TOPIC: 62 evinrude

So I got this 62 evinrude 40hp and I just can get the thing to be reliable and start/run correctly.

It takes forever for the thing to start sputtering , and when it finally tunrs over , it'll fun for 4 seconds then die. I keep having to play with this "rich lean" dial on the carb and theres no sweet spot. I had the motor running a week ago , after 20 minutes of playing with the carb , and then it barely wanted to stay running , was super touchy.

It drives me nuts that my first 63 johnson cost 500$ and only worked a year , my 57 evirude fastwin cost 300$ and only worked a year and a half , this new evinrude cost 350$ and it just BARELY stays running if that. Thats 1000$ and nothing works!

This make me wish boats were just electric instead of gas. Any ideas?

I would gake it somewhere and have it checked. Likely a dirty carb. The ethenol blend fuel plays havoc on fuel lines making then come apart and dirty the carb. Make sure all fuel lines are alcohol resistant. I hate working on outboards too.

Or should I just do this and never worry about the motors ever again?

Post this in the JEGO's PLace forum and you'll get plenty of answers from the Johnny/Rude folks there. There are lots of questions to ask you but it would be better in that forum so you'll get plenty of responses.

Bob

emosun,

my opinion is:
1. CHECK the compression & if the compression is FINE
(MOST that i've found are OK.= FEW of these old/simple outboards EVER "wear out"),
2. REPLACE the plug wires/coils/sparkplugs/condensors/waterpump impeller,
(i do this to EVERY old OMC that i find.= NEW-made parts from the local NAPA store by SIERRA.)
3. REPLACE the gastank lines & all the other rubber hoses, with ALCOHOL-PROOF hoses.
4. THROUGHLY CLEAN-OUT the gas tank to assure there is NO jellied GUNK in it
and
5. REBUILD the carb.

these old Johnnyrudes are TOUGH & NOT complicated (to work on yourself) BUT they are over 40 years old & most, imVho, need ALL the above maintainence/repair to run BETTER than the modern OBs.

PERSONAL NOTE: MY favorite BIG-TWINS are the last of the GALE & (OMC-made) SEA KINGs.- all the above is my opinion & will give you a GREAT engine for about 200.oo plus the cost of a "garage-sale outboard".
(my most recent purchase cost me the princely sum of 40.oo.)

BEST WISHES, satx

I have a 1962 Evinrude Lark IV 40 hp and I replaced EVERYTHING before I ever tried to start it. Rebuilt the carb to. It started the first time I hit the starter and runs like a new one. I'd highly recommend you do the same. www.laings.com is a great source for parts.

I have rarely ever had to work on our 1950's and 60's Evinrudes. The single most important thing to do if you are going t let the boat sit for more than a week is run the gas out every time. I can not stress that enough. It makes for an easy "plop'n'go" summer.

Other than that, check, file and reset the points every 7 years and be sure the shifter favors forward so it just barely goes into reverse. Otherwise it will wear the forward shift dog.

Use new fuel every year. Never try to use up last years gas on the first outing of the season.

Be sure to use gas that was refined from Texas or Alaska, foreign oil does not work well in these motors..... (joke)

Ok I actually contacted the guy who built the electric outboard about simply gutting the motors and replacing them with electronics instead. If it's lost cost enough , I'll simply change them to electric instead of gas.

We actually have an electric lawn mower and it's sooooooo much easier then a gas one. lol

If that doesn't work then I don't know. Maybe if I sell all these outboards I can buy one that's already fixed.

I do not recommend this but if you want it, here it is. Made in China by that company that copies popular motors like Honda and pushes it off as their own design. I think this is the same company that makes Coleman outboards and engines for their power washers and generators. www.electricmotordepot.com/products/4HP-20-in.-Electric-Outboard-Motor.html I deplore them myself. YUCK Sell your good outboard to someone who will cherish it.

emosun wrote:

Or should I just do this and never worry about the motors ever again?

If you have the skills to do that to a motor, you surely have the skills to make an original work like it were brand spankin' new. If you can't do it yourself, you are looking at over a grand in machine work alone, if you hire it done.

Like many dreamers and fly-by-night voo-doo electric companies, smoothwake, offers nothing but the opportunity to invest. No, kits, to buy.

I had hoped they had more to offer. I have an Evinrude Playmate parts boat where the V4 is shot. I'm planning an electric conversion of the outdrive and I thought this might me a great link to a conversion kit.

robert-lorigan,

NOT ME, especially since i could have 7-10 EXCELLENT-running BIG TWINS for the same/less $$$$$$$$$.

IF i can work on the old OMC twins (and i can), most anyone can with no more than a copy of the motor service manual & 50 bucks worth of hand tools.

offhand, the SOLE OB that i'd sooner have is an F-model Fisher-Pierce (the last name for the Homelite design, with all the imrovements) 4-cycle, which with minimal maintaince, will outlast me & they are CHEAP to run as well.

Just saying.
yours, satx

I just hate to see a good classic outboard chopped up. Just me I guess.

I suppose I'm just sick of these gas engine breaking down all the time. They are so overly complicated and there is so much on them that goes wrong and the matinence is just nuts.

If they were electric it would be so much easier. I don't care if they are slow , I just don't want to sit at the dock with the hood open anymore.

The guy I contacted gave me a crazy price , but I figured out it can be done for a round 800$ if I used golf cart parts.

In the meantime I'll attempt to find a shop to work on the gas engine , but for the long run , electric with solar charging sounds much better.

Keep us (me) posted if you do that. I have what has become known as "the parts boat" for my fully functional and original 1965 Evinrude Playmate. I've always wanted to build a solar powered boat and since I have this hull, and stern drive, I figured it would be the logical candidate for a solar conversion. I bet I (we) could pick up a spent electric golf cart cheap on E-bay or Craig's.

The stern drive gives me far more options than an outboard does. I can use pulleys or a transmission to get my speeds where I want them. The torque on an electric is so different I think you could use a prop with far more pitch than a gas motor would use.