With all spark plugs removed, check the compression of all cylinders. What is the compression psi of each individual cylinder?
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With the spark plugs removed and the engine cold, check the spark of all cylinders. NOTE that the spark should jump a 7/16" gap with a strong blue lightning like flame... a real SNAP! Does it? Note that the 7/16" gap is important! What did you find here?

(Spark Tester - Home Made)
(J. Reeves)

You can use a medium size philips screwdriver (#2 I believe) inserted into the spark plug boot spring connector, then hold the screwdriver shank approximately 7/16" away from the block to check the spark or build the following:

A spark tester can be made with a piece of 1x4 or 1x6, drive a few finishing nails through it, then bend the pointed ends at a right angle. You can then adjust the gap by simply twisting the nail(s). Solder a spark plug wire to one which you can connect to the spark plug boots, and a ground wire of some kind to the other to connect to the powerhead somewhere. Use small alligator clips on the other end of the wires to connect to ground and to the spark plug connector that exists inside of the rubber plug boot.

Using the above, one could easily build a spark tester whereas they could connect 2, 4, 6, or 8 cylinders all at one time. The ground nail being straight up, the others being bent, aimed at the ground nail. A typical 4 cylinder tester follows:

..........X1..........X2

.................X..(grd)

..........X3..........X4
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With the engine running at a normal hot temperature, and the problem taking place... as quickly as possible, do the spark trouble shooting procedure once again. What did you find here?

A major difference in the spark between a cold engine and a hot engine usually indicates that the stator (beginning of the ignition and charging system) may be encountering a meltdown situation..... If possible, examine the stator (under the flywheel) closely to see if a sticky looking substance is dripping down on the power-head area
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Have someone constantly pump the fuel primer bulb, acting as a manual fuel pump, to determine if the engine's fuel pump is failing. If this simple operation cures the problem, the fuel pump is faulty or a leak may exist between the pump and the fuel supply that would allow the pump to draw air.
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Let us know what you find.

OK: today I checked the compression in each cylinder with an Acton gauge I purchased at Napa. I got 85-90 with the highest reading at 92 on every single cylinder. I know that is low but don't know what that means. The readings were almost identical across all cylinders. I check the spark and all wires sparked to at least 7/16 inch sometimes farther like 5/8. I have not checked stator since I ***ume I would have to pull flywheel which I haven't had time to do. Perhaps this weekend. Also have not checked for spark with hot engine for same reason; time.

Compression varies with the speed of which the engine is cranked over. Normal (new) compression is about 95 psi on the starboard bank and 90 on the port bank. You're pretty close.

The spark sounds great. Let us know if pumping the fuel primer bulb (acting as a manual fuel pump) makes any difference.

OK Guys, I have a lot more information to figure out whats wrong with my evinrude. Wyoming weather finally improved enough to go out to lake. I used a 6 gallon tank with 3/8 line and vent wide open. Engine runs good at low throttle but at 3000rpm starts to collapse the bulb and eventually shuts gas flow off. Everytime I increased RPM I got a check engine alarm and light that would stop alaming if I kept going. No low oil or hot warning alarms. The alarm would sound everytime I increased RPM 3000, 4000, 5000 but eventually shut off. I could not go full throttle very long because the bulb would collapse and I ***ume shut off the flow of fuel. The engine would restart in couple minutes and I always had spark except for just a minute or two. It seemed touching spark plug wire to engine block would trigger sparking but maybe coincidental. Ignition seemed to want to "reset" for just a minute or two then good spark. I could keep engine running at 4000rpm by pumping bulb but above that the bulb was totally collapsed and I could not pump. Also used 5 gallons in 30minues (about 10miles). So I think the fuel pump is bad but don't know why it is pumping so hard and fast to collapse bulb and use so much fuel. I hope that helps figure this problem out. Thanks, again.

Open the vent on the portable gas tank. If the vent is closed, air can't get in the tank... if air can't get in, fuel can't get out and that causes the fuel bulb to collapse.

The vent was wide open. In fact I took the gas cap off to make sure it was venting.

It seems you think the fuel pump is OK? The alarms may have been unique to 6gallon remote tank which I have not done before; always ran off main tank and never had alarms. I did that just to try something different. Again, I made sure the vent was wide open and removed the fuel cap when the bulb started collapsing. I can get a used fuel pump on ebay for $55 and a new one costs $350. Am I better off just giving in and taking to Evinrude mechanic in Casper; 120miles away? Thanks for any advise.

The only problem that will cause the fuel primer bulb to collapse is a restriction between the primer bulb and the fuel supply!

The fact that the fuel pump has sufficient vacuum to collapse the bulb indicates that the pump is functional.

I would agree. I will go back to main fuel tank since it never had a collapsed bulb and try to run again tomorrow if the nice weather holds up. Any other ideas? Thanks for your time and thoughts.

Ok it's not the fuel pump. Still cuts out and dies at high throttle with new pump. Then won't start for about 5 minute with no spark noted with spark tester. Then gets spark and starts. Runs fine at low throttle. So I'm guessing the problem is ignition. Where do I go next? Stator? Control module? Thermostat? Other? Still not getting any alarms other than the startup chime. Does anybody need a used working fuel pump? Any help is appreciated.

Ok, it's not the fuel pump. Still cuts out and dies at high throttle with new pump installed. Then won't start for about 5 minutes with no spark noted using spark tester tool. Then either resets or cools down, I don't know what, gets spark and starts. Runs fine at low throttle. So I'm guessing the problem is electrical: ignition? stator? control module? thermostat? or other problem. Still not getting any alarms other than the chime at startup. Does anyone need a working used fuel pump? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks again.

Engine Model Number?

1996 Evinrude Intruder 175hp model GLED

Hi guys: I got the motor fixed; it was the control module. Just wanted to post a solution so that others can use my experience to determine if that will help them. The biggest mistake I made was replacing the fuel pump which was fine but it is expensive. The control module was $125 but now the motor runs at full throttle without any problems. Take care and thanks for your help.