AP3

I do it all myself. Youtube is your friend for all things engine related. I'm a huge fan of Dangar Marine.

Does sound like it flooded then, and fuel/oil mixed with carbon buildup and ran out of the exhaust. If it floods again, just give it full throttle, and it should start. If you have remotes, you might have to take the cowl off and move the throttle manually to full.

Is it a 2 stroke, and is it leaking from the exhaust? Could be partially unburnt oil leaking out of the carb, in which case I'd say it's normal. Is the engine running OK otherwise? Does it still do it if you pull the fuel hose and let the engine run dry?

Thanks for the advice all! @zmk1962 This was at a constant throttle. I tried to capture it at the transition point, when it goes from puttering to smooth. At this point it alternates between the two. It doesn't surge in revs, just putters at low revs, and runs smooth at higher revs. @ Hateanchors It might well be that this is normal for a 2 stroke. My last motor was a 4 stroke so it's new to me. At higher revs it is indeed very smooth! So far on this engine I've changed and gapped the plugs, pulled the carb off for a good clean, and replaced the idle jet for good measure, changed the impeller, cleaned up all the earth connection I could find (inc. the battery, which is new), changed the gear oil, set the air mix and idle speed, although I might raise the idle a little. I haven't checked compression, as I haven't got a compression tester yet. I'll pull the plugs and see what they look like anyway Cheers, Andy

Hi Again Everyone! I have another quick question for you guys. Is it normal for a 2 stroke to putter at lower revs, and then smooth out at higher revs? An example of what I mean here: Between 2-3 seconds you can hear it smooth out, then go back to puttering. Cheers, Andy

Hi Frank, I would love to take up your kind offer. Do the photos I've provided give you enough information on the correct length etc? I'm in no rush, as I have options available in the meanwhile, so happy to wait for your mate to come over to the UK. Cheers! Andy

Cheers Zoran, I think I understand now. With a correctly measured drag link, I would have equidistant travel port to starboard, but still a reduced lock. Have I got it right? Cheers, Andy

I fear you're right. I checked the angle at port and starboard, and I have a lot more starboard lock that I do port lock. Attached are a couple of photos showing the distance between the steering bracket and steering cable, with the drag link disconnected, and the motor and cable turned lock to lock.

Hi Zoran, still trying to get my head around it, but I think I've disproven myself. I made a quick sketch to a made up scale, and it seems that the drag link being longer wouldn't result in different origin points on the steering cable, as they intersect at the same points. Does this look right to you? Your engineering mind is far better than mine! Would the current setup actually give me unbalanced steering travel port to starboard? Cheers, Andy

Frank, Zoran, you're both stars! One thing is bothering me though. If the drag link was made long enough to push the motor to full port lock with the cable fully retracted, wouldn't this mean that there would be less travel towards starboard lock, due to the longer drag link keeping the motor further away from starboard, as the steering cable has fixed length/travel? If what I have in my mind's eye is correct, I'd need more length in the steering cable, to account for the extra distance for the motor bracket to move in either direction. (Fully willing to consider that I've got all this totally wrong!) The great thing to know though, is that I have 4 options to play with (2 holes in the bracket, with the bracket flipping in 2 directions) to try and find the right balance of lock-to-lock vs. steering effort! Cheers, Andy

Hi Frank, Well that level of generosity is something I've never come across over here, so how could I turn you down! Ok, I swapped the bracket over to the otherside. This is it before: This is it after: I have to say the steering effort is significantly improved with the bracket moved forward. I have my cap in my hand, and Stephen Hawking yelling at me from beyond the grave about paying more attention on physics lessons. Anyway, you can see the reduced lock in both directions in the second video. If my physics are right (just shoot me now), then a longer drag link should remedy this. Here's the current drank link along with a tape measure: https://imgur.com/wwYHO0j I guess the best way to measure the right length is to disconnect the drag link, move the outboard to full lock, and measure between the 2 holes (steering cable and steering bracket)? Cheers, Andy

Hi Frank, Please believe me that I'm taking in as much information as I can, and have looked at all the options. Looking at other outboards, the bracket is usually the other way around, but is also mounted a lot closer to the cowling. On this motor, because it has a forward carry handle, they chose to put the bracket the other way around attached to it. If I moved the bracket forward of the handle, in theory I'd have more leverage on the motor, but the drag link is too short, and a longer drag link might be subject to extra force required from the cable. I made a (very bad and simplistic) drawing of what I mean (attached). The geometry of it just doesn't look right to me?! Green would be the existing drag link, and red the forward position. I'm not sure what you mean by an adjustable steering rack? I have a rotary helm, and no space for a rack. Maybe I'm not understanding what you mean. Thanks for your continuing help! Cheers, Andy

Frank, I admit I didn't. I took a look at the motor at either lock, and determined that at full starboard lock, the drag link would be to long, and at full port lock, it would be to short. The good news is that I just reamed out the tilt tube with sandpaper stuck to an old bit of steering cable, attached to a drill, using loads of WD40, and got loads of gunk out. After spraying through with carb cleaner, I sprayed in white lithium grease, then cleaned and re-greased the cable, and it's a lot better! Still somewhat harder to turn as you approach full lock either way, but it's a one arm job to steer now, so I'm going to call it fixed! I'm still jealous of hydraulic steering though....maybe one day. Thank you all for your advice and assistance. Really great bunch of people here! Cheers, Andy

From the 93 models onwards it's on the outside, as they don't have the handle: https://www.brownspoint.com/store/pc/BP_AP_AssemblyDetail.asp?ID=6395 But it seems definitely on the inside for a 90 model: https://www.brownspoint.com/store/pc/BP_AP_AssemblyDetail.asp?ID=6394 I might try again with some sandpaper taped to and old section of steering cable, and into a drill. Looks like it works well on youtube anyway!

I'm wondering if it should be a snug fit though, of have play. It seems a bit excessive, and the cable end moves at an angle instead of almost straight. Could be normal I suppose, of my tilt tube is worn out.

Hi Rick, If I disconnect the drag link, it's as smooth as butter! When connected, it was really stiff (a bit better now). I can see the cable moving with the engine from lock to lock, it moves from binding in one diagonal to the other.. In your boat, can you move the steering cable in the tilt tube around, or is it held stead? Mine isn't a tight fit at all!

That one needs to be tight, it holds the sheath of the cable onto the tilt tube, then the cable telescopes out of the sheath and through the tube to move the drag link. I'm out on her tomorrow with some mates for a pub crawl, so I'll see how the steering behaves. Last time it got worse as the trip went on, and I was getting some gunk on the cable. Anyone know if it's normal for the cable to be able to shift around laterally in the tilt tube? I can wobble mine around a fair it, and I wonder if it's binding up due to this. (about 1mm play). Not looking forward to changing the tilt tube if that's the case... :/

@Mmg - Nah, I tried loosening the drag link nuts and it didn't make a difference. I do need to get a couple of new Nylocs on it though, as I've been messing with it. The lock nut holding the cable into the tilt tube is proper tight though. Wouldn't want that coming off at speed!

Hi Guys, OK, a small update. I tried the other hole in the steering bracket, and it didn't make much difference to steering effort, and did reduce lock-to-lock, so I moved it back again. The has "worked" a bit, it grease, grease, grease, on the cable going through the tilt tube, and moving the engine from lock to lock repeatedly. It's now actually quite smooth turning to starboard, but noticeably stiffer turning to port (on the trailer, so no torque). Any ideas on this new problem? I don't think I've hydrolocked the cable, as it will turn hard to port, with some difficulty, and seems stiff throughout its travel. Cheers, Andy

Hi Noel, I think it's just the angle. The cavitation plate is about level with the bottom of the transom. Hey Frank, we put her into the river right by that bridge! There's a pub at the slipway (The Two Brewers), if you're over here again, give me a shout and we can go for a pint! Thanks Zoran, you should be an artist! I think other's comments about this reducing steering travel match up with what I've read online about this setup. I think it's worth a try though, so will give it a go! One think I did think is that using the further hole would limit which side an extra outboard could be connected, as the bar would clash with the drag link on one side. Not that I plan on adding another motor, but maybe that explains why the inner one seems to be the right hole? I didn't move the motor connection of the drag arm when changing the cable. I'll try to get a video of it all at the weekend when the wife can hold a camera for me! For now I'm just going out and turning it a lot, hoping it'll free up some... To answer some others, the play before was about a quarter turn of the wheel in either direction before the outboard would start to move, which I put down to a worn/stretched cable. I don't know how it acted new, as that was before I bought it. Given that it all works fine with the drag link disconnected, I can only think that either the drag link is the issue, or that by adding the drag link, there's movement on the steering cable up/down/left/right in the tilt tube, and it's binding up there. I keep seeing Youtube videos of cable steering being moved with a single finger, it's killing me!

Thanks for the replies guys, and your excellent drawing Zoran! Looking at the exploded diagram for this motor though, it does look like it's supposed to be mounted the way it is: https://www.brownspoint.com/store/pc/BP_AP_AssemblyDetail.asp?ID=6394 I could try the other threaded hole, but from what I've been able to figure out, I think that one's for linking up another motor. Cheers, Andy

Hi Frank, I went out and took a bunch of photos, hopefully this link will work: https://imgur.com/a/06JfzDC There is a second hole in the mount on the outboard that takes the drag link, slightly further away. You think this might be the problem? I've tried loosening the nylocs on both ends of the drag link, and it didn't help. I'm in the southeast of the UK, near Marlow, Bucks. Home to huge river boats, expensive marinas, and even more expensive marine mechanics! Boats are seen as a bit of a luxury here. 😕 Cheers, Andy

I'm starting to think I didn't ream out the tilt tube enough, or it's just overly corroded, as I'm getting brown gunk coming out on the steering cable. Doesn't explain why it's easy to move with the drag link disconnected, but there is some play in the cable going through the tilt tube, which I'm not sure is normal?

@Rick, it's the same length as the old. There only bends at the helm and motor, and neither are sharper than the diameter specified by Telefex. @Dunc, it's a 1990 Suzuki DT40C on an old dory. Pic attached! I'm really scratching my head on this one. I don't think that hydraulic steering is an (easy) option, given the transom cutout length, and also the screw clamps for the outboard. (I guess these could be cut off, and bolts used instead)

@Frank, there are no adjustment holes, just a hole at each end. @Hateanchors, all was well before, except for the free play. Are there different ratios? The helm/cable are identical to before??