TOPIC: '57 Lark, Just Frustrating...

Just venting here... the history of my '57 Lark is as follows... bought it several years ago, and put new coils in it. Last year started and ran, but when I took it out again, it wouldn't run. So I rebuilt the carb including new float. It ran all summer no problems. Now this spring, I went thru it, got it running & pumping in the barrel just fine. Last week was gonna use it, had it hooked up to the jeep, and decided to fire it up before I left...Would not start, gas just poured out the exhaust. Frustrated, I just took another boat. After sitting all week, I reached in and turned the key, it fired right up! without even a tank hooked up. So I shut it off, attached a gas tank, put the barrel under it...and it would not start... Changed the plugs, it started but didn't run right, then would not start... I know, I have to start all over, from ground zero, make sure it has spark in both coils. Then pull the carb apart... I'm really getting tired of pulling the 'silencer' off to access the carb, on these '55- 57's, especially when I have three 1958's, three 1959's and two 1963's, waiting to be gone over... (and haven't even started on my Fat Fifty's yet)...very frustrating...

55bigtwin,

Perhaps, it's time for a second opinion??
(When I run into such a recurring problem that frustrates me, I take it to a friend over on the Southside. - Often, he comes up with a correct answer, using "a new set of eyes".)

yours, satx

Sounds like either a leaky fuel pump diaphragm, or maybe some trash in the fuel inlet needle/seat.

With the advent of gasohol, the darn stuff causes all sorts of mayhem in outboard fuel systems. So even if everything was "new" last year, if it sat with fuel in it (and sometimes, even if not), there can still be issues.

1) Does the primer pump up hard? If so, I wouldn't suspect the fuel pump.

2) Aint' those carbs fun to work on? Especially pulling that funky long starter bolt with a slotted hex-head! I suspect you'll find the problem within the carb.

BTW, I've started running stabilizer in every tank, in all my outboards and gas-powered lawn equipment, and using non-ethanol fuel whenever I can. Luckily there's a Cenex station about 5 mi up the road and they sell the Good Stuff! Even my little Nissan truck runs better with straight gas.

At any rate, the stabilizer drastically reduces the chance of having fuel-related issues. So even if it were to sit for a year, likely would still be OK. I had a weedeater outside all winter and forgot to drain the gas; it started up just fine this year. Try that with unstabilized gasohol! Just throw it away!

HTH & G'luck.......ed

Thanks for the replies. I should've mentioned it still has the pressure tank with duplex hose. I have been using non-ethynol gas or premium with marine stabilizer, all the time. It's just hard to believe it runs so good and then nuthin...

The 57 Lark, if it hasn't been altered is a pressure tank motor. At times if the float isn't pushing the seat closed and the tank of course is applying steady pressure to the system it will then flood the carb allowing the gas to pass into the engine and then run down the bypass line into the leg. Sadly I am going to send you back into the carb but pay special attention to the float and seat assembly making sure that everything is moving with no resistance at all, and just to be sure float the float in a cup of gas to make sure it isn't sinking and causing the same problem.
Al

al lockhart wrote:

The 57 Lark, if it hasn't been altered is a pressure tank motor. At times if the float isn't pushing the seat closed and the tank of course is applying steady pressure to the system it will then flood the carb allowing the gas to pass into the engine and then run down the bypass line into the leg. Sadly I am going to send you back into the carb but pay special attention to the float and seat assembly making sure that everything is moving with no resistance at all, and just to be sure float the float in a cup of gas to make sure it isn't sinking and causing the same problem.
Al

I'm gonna agree with Al here...needle and seat for sure!

Well, I pulled the '57 Lark off the boat and replaced it with my '58 Johnson Golden Super SeaHorse, which I have never run. I ran a file through the points, replaced the fuel lines, coils look new... It fired right up. Ran in the barrel for 10-15 minutes, pumping water, then started getting rough. One of the plugs was fouling. Spark looked weak on that wire. So I pulled the boot, trimmed the wire back, no difference. So I ended up pulling the flywheel, stripping and removing the stator plate. one of the coils was leaking spark at the boot, so I replaced the plug wires, put it all back together with a new coil for the one that was slightly burnt. Seems to run OK now, good enough to take out for a run.