1990 Evinrude technical advice...please

XXXXXXXXXX


Thanks again for all the ideas and suggestions. Think I'm going to go ahead and order 3 coils in the morning and work my way up to a new 90 horse Yamaha or E-Tech.

SC

One word or two: Yamaha or Honda.:)
Went from OMC, to Merc to Japan. They are the best designed longest lasting engines around. Mercs are still pretty darn good. Used to have their testing center close to where I live. Had test boats running 24/7 up and down the IC waterway. They just ran and ran until they blew up and then would figure out how to make them last even longer. In salt water the Mercs and Jap engines have the best corrosion control.Whats left of the commercial guys all use Yamaha.
 
One word or two: Yamaha or Honda.:)
. Used to have their testing center close to where I live. Had test boats running 24/7 up and down the IC waterway. They just ran and ran until they blew up and then would figure out how to make them last even longer. In salt water the Mercs and Jap engines have the best corrosion control.Whats left of the commercial guys all use Yamaha.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

There's a Merc testing Ctr in Panama City on St Andrews Bay. Always see yellow baots with guys wearing helmets running around at pretty fair speeds. Boats vary from 12' jon boats to 25+ footers. Boats are almost always in pairs and probably the most courteous boaters in the bay.

Yamaha is by far the dominant motor around here. Commercial or recreational. Seems like every dealer has yamaha and something else. But all have Yamaha's. I had some serious problems with my 250 HPDI when I bought it 3 years ago and had it in the shop over 15 times in less than a year. 4+ months of that was sitting in a repair yard waiting on Yamaha to send a factory rep to evaluate it. After some less than polite phone calls they finally agreed to put a new power head on it. I wasn't a very good spokesperson for Yamaha for over a year. Still won't hesitate to tell anyone how crappy they treated me over my $13,000 motor with 12 hours on it.

SC
 
XXXXXXXXXXXX

There's a Merc testing Ctr in Panama City on St Andrews Bay. Always see yellow baots with guys wearing helmets running around at pretty fair speeds. Boats vary from 12' jon boats to 25+ footers. Boats are almost always in pairs and probably the most courteous boaters in the bay.

Yamaha is by far the dominant motor around here. Commercial or recreational. Seems like every dealer has yamaha and something else. But all have Yamaha's. I had some serious problems with my 250 HPDI when I bought it 3 years ago and had it in the shop over 15 times in less than a year. 4+ months of that was sitting in a repair yard waiting on Yamaha to send a factory rep to evaluate it. After some less than polite phone calls they finally agreed to put a new power head on it. I wasn't a very good spokesperson for Yamaha for over a year. Still won't hesitate to tell anyone how crappy they treated me over my $13,000 motor with 12 hours on it.

SC

Ya, those yellow guys!:) I miss seeing them. Testing area was the Englewood, Placida area.That's bad to hear about Yamaha's customer service. Guess they are so big now, they do not care.
I remember when they first broke into the market, if one of those Factory Reps came by, they would all but give you a new engine plus a extended warranty. Suzuki was like that also but they do not have near the dealers or shops. I am not sure but i think some of Mercs engines are made by Yamaha now?. Been a while since I looked around.
 
Coils came in Friday...............

but I didn't get them installed until Sunday evening. Put the muffs on her in the yard and she sure sounded a lot stronger and took the rpms better/quicker too.

Loaded up, bought a 100 crickets, retied my white spinner baits and black/silver broke back rebel and was at the ramp by daylight.

Went up the river where it is twisty and loggy so I could only run her up to about 30-35 steadily. But I did notice she was running strong. I ran her far enough that she would have already started to break down with the old coils and she was alright. Headed back down the river I pushed her some in the short straights and less loggy bends. Got back down to the landing area (about 5 miles from where I turned around to come back) and she was doing good. Just below the boat ramp there is a straight-away over 1.5 miles long and wide and clear. I stuck it to her and off we went. Trimmed up and blowing. 51...52 mph 5900 and she's holding. Made that pass up and down 3 times and she stayed alive. The 4th time down she was fine, until I slowed down to an idle to put my had on straight and head back to the ramp. Just as soon as I gassed her enough to get up on plane she failed. Exact same symptoms as before, but it took much longer for them to show up.

I'm thinking the coils were only a part of the problem. Thinking about replacing the rectifier and power pack now. Power pack is $153 and rectifeir is $49.99. If I take it to a dealer it might be all that, plus his mark up on parts and then $97/hour labor. It's not but a 15 minute job but around here you can't start for less than 1/2 an hour of labor charges.

Anyway, that's where I'm at with this little head scratching problem.

Still open to any "diagnosis".

thanks inadvance,
SC
 
Sorry to hear that. Believe me I know what it's like.

If you do not have a truly qualified tech check it out, I think you are left with parts replacement. Electrical problems are the worst. I still think it's that big ring of wires under the flywheel (stator). I am no mechanic but have gone through exactly what you are, several times.
 
I can't believe that you don't know any good shade tree outboard mechanics over there that couldn't fix the problem on the cheap. Down here a lot of the guys will do their own work on the weekends and charge about half of what they have to charge during the week while working at the shop. Me, my knowlege is "air fuel and spark". It seems that you've narrowed the problem down to spark. :D
Keep plugging-a balky outboard is one of life's most vexing problems-boat time is precious as it is a scientific fact that each hour on your boat actually adds an hour to your life :)
 
I can't believe that you don't know any good shade tree outboard mechanics over there that couldn't fix the problem on the cheap. Down here a lot of the guys will do their own work on the weekends and charge about half of what they have to charge during the week while working at the shop. Me, my knowlege is "air fuel and spark". It seems that you've narrowed the problem down to spark. :D
Keep plugging-a balky outboard is one of life's most vexing problems-boat time is precious as it is a scientific fact that each hour on your boat actually adds an hour to your life :)

And each hour trying to fix or maintain one leads to...............:D
 
I can't believe that you don't know any good shade tree outboard mechanics over there that couldn't fix the problem on the cheap. Down here a lot of the guys will do their own work on the weekends and charge about half of what they have to charge during the week while working at the shop. Me, my knowlege is "air fuel and spark". It seems that you've narrowed the problem down to spark. :D
Keep plugging-a balky outboard is one of life's most vexing problems-boat time is precious as it is a scientific fact that each hour on your boat actually adds an hour to your life :)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Don't know any shade tree'ers I'd trust to do any work on her more than I trust my self to do.

After I replace the rectifier and power pack it she fails I'll take her up the road to a repair shop. I don't think these old motors have computers on them like my HPDI does. Pretty sure any local shop would be doing the same thing I have done and charging me dearly. The sutff I'm doing can be done with a pair of needle nose pliers, a flat tip screwdriver and a 7/16th socket. So far, my labor has been free. My my knowledge is getting more and more espensive! ;-)

SC
 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My knowledge is getting more and more expensive! ;-)

SC

But look at the experience you are gaining :)

Good Judgment comes from Experience.. Experience comes from bad Judgment..

That's why they call it "Practicing Medicine" about the time you get pretty good at it, it's time to retire....
 
Don't overlook the possibility of the engine running lean and a piston trying to seize. I don't know what kind of a fuel induction system you have but I have heard of a carb running lean and causing symptoms you are experiencing. Try one of those remote reading thermometers on different cylinders and see if they are all running similar temperatures. What does compression look like?
Good luck. Nothing more frustrating than a boat.
oldogy
 
My neighbors motor was doing this (OMC). Turned out to be a sensor for engine temp. Local shade tree mech fixed it after I had worn all the skin off my knuckles pulling carbs down.
Fixed a friends 70 rude a few years back. Had me scratching my head till one night we had it on the hose with the cover off and the control harness connection was lighting up like a Christmas tree bulb. Replaced the control harness and fixed it.
Don't waste your money on a switch box. They either work or they don't. Dropping cyliders usually means stator problems.
 
Thanks guys. Gonna take her out one more time and see how long she runs at "moderate" speeds/rpms instead of WOT. If she still fails at least I'll have that much more info to tell the tech when I take it in. Lordie I hope it isnt the stator. The internet price for one is $283.

SC
 
Thanks guys. Gonna take her out one more time and see how long she runs at "moderate" speeds/rpms instead of WOT. If she still fails at least I'll have that much more info to tell the tech when I take it in. Lordie I hope it isnt the stator. The internet price for one is $283.

SC

But if you do not have a fly wheel puller, look at how much more fun it is to pound on the nut with a BIG HAMMER to try and pop the wheel off.;):)

(sorry, I can remember like it was yesterday, sweating and baking in the sun going through this same thing)
 
Back
Top