it will NOT destroy a coil. tell your mechanics nice try, on selling coils. they make spark testers, same as using two wires on a board. the gap can be adjusted on the commercially available testers.

this is another omc guy i know thats been around a long time. this is what he told me.....says manufacturers have equipped outboards with ignition systems that can produce up to 50,000 volts and thats the reason for not to ever hold your plug to the block to check spark. you can damage more than the coils. says when its laying on the block all you see is spark wich means nothing. it takes more voltage to jump a plug gap when the plugs in the cylinder because say theres 100psi in the gap now instead of 14.6 psi wich is atmospheric pressure and thats why its not a accurate or reliable way to check spark.... one of the most mis understood concepts.
 
:lol: laughing at my old intellect makes me wonder what's gonna happen to these guys if the "Tool" wasn't handy.

Start off with this: "Don't replace anything till you know what aint working!"

"SOMETIMES" those old plugs dont work after sitting for a long time. "SOMETIMES" I said.
See if it's gonna start first.
If it don't start or don't run good, then come back with some details.
 
Wow, I got alot of good information there and I feel like I just sat down a read the (trascripts) of a (Town Hall Meeting), but you know thats what is so great about these "Forums", ideas can get disproved and (proved) and new ideas to try.

Thanks to all. I feel there is alot of knowelge out there that you (all) have.

I will post the results,

17ft'r
 
I agree that a stray coil voltage could damage sensitive electronics located on the engine if it were to flow through those electronics. I also agree with the part about requiring more voltage to produce an arc under compression or increased pressure. That still doesn't explain how it's going to damage a coil. I also do not see how a purchased tester is going to protect the other electronics more than the other method being discussed here, since both methods are sending the spark to the block whether it's direct or via a wire and alligator clip. And if the psi (pressure) is that much of a factor, how is one of the spark testers you buy going to help since they are not pressurized and the spark created in one of them is not being created in a pressurized environment?
 
how bout this, you buy coils cause your mechanic tells you to, I will replace plugs at the beginning of the season like i have always done. or if i have electrical issues i will continue to test the spark by a grounded plug to the block like i have done for 20+ years without burning up electronics or coils. this applies to cars/trucks (new and old), atv's, dirt bikes, outboards and single cylinder air cooled engines. Rant over!
 
We hardly ever replaced plugs in Alaska. :roll: But in Louisiana the Plugs would die if they set over a winter. :cry:
I've never experienced a Bad Coil in my lifetime of Gas engine products.
Condensers, wires, corrosion, points often enough though.

PS: Where are you located? Fill out your File. Maybe somebody close to you can help.
 

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