Saving Old Seagulls

Just been running my seagull (40+ late model SEFPC) in the test tank and checking it over. I was using an oldish champion plug and it took a couple more pulls to start, I was about to stop when it fired up. I ran it for about 10 - 15 mins till hot then allowed it to empty the carb of fuel. When it cooled i took the plug out, it was looking very black and a bit oily. The motor was producing a fair amount of smoke when running.

I refuelled the tank with 25 to 1 this time I was using a fully synthetic TCW3 oil. I also replaced the plug with a new NGK AB6 gapped to 25 thou. The motor started but only after about 4 pulls and I ran it again for another 15 mins. It ran well with very good water flow and responsive throttle. Once it had cooled i removed the plug and got this.
I thought I was looking for a putty like colour. The plug looks pretty black and wet to me. Any idea what I might be doing wrong?

The engine needs to be run under load, stick it on a boat and run it flat out for an hour.

That will let you see if the combustion mixture is correct.

I find engines behave very differently on a boat, also different boats will change how they run.

Roll on the warmer weather, so we can get boating again.

H-A

Looks like a normal seagull plug to me. 10-1 or 25-1 is an oily mixture so dont let it worry you. Always carry a couple of spare plugs with you. We are talking about a british seagull here, Not a EFI 2.4L Bridgeport mercury thats got 280hp and sits on 8000rpm all day.

Thanks. Very good point about it not actually being on a boat, I dont suppose they were designed for wheelie bins!

The seagull does have a clutch so I was running it in neutral and also in gear. I will do a proper test run soon and check it out as suggested. I'm looking forward to getting the thing out on the water, weather turned cold again this weekend though!

That reminds me, a few times when i have pushed the clutch lever up the gears havent actually engaged, I have had to drop and raise the clutch lever a few times. It feels like the dog clutch doesn't quite drop far enough when released, but I dont see how it can be adjusted.

If you drop the split pin out of the top of the clutch rod and slide rod out of the donga you will be able to rotate the rod anticlockwise screwing out of the thread at bottom of the dis/engage claw giving you further travel when dropping into gear (donga up). Depending on the model the angled rod above the water pump housing may foul the exhaust tube when rotating in which case you will need to drop the leg from the motor. If the motor has been disassembled the rod may have been screwed all the way in causing reduced action.

Excellent, thanks Hugz. Being a Seagull I should have realised it would be that simple! That seems to have sorted the problem out nicely. I just backed it off two turns and it drops into gear fine now. If I notice it happening again I will add another turn. I didn't have to drop the leg. It was a very tight squeeze though and I had to flex the bar to get round the exhaust part of the gear box casting, took a bit of paint off on the way round, but that's not a problem.

Starting is still a bit harder work than I would like. It is very cold today, but even so it took a good 4 or 5 pulls to fire up. As mentioned earlier by HA though. I am probably not doing it any favours doing short test runs in a tank. I expect this will lead to oiling the plug up a bit. I will see how it goes once I get it on a good run on the water. ... BItterly cold up here today, only a degree or two with easterly wind chill, feels about -4c !

Excellent.

Each and every seagull has its own peculiarity in starting. I would be looking at full choke and 3/4 throttle as yours sounds as though it is not sucking enough fuel in. If not starting on second pull, open up choke a tad so as not to flood her... trial and error!

"DONGA"

Hugo, perfect description!



AB-6................they are too cold anyway, they are listed as alternative.........not replacement remember.

Plug Pics? My latest vid had the Feather being used aye. This is the pick of the plug after 3 hours running.

It is D16.

I just ended the fun by killing the thing after maybe 60 seconds idle lining up the dock.
If your plug looks clean and slightly wet around the edges on a transom? Your doing very well aye!

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