Reply To: Evinrude Fastwin 18 HP 15032 Leaking Around Exhaust

[Jeff Barsch]

Thanks for sticking with me on this Fleetwin!!! Also thank you for the good explanation on the choke and how the spring interacts, that system makes a lot more sense to me now.

Tonight I confirmed that when the choke is pulled I cannot push the lever back any further as you suggested so I believe the choke butterfly is fully closing. The choke bushing Also looks good upon a visual inspection and the choke is very stiff to pull out and push in so I do not believe the bushing is worn out yet or vibrating when pulling on the starter, but will confirm the latter.

I don’t think I can remove the carb silencer and install the choke lever/ low speed needle bracket without it so I can see what is happening with the choke butterfly can I?

I also gapped and tested another set of plugs with an ohm meter and then installed them on the motor and then checked my previously installed plugs with the ohm meter and they all checked out good. I used the procedure recommended on Steve’s small engine saloon on YouTube.

Additionally I tightened my carb nuts and also my slow speed packing nut a little more, so maybe I was drawing some extra air in one of those locations?

Tomorrow hopefully I can barrel test again and confirm the choke isn’t starting to open when pulling the motor over and also see if the new plugs changed anything. I will report back my results.

Unfortunately I do not have a timing light or the neon spark testers so if nothing changes tomorrow In the barrel the only way I can check timing is to pull the flywheel and confirm the ignition is firing 180 degrees apart with my timing tool, this as you point out will not rule out intermittent ignition issues, but If I had intermittent issues why would they only show up at low idle though?

Also Are my plug wires routed correctly? Some times one of the wires interferes with the throttle tower, on my 15 hp there is a spring to keep tension on the plug wires, but I do not see one in the exploded parts for this motor.

This really is a disease as much to the dismay of my wife, I am already on the lookout for my next project motor…..

1954 Evinrude 7.5 HP
1954 Evinrude 15 HP
1954 Gale 12 HP
1955 Johnson 10 HP
1956 Johnson 10 HP
1956 Gale 12 HP
1956 Evinrude 5.5 HP
1957 Johnson Golden Javelin 35
1958 Johnson 7.5
1960 Evinrude 18 HP
1973 Johnson 6 HP