Re: 1948 Evinrude Sportwin 4423 Revisited

[bob]

HI BUCCANEER…I DOUBT IF IT IS A COMPRESSION PROBLEM SINCE IT IS STARTING UP WHEN NOT IN THE BARREL OF WATER IN A FEW TRIES.I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS YOU ON A DIFFERENT MOTOR,A 1980 MERCURY 7.5.NOW KEEP IN MIND,THAT MERCURY HAS AN OBVIOUSLY DIFFERENT IGNITION (ELECTRONIC)THAN WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH.AFTER GOING THRU ALL THE USUAL CHECKS AND FIXES ON MY MOTOR ,EVEN HAVING A MERCURY MECHANIC HELP,IT JUST WOULD BARELY FIRE IN A BARREL AND QUIT IMMEDIATELY.CALLED A CAR MECHANIC I KNEW AND HE SUGGESTED EITHER WIDENING OR CLOSING THE GAP OF THE PLUG BY A SMALL AMOUNT.(IF I REMEMBER I WENT FROM .040 TO,045)AMAZINGLY,IT WORKED.HIS LOGIC WAS THAT MANUFACTURES SET THE PLUG GAP BASED ONLY ON COLD STARTING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NEW.OBVIOUSLY,MOTORS CHANGE WITH WEAR AND AGE.AND I DO REMEMBER READING THAT THE BIGGER THE GAP ON A PLUG THE MORE FUEL AND AIR COMES INTO PLAY WITH THE SPARK,AND VISA VERSA IF YOU SHORTEN THE PLUG GAP.IT IS A LONGSHOT AND MAYBE IT SOUNDS CRAZY,BUT IT MIGHT WORK FOR YOU.MAYBE I JUST GOT LUCKY.I AM SURE THERE ARE A LOT BETTER QUALIFIED PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM WHO CAN HELP YOU…OH,AND THANKS TO YOU,AND GARRY AND OTHERS FOR HELPING ME WITH MY SPORTWIN.REALLY OPENED UP MY EYES.WILL BE WORKING ON IT THIS SUNDAY HOPEFULLY.GOOD LUCK! BOB