# Evinrude 9.9 issue



## ninetyatews6 (Mar 3, 2011)

I recently bought this 9.9 from a guy. When i got there he had started the engine up a few times without the muffs on there. Its a little tough to start if its been sitting for a few days. Takes maybe 4-5 pulls to get her going, after that its no problem. He said the compression was about 105 on there.

Anyway, I took it out for the first time yesterday on the boat. I put it in the water and started it up and let it warm up. Everything is good. I switch from neutral to foward and hammer down and it will only go about half speed if that. I tried messing with the rich/lean adjustment going down lake but it never improved. I can take it out of gear and put it in neutral and it will rev up like its running 60mph. It wont do it in foward though. Any insight as to what is going on here. I added stabil to the fresh fuel that is in there. Im going to change the filter on there today to be on the safe side.


----------



## Barroll (Mar 3, 2011)

Make sure you are running on both cylinders.  May just be a bad spark plug


----------



## ninetyatews6 (Mar 3, 2011)

Wouldnt it sound odd if it were just running on one?


----------



## chadf (Mar 3, 2011)

Did u pull the cover off and see something(safety type device) that would limit the amout of throttle u give it? 
U said it revs fine in neutral.....


----------



## ninetyatews6 (Mar 3, 2011)

I started her up. Fired off perfectly after the 2nd pull. Purred like a kitten. I  pulled the top plug wire and it died. Fired her right back up first pull, then pulled the lower plug wire and it kept on running. I went ahead and ordered another set of plugs for it from Napa auto parts today. I should have them tomorrow. If im not mistaken, the person that I purchased the motor from replaced the coils. I checked the connections from what i could see to make sure there was no loose wires and everything seems ok from what i see. What would you suggest my next step be?


----------



## 270 guy (Mar 3, 2011)

See if that dead cyl has fire to the plug.


----------



## EAGLE EYE 444 (Mar 3, 2011)

I hope that you find out what the problem might be soon.  Please advise us when you find the solution because I also have a 9.9 Evinrude  on a 14 ft Aluminum Monarch boat that hasn't been run in a while.  It might help me to know what your solution turns out to be.


----------



## ninetyatews6 (Mar 3, 2011)

Ok i went out there and pulled the top plug and looked at it. Little oily looking but this is the good cylinder. Pulled the bottom one and it didnt look like the top one. It was more dry looking. I swapped the plugs and now the top cylinder is the one not working right now. Started the engine and pulled the wire off the top plug this time and it kept on running. Put it back on and started it back up and pulled the bottom one and it cut off. So I assume my issue is the plug itself correct?
I need to set my lean rich mixture. Any insight into doing this?


----------



## CAL (Mar 3, 2011)

Check the out put of the water pump.The older Evinrude will not rev.if the water pump is bad.


----------



## 270 guy (Mar 3, 2011)

You have a bad plug plain and simple if it did what you said. Go buy 4 new plugs replace 2 and put 2 in your tackle or tool box in the boat along with a wrench to change them with later when needed.


----------



## Twenty five ought six (Mar 3, 2011)

ninetyatews6 said:


> Wouldnt it sound odd if it were just running on one?




Short answer, no.

Try it sometime, pull a plug wire, and you will be surprised how smoothly it will run.


----------



## Gutbucket (Mar 4, 2011)

Also check to see if the right prop is on there. If it has to much pitch it may not be able to turn it.


----------



## EAGLE EYE 444 (Mar 4, 2011)

My neighbor told me this afternoon that he had a very similar problem last weekend with his 15 HP Evinrude.  I understood him to say that the problem turned out to be with a rubber type bushing on the prop.  I am NOT a mechanic but maybe someone else can describe this in more detail.  I don't know any details about the prop area/bushing that he described.  He told me that he got it fixed within 15-20 minutes at the boat repair shop yesterday.  He did say that it would idle and rev up fine in neutral but when he put it in drive that it just would not go.


----------



## 270 guy (Mar 4, 2011)

EAGLE EYE 444 said:


> My neighbor told me this afternoon that he had a very similar problem last weekend with his 15 HP Evinrude.  I understood him to say that the problem turned out to be with a rubber type bushing on the prop.  I am NOT a mechanic but maybe someone else can describe this in more detail.  I don't know any details about the prop area/bushing that he described.  He told me that he got it fixed within 15-20 minutes at the boat repair shop yesterday.  He did say that it would idle and rev up fine in neutral but when he put it in drive that it just would not go.



If it were the hub being spun it would still fire on both cylinders. From what he says one plug is NOT firing. it sounds like it just has a fouled/bad plug.

 Usually when your hub spins it will still idle to allow you to get back in. When you try and give it gas the hub slips and the motor revs up.


----------



## robertyb (Mar 4, 2011)

I had a Merc 8 HP doing the same thing. Put new plugs in and it runs like a new motor again.


----------



## Twenty five ought six (Mar 5, 2011)

EAGLE EYE 444 said:


> My neighbor told me this afternoon that he had a very similar problem last weekend with his 15 HP Evinrude.  I understood him to say that the problem turned out to be with a rubber type bushing on the prop.  I am NOT a mechanic but maybe someone else can describe this in more detail.  I don't know any details about the prop area/bushing that he described.  He told me that he got it fixed within 15-20 minutes at the boat repair shop yesterday.  He did say that it would idle and rev up fine in neutral but when he put it in drive that it just would not go.



Although it's pretty clear that you have a bad plug, you need to know about the spun hub.

First, you need to determine if you even have a rubber hubbed prop.  I think the 9.9 came with both a shear pin and hubbed prop.  If you have a shear pin, the shear pin performed the same function as the hub.  If you do have a shear pin, a wise investment is some additional shear pins, which are available at any marine supply store or OB motor dealer.  They aren't manufacturer specific, so you should be able to get them at a Mercury dealer, for instance.  Also, if you have shear pins, take the time to take the prop off and replace one in your drive way --- it's a lot easier to learn how to do it there than upside down hanging off the back of your boat while it's getting blown around.

If you have a hubbed prop, remove the cover, take off both plug wires, and put the motor in gear.  It's best to try to raise the motor so you can get a really good grip on the prop.  Try to turn the prop -- if it turns without the flywheel turn, you have spun the hub and it needs to be replaced. If the engine were brand new, you shouldn't be able to turn the motor at all, or only with great difficulty, against the compression of the plugs.  Most of the 9.9's have some usage, so you can probably turn the prop and flywheel with a lot of effort.

Here is a series of articles about the 9.9 -- I've relied on this guys articles for years -- you can tell that he really knows what he is talking about.  The pictures he provides are invaluable in diagnosing problems and putting stuff back together correctly.

There is a link at the bottom of the page to other articles on other aspects of the motors.
http://www.sschapterpsa.com/ramblings/Johnson_9.9_troubleshooting.htm


----------



## ninetyatews6 (Mar 5, 2011)

I replaced the plugs and got my cousin to adjust the carb settings. It has good throttle response and does sound differently. I can pull a plug wire now and notice the difference in sound. I just need to get this thing in the water and test it out.


----------



## ninetyatews6 (Mar 5, 2011)

I have 2 extra plugs just incase down the road they mess up while out on the water.


----------



## ssmith6 (Mar 23, 2011)

i had the same problem on my '79 evinrude 9.9.  My dad bought the thing new in '79 and its been a pretty much bulletproof and very reliable motor.  If you try it out now and everything is fine it was the plugs.  I let mine sit for a couple of months and it would idle fine, it would idle up in neutral, but only had about half throttle in gear. I replaced both the plugs on mine and it still did it.  I then rebuilt the carb and the high speed jet was clogged.  Now back to running great.  All I can say is run the blue stabil in every tank you run b/c this ethanol gas is terrible on boat motors!


----------

