Reply To: 1973 6Hp Evinrude Fisherman hard starting cold

[Don]

OK, just reread and caught up on your weak ignition issue while cranking.  I can’t remember if you said that you replaced the mag plate?  That is all that can be done along with replacing the brass support and aluminum retainer to address the slop issue.  There is nothing that can be done if the actual aluminum on the crankcase pilot bushing is worn.  This engine was used commercially, so this would explain the excessive wear.

You have replaced the upper seal, so oil leakage into the mag plate is not an issue, correct?  I would just convert the engine back to its original breaker point set up if oil leakage/seapage is not an issue.  Carefully “dimpling” the brass retainer plate usually will usually compensate for most of the slop found on the actual bushing, but it is probably a good idea to replace that round aluminum retainer that the mag plate screws into.  The ignition modules seem to add some complexity to this very basic simple magneto along with some reliability issues.  I’m sure you can find a used mag plate somewhere, I know I have a few.  This way, you can keep the modified mag plate aside without having to pull it all apart, reverting it back to its original wiring form.  The used mag plate can be swapped out relatively quickly.  Needless to say, I have not had any experience with these modules, so don’t have much knowledge, accept what I have read here.