74 evinrude starflight 115 V4 cranking problems

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  • May 2, 2016 at 9:57 pm #4185
    wiscoboater
    Participant

      I have a 1974 Evinrude starflight I’m working on. The motor sat for a few years in a green house before I bought it. Motor is free. turns nice by hand. I jumped the starter directly and it turns but very slow and somewhat choppy. I swapped the starter with a known good one to see if any better. It’s really about the same. Did these motors have slow cranking issues? Another member said something to that effect. If so, what is the cure for this. It spins so slow and choppy I can’t even get a good compression reading on it. Any advise?

      May 2, 2016 at 10:09 pm #35853
      jerry-ahrens
      Participant

        US Member

        I would try hooking up a battery to the solenoid to crank it over. It may be tough to get a good connection going directly to the starter. I keep an extra set of battery cables around off of a parts motor to use for this purpose. Jumper cables probably won’t work either for the same reason.. poor connection. If it still cranks slow, test the starter with an inductive amp meter to see if it’s drawing to much current.

        May 2, 2016 at 10:13 pm #35854
        dan-in-tn
        Participant

          US Member

          The slow cranking problems I alluded to in our conversation had to do with enough cranking speed to generate spark. The starter should be turning the motor over fine as far as you can tell if everything else is OK. Does the motor feel OK turning it by hand? Any tight spots? Maybe just a little WD-40 would help without too much influence on your compression numbers. Don’t forget the gearcase may be tight and have to be pulled to get the motor to turn over properly. Did you check the lube down there? Just a few ideas you may have over looked.

          Dan in TN

          May 2, 2016 at 10:22 pm #35855
          wiscoboater
          Participant

            Thanks Dan and Jerry,
            I was thinking the same thing as far as dropping the lower. When I first tried it with a breaker bar on the flywheel nut it did have a tight spot. Doused it good with deep creep and PB Blaster and it seems to turn fine now with the bar, no noticible tight spot now. Even when spinning it with the plugs out it is still slow, but smoother. I’ll drop the lower and try what Jerry suggested and see if it helps. Had a hard time finding this motor so I hope it works out. When I bought it, it had a 135 hood on it, but serial number shows it as a 115. Still enough motor to get me into trouble 😉

            May 2, 2016 at 10:31 pm #35856
            wiscoboater
            Participant

              If I drop the lower can I hook a hose directly to the water tube to try to test fire? If it turns fast enough.

              May 2, 2016 at 10:39 pm #35857
              fleetwin
              Participant

                US Member

                I dunno, you mention a tight spot, and choppy cranking electrically. There may be a problem internally, or with the gearcase like others have been mentioned. You may want to soak the cylinders with cleaner, perhaps pull the heads if it cranks the same with the gearcase off.
                Does the engine have a bubble back exhaust cover, if so it is a 135. 115s had the flat back exhaust cover. The 135s definitely had more compression, and everything needs to be right or it might crank slowly. Regular jumper cables may not big heavy enough to crank this engine effectively. How does it crank with its original wiring being used? The battery needs to be relatively heavy duty and fully charged as well.
                Again, I wouldn’t attempt to start the engine if it continues to have a bind or be choppy while cranking.

                May 2, 2016 at 10:46 pm #35858
                kerry
                Participant

                  US Member

                  I would hit it heavy with fogging oil every time I "test" the starter. After sitting for a few years it would definitely help.

                  If you have too many, AND not enough, you're a collector.

                  May 2, 2016 at 11:12 pm #35859
                  wiscoboater
                  Participant

                    How do I disconnect the shift rod up in the pan to drop the lower? I ordered a manual, but won’t be here for a few days. It dropped about 1 1/2 inches but is connected yet. I can already see the area in front of the water pump housing is full of mouse nests.

                    May 2, 2016 at 11:27 pm #35861
                    Casey Lynn
                    Participant

                      US Member

                      On a 1974, in the front of the crankcase, under the carburetors, you will notice a bellcrank assembly operated by the shift cable.
                      On the port side of that bellcrank the shift rod is captured.

                      May 2, 2016 at 11:34 pm #35863
                      wiscoboater
                      Participant

                        I see that pappy, and the bellcrank. It looks like a driven in pin at the shift rod. Do I drive that pin out, or is it threaded somehow? My eyes are not worth a submerged Mercury so I’m having a hard time here 😀 .

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