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HELP Chrysler Magnapower 85HP HELP

Jake2400

New member
Hello all,

I recently bought my first boat (was $500, quickly at $2k with the small motor parts and trailer deciding to kick a hub and blow tires.)

Hull is a 1981 Sylvan sportster and included an 85HP Chrysler Magnapower (1971?) Model# 857HC Serial# 4760

It will start 99% of the time at the touch of the key, brand new fuel lines (oversized 3/8 feeds the fuel pump should be 5/16)

When I got it the starter wouldn’t turn (need the brushes cleaned) and wouldn’t get spark ( had to re-install wires on standby thing that goes into plug wires) and she fires!

I believe someone before me messed with the little adjustment screw that makes distributor turn when applying throttle as the neutral switch was way off mark and there are marks on the timing adjustment screw.

Now we took it on its maiden voyage, it on “fuel saver” on the throttle, it runs amazing at ~10MPH in slightly choppy water, but the second I go a little bit past it, it immediately dies, no stumbling. Now I need to replace the float bowl gaskets on bottom two carbs as they are slightly weeping fuel, but I need some help to get this Chrysler back to life!
 
Unfortunately for you, West Bend/Chrysler/Force was never a big player so not a lot of experienced old timers left.
But, a basic 2 stroke is a basic 2 stroke....
* What is the compression?
* Do you have spark on all cylinders? Best to check with a spark board, even a poor spark will jump across a spark plug held to ground but then usually fail under compression pressure.
* Does it actually fire on all cylinders when idling in the lake. Pull wires 1 at a time & listen for a change. Maybe as simple as a carb cleaning or adjustment. May be a bad internals.

Adjusting the linkage you ask about comes later after you decide the core engine is OK. Find yourself a factory manual.
 
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