VicS
Well-Known Member
The figures I quote are what I find regularly on the specialist outboard engine forums.
I'm beginning to despair of ever getting my Malta O/B to run properly
- Thread starter davidej
- Start date
The figures I quote are what I find regularly on the specialist outboard engine forums.
Paulg25
Well-Known Member
Use it every spring on my mowers and strimmers. Mostly 4 stroke but some 2 stroke.
To my mind it's better than trying to break the starter cord!!
To my mind it's better than trying to break the starter cord!!
davidej
Well-Known Member
I'm drawing this to a close for the time being.
I'm posting the carby to a kind forumite with a Malta so he can try it out on his motor. If it proves to be Ok then I wlll have to look elsewhere
I'm posting the carby to a kind forumite with a Malta so he can try it out on his motor. If it proves to be Ok then I wlll have to look elsewhere
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
I'm disappointed that this problem hasn't been resolved but left dangling. Please let us know if you find a solution.
I had a Yammie 4 which shared the handbook with the Malta which never suffered starting or running problems.
Whats the difference between that and the Malta?
I had a Yammie 4 which shared the handbook with the Malta which never suffered starting or running problems.
Whats the difference between that and the Malta?
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Like all things - there's perfect out of box and there's everyday reality !!
I know CDi ignition is way stronger than any coil job ... but 7/16 is one hell of a gap to jump .....
VicS
Well-Known Member
The typical questions asked when people ask for advice on outboards not running properly are:
Have you done a compression test ? ......... Post the numbers.
and
Will the spark jump 7/16" ? ......... Yes or no ?
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Not arguing ... I just find 7/16ths a bit of a stretch !! Even with CDi on various of my gear - I don't think I have ever seen a spark that good ... but then again - I don't usually test for 'distance !
For me - Compression test ? I reckon you know when you pull the cord ! I can tell you that all the Soviet engines I have ... I cannot pull the cord at all .... take the plugs out and pulls easy ... put em back in again and you need Gorillas Arms to pull em
Boathook
Well-Known Member
My answers are no and no for my two malta's. One ran very well last year and after a bit more carb fettling the spare seems ok when tested in a bin of water .....
lw395
Well-Known Member
The relevant questions are usually:
Have you cleaned the carb?
and
Have you cleaned the carb properly?
greeny
Well-Known Member
It seems, unlike the engine in question, this thread may run forever. 
Sandro
Well-Known Member
I would like a 7/16" spark, but I usually am happy with 6mm / 1/4".
To check, I made a DIY spark tester with a maimed old plug and a pointed machine screw.
Am curious of the outcome, as a Malta owner.
Sandro
To check, I made a DIY spark tester with a maimed old plug and a pointed machine screw.
Am curious of the outcome, as a Malta owner.
Sandro
VicS
Well-Known Member
But only after the basic diagnostic tests.
If the spark is weak or erratic or if the compression is low, or more particularly outside a, 10% variation between cylinders on multiple cylinder engines all the carb cleaning in the world id not going to get it running properly
Refueler
Well-Known Member
I have a feeling the Service guy who fixed it for him before may have just done a 'Quick Fix' and not done the job properly ..... OR someone has assembled something wrong ... OR just not found the simple thing that is causing the fault.
Its not exactly a Ferrari engine ... its a basic small outboard .....
If it feels good on starter pull hot or cold : then compression is most likely fine.
If it sparks at least visible without needing to be in the dark : the spark is most likely fine.
If HT lead is disconnected from spark plug and cord is pulled a few times - plug removed and its wet : then crankcase pressure and fuel to cylinder is most likely fine.
Its down to supply of continuous fuel then.
Its not exactly a Ferrari engine ... its a basic small outboard .....
If it feels good on starter pull hot or cold : then compression is most likely fine.
If it sparks at least visible without needing to be in the dark : the spark is most likely fine.
If HT lead is disconnected from spark plug and cord is pulled a few times - plug removed and its wet : then crankcase pressure and fuel to cylinder is most likely fine.
Its down to supply of continuous fuel then.
rotrax
Well-Known Member
It is what I would expect from one of my racing motorbikes, and a bright blue one at that, and a loud 'crack' as it jumped.
Take the surressor cap off trim a tiny bit off the lead to ensure a bit of wire showing and crank fast - should get a bright blue loud spark at LEAST 8mm, better if 10mm from a cooking ignition system.
If the ignition is a suspect try hooking up a strobe, shine it on a wall. Start the engine. When it cuts out at high RPM, is the strobe still flashing on the wall?
If it is, look elsewhere.
I still believe, as the symptoms are very close to classic crankshaft oil seal failure with a two stroke, that the problem lies there.
That is 55 years of two stroke engine experience, suffered the same many times.
Cant prove a negative though, and testing almost imposible.
I have seen a Yamaha MX engine stripped of ignition generator and crankshaft gear/clutch rigged with a device for blocking the exhaust port. Lowish - 40psi - air pressure was introduced into the crankcase from the inlet port and soapy water brushed around the seals/bearings.
The ignition side one bubbled.
Job done, for that engine.
But the way seals work, the lips can be tightened up by the air pressure, cant they..........................
So, not a universal panacea.
Paulg25
Well-Known Member
Reminds me of a chainsaw I once had... lent it to a friend who called to say it was seized. Said it was like it when I lent him it!!
david_bagshaw
Well-Known Member
talking of chain saws, same mate as theee generator earlier turned up with a brand new but 6 years old never used chain saw, said he couldnt get it to start. been pulling for hours. plug out squirt of two stroke oil in plug hole, pull over couple of times plug back, .... started first pull.
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
If it's so difficult, how do you start it?
Refueler
Well-Known Member
I don't .... they sit in the shed as collectors items !! They are extremely unreliable anyway if you can get to pull one through !
I got them with the Soviet Speedboats I rescued .... then a few more when someone found out I was resurrecting the boats.
I've tried to find someone to service them - see if we can do anything with them - but they all refuse to touch them.
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
My Seagull is very easy to pull indicating poor compression. However it starts and runs reliably.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Its funny you say that .... I've had 3 Seagulls and all were reasonably easy to turn flywheel by hand without cord ... but ran superb.
Dunno if same ... but with model engines we have various ... where some are quite easy to turn over but once started piston to cylinder 'closes' giving desired compression ... others with rings ... but others that have slight tapered bores and can be extremely hard to turn over as piston approaches TDC ... once started that 'opens' up ...
