1959 evinrude starflite tilt locking pin

derek4325

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Hello, i had just recently picked up a 1959 starflite that needs LOTS of work, so i am hoping this fourm can help me in my restoration project. The first thing i noticed that needs to be replaced right off the bat is the transom bracket (both port and starboard side) needs replaced. My question is in regards to the locking pin that locks the transom bracket to the swivel. My motor has a hole for one but I'm not sure how they are assembled, i know that on the larks and the big twins they are usually spring loaded, but im just not sure of a complete parts list that i will need to make this tilt lock functional again. Some assembly advice and perhaps somewhere where i could find a kit with all the parts necessary would be more than helpful. Thank you... Derek
 
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F_R

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Not totally sure what you are speaking of. Do you mean item #58? There was a mid-year change in those. Early ones were always broken very quickly. Maybe this diagram will help.

EDIT: WARNING!! if the tilt is locked down and motor is off boat, spring #49 is under great pressure. If you unlock it,it will go off like a bear trap and you could get hurt. So, if it is locked down and off the boat, disarm the trap by clamping a 2 x 6 or something in the bracket and hold it down while you unlock it. Then let it un-tilt slowly.

EDIT EDIT: Item # 72 is a safety latch to prevent the springing of the bear trap---IF it is present, and working.
 

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Chris1956

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If you mean part # 67, they are similar to the Lark motors. I think they are thicker. I expect you could use a bolt and nut to replace your missing one, as you do not adjust them very often after you get them set. Pick a bolt that just fits the holes, and it should be close enough to allow the latch to work.

BTW - The motor lockdown is only important when using reverse, or when slowing down rapidly. Since the gears/dog on my Fat-Fifty were so worn, I had a choice of forward or reverse, but not both. That made the motor lockdown unimportant.
 

derek4325

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Mar 7, 2015
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Not totally sure what you are speaking of. Do you mean item #58? There was a mid-year change in those. Early ones were always broken very quickly. Maybe this diagram will help.

EDIT: WARNING!! if the tilt is locked down and motor is off boat, spring #49 is under great pressure. If you unlock it,it will go off like a bear trap and you could get hurt. So, if it is locked down and off the boat, disarm the trap by clamping a 2 x 6 or something in the bracket and hold it down while you unlock it. Then let it un-tilt slowly.

EDIT EDIT: Item # 72 is a safety latch to prevent the springing of the bear trap---IF it is present, and working.

It is item #58 that i am talking about, I'm just not sure how/ if i can replace it with OEM parts... or if i should try to get creative with a grade 8 bolt and a light spring? Thank you to everyone for the help so far!
 

jimmbo

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May 24, 2004
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It is item #58 that i am talking about, I'm just not sure how/ if i can replace it with OEM parts... or if i should try to get creative with a grade 8 bolt and a light spring? Thank you to everyone for the help so far!


There was no spring in there, the Pin just slid back and forth.
 

F_R

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OK. as I said, those things were almost always broken early on. That's why they made the change. However, the stern bracket is the part that usually is broken, where the pin goes through. That pin is only meant to be used to hold the motor tilted up like when beaching or fishing. It will break if you use it to hold it up while trailering. If you must trailer it in tilted position, get a transom saver.
 

derek4325

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Mar 7, 2015
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I have decided to keep it original and i ordered a new pin for it, when i trailer it, i know there is another heavy-duty pin on the other transom bracket (same type of screw that is used for clamping the motor to the boat) is that in combination with the pin good enough for trailering or should i still get a transom saver? I have always hulled my 59 lark that way and i have never had an issue (though i do realize the fat 50 is a tad heavier) Of course this is some far ahead planning, i just need the new brackets to support the engine while i try to get it freed... yes the engine is seized.. Does anyone have any recommendations for freeing it and possibly bringing life back to the rings? Thanks again everyone for the help. Derek

P.S. i am only 21 so i have only rebuilt a few of the old OMC engines and this gem is the biggest one i have torn into so far, and so far i can see this engine is a different animal from the other smaller engines i have worked on... and it is a little bit overwhelming i must say
 
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F_R

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Yes, the screw-in lock is for trailering. I guess everybody is free to form their opinion on that one.

The 50 really isn't much different than a 40 twin. Just layed out differently. Belt drive magneto may seem a bit odd, but it works just like the ones under the flywheel. The V-4 carburetor is also similar to the twins, but two of them in a single unit and funky shape.
 

Willyclay

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Sep 8, 2006
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... yes the engine is seized.. Does anyone have any recommendations for freeing it and possibly bringing life back to the rings? Thanks again everyone for the help. Derek

The problem with a seized engine is that unless you do a total teardown, you may never know for sure what is wrong with that engine. You may want to try and isolate the problem area by dropping the lower unit first which will then let you determine whether the seizure is in the powerhead or gearcase. Once determined, you can make informed decisions about how to proceed. The link below will get you to the profile page for forum member yorab who documented his experiences with a 1963 Evinrude 75. Click on "Find all started topics". While it's not exactly the same as your "Fat-Fifty" there are lots of details and pictures. Maybe it will help. Good luck with that great old motor!

http://forums.iboats.com/member/12526-yorab/about
 

Chris1956

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Mar 25, 2004
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Derek, That motor is just about bulletproof. I dropped one running at high speed, into salt water, and it didn't do any damage to the mechanical parts. It was under salt water for 60 hours. I cleaned up the carb and distributor and washed the block out with some very oily fuel mix. Never even tore the motor down.

Pull the transfer covers and see if you can find the rust. Oil the cylinders and the stick a brass drift pin into the spark plug holes and giver her a rap. If the rings are rusted to the cylinders, that should free them. Turn it over it by hand and see if it turns smooth. If so, take a compression test. If the compression is about even, run it on the standard 24::1 fuel mix, and enjoy.
 

derek4325

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Mar 7, 2015
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This has all been very helpful everyone, my "new" brackets came in today and it came with the locking pin installed (after i ordered a new pin elsewhere of course) I will be creating new topics in the near future with pictures to show the progress of this restoration project, i plan on servicing everything from the ignition system to the lower unit to the carb to the cowling (after i get the engine freed of course lol) it will likely be an all summer project but i can't wait for the day that i put it in the test barrel!
 
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