Saving Old Seagulls

Hey again y'all! Been ages, upon ages since my last visit. (Right about the time some wannabe good Samaritan sank my lovely first-pull-start 40+.) Anyways, After a full disassembly and cleaning, and oiling and all that, I tried to get her to start. Wouldn't happen.Tried for weeks. Dried the beastie in the sun day after day, after day, thinking that mayhap it had got water inside the magneto (Wipac MK2) or something, and that it would dry out and be all good again. Didn't really think that was the problem, just a hope that it would help. Nope!

It does have spark. A super bright hot spark when the end of the HT lead is held near the block, but a really weak spark in the plug gap when holding the plug against the block. Weird! I did take apart the HT lead, cut about a quarter inch off each end to get to clean and dry non-salty wire, and put it back together. So I don't think the HT lead is the problem. (I don't think it is, but???)

Now, I've been playing with the Seagull again, for the first time in over a year, and have gone through all the system to see what the problem could possibly be. The only thing I can think of is my points gap. They are gapped to 0.020" (0.503mm) but I don't know if they are supposed to gapped at that distance exactly at top dead center, or just some magical distance before top dead center. I've played with the gap a bit, and now it almost starts.

I don't want to horrify anyone, but I'm using a drill to spin the flywheel to try and start it! Works great, and honestly, has absolutely no effect on how tight the cap nut gets. It's as easy to remove the nut after a minute of spinning, as it was before I used the drill on it. And it saves me a sore shoulder from having to pull the rope a few hundred times a day.

So anyways, my question for you Seagull Guru's is; how do I know where on the stroke to set the gap? Absolute top dead center, or just before? And if just before, how do I know how far? And one other problem I have, is that I can't get the flywheel off. I can adjust the points through one of the large square holes in the flywheel; is that okay? or does the flywheel have to be rotated further back or forward to set the points properly? ie; do I really nead to remove the flywheel?

Thanks y'all!

Cheers!

You set the points at the highest point of the cam, basicly when the points are open, so just turn the flywheel so the points are open and set them, you can, if you have to, reduce the gap, this will improve the spark as the points will stay closed for a tuch longer.

Welcome back! I was mentioning to a friend what a diverse lot seagull owners are and as example l mentioned you. Caretaker of a disused cannery town in B C. We need to see more pics of your beautiful location.

Anyway back to motor. Gap generally opens at about 23.5 degrees before TDC. Basically points are gapped at when the points are opened at their widest pont. The flywheel needs to be on as the points arm is activated by the cam on the flywheel. I had a motor do what yours was doing with contaminated fuel ie water.

Sounds more like spark plug problem. The spark when wire in plug and wire in block is the same principal. What gap have you on the plug? Experiment with both gaps

Thanks y'all! I got her going!!! YAY!!! I fiddled with the gaps in both the plug, and the points. Closed the points gap by 0.05mm and opened the plug gap by maybe 0.02mm. (Gotta love those whisper thin feeler gauges!) She's now running just about as good as she used to do. I don't feel too confident about the fuel quality though; so I hope with some new gas, and new marine 2 stroke oil, she'll be fully back to her wonderful self again, shortly. My fuel is well over 6 months old. Stored mixed with Stabil, (but not stored mixed with 2 stroke oil.) But it ain't marine Stabil, so the fuel may still be a little off. I'll find out soon. Getting a supply drop, including fuel this week.

Anyhoo, I'm a happy put-putter again!

And your wish is my command, re; pics of Butedale.

A couple from earlier this winter.




One of my favorite frequent visitors. (SV Maple Leaf, from last Summer.)


A visiting sailboat last month, with some Northern Lights in the background.


And another drone shot from a week or so ago.


Thanks again y'all!

Cheers!

Wonderful but where has Bud gone?

good thing you got your engine going again!

Looks darn cold in those pics! Too cold for me!!!

Hugz wrote:Wonderful but where has Bud gone?

Still here!

Actually got to play with another pup, early this March. Had a couple canoeing down the coast stop in and got weatherbound for 10 days!

Checking out the falls on their way out to continue their adventure.


On their way!


Pretty cool folks! This is their second major expedition. First was from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, through many rivers and canals to the Mississippi, down to the Gulf, then around Florida, and up the Easter Seaboard to the St Lawrence back to Quebec City. 11,000 km.

This trip has been the Northern Voyageur routes to the West Coast of Canada, down the West Coast, and back across Canada via the Southern Voyageur routes. They're just starting East headed into the Rockies, after completing the first half of this expedition.

When complete, this journey will have been about 15,000 km.

http://www.wildravenadventure.com/journey

Amazing, eh?!

Cheers!

That is one long trip! but in a very nice place!!