Eska Experts

[westwind]

I’m sure you have heard this story, ‘if you want this motor, you have to take the Eska too’. Anyway, it followed me home, it’s an Eska Arrow with a Tecumseh powerhead. It has a cooled leg that uses pressure from the prop instead of an impeller, which I kind of like. It has spark and compression so I put a bit of gas in and it seems to want to start. It runs for a bit with the choke on but quickly stalls when I try to take the choke off. I’m guessing the carb needs to be cleaned, it has a diaphram instead of float bowl. Any info out there on how this compares to a standard float bowl? Any thoughts on crank seals causing an issue with these motors?

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[frankr]

1. For one thing, I agree, the ram tube cooling is desirable on small air cooled motors over that chintzy water pump they put in their larger motors. It "sort of" works in a barrel, but is ok on a boat on the lake.

2. Now that diaphragm carburetor—I come just a little bit short of despising that thing. I don’t know if yours has a fuel pump or not, but if it does, it is a bladder in the carburetor mounting flange. The carb inlet needle stays closed under a light spring pressure. So, gravity feed from the tank probably won’t open it to let the diaphragm chamber fill with gas prior to starting, making it a beast to get started. Once the motor starts, vacuum acting against the diaphragm pulls it up and opens the inlet needle to get more gas from the tank. If it has the pump bladder, it helps with all that.

Just my 2c.

[westwind]

The carb appears to be gravity feed. Would an old diaphragm maybe be too stiff to open the needle valve properly? I see there is a carb kit still available.

On a positive note, I checked the lower unit and it was full of oil with no water so the seals seem OK.

[frankr]

quote westwind:

The carb appears to be gravity feed. Would an old diaphragm maybe be too stiff to open the needle valve properly? I see there is a carb kit still available.

On a positive note, I checked the lower unit and it was full of oil with no water so the seals seem OK.

Don’t discard the thought of a fuel pump bladder until you take a look. Possibility on the stiff diaphragm. Also it must be air tight and leak free. Otherwise the suction won’t lift it to open the needle.

[westwind]

Here are some pictures of the carb.

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[Buccaneer]

One of my Eska’s had one of those little, orange, tubular
pump bladders. It seemed like it would run out of fuel at
lower speeds, and I suspected the pump bladder was
too old / hard to work properly, but I never bought a new
one, as I figured the new ones were NOS and probably
old and hard too! Anyway, I remember reading
something that the bladders had to be rotated
to the correct position upon installation to work properly.

Prepare to be boarded!

[frankr]

2nd picture–is the high speed needle busted off in there?

[westwind]

I was thinking a fixed high speed, hopefully not busted off.

[retiredoz]

Buccaneer – the book says to install those at a 45 degree angle. I’ve got new ones if you’re still looking…

[Buccaneer]

Retiredoz, Most of my motors I just like to go through,
and hear them run for the first time. The Eska probably
isn’t one I want to run on the boat, but will keep
you in mind should I decide to ever take it back
of the wall and tinker with it again!

Prepare to be boarded!

[Author]

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