'55 Evinrude 15HP Project

[Fiftyfivefloater]

After all the great help,tips and encrouagement I have recieved from everyone here I've decided to go forward with giving this one a shot at another life (or two). So here are some 'as found' photos to set my starting point up.
The only thing I've done to at this point is the 'discovery' steps which forum members recommended. So far it checks out to be an oldie but a goodie. There are some battle scars (welds) on two places, but the repairs seem solid. I do have concerns about a ding on the lower unit, it is shown in a photo that has the oil fill screw. Could be surface only, but not sure at this point.

I have more photos but not sure how to get more than 5 on a post or get them a bit larger. Maybe I should just post a link to photobckt for the rest?

 

[BigB9000]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Piece of cake!

After just finishing my 6hp restore project, I can tell you that it will be a lot easier than you think.

Are you going to do a complete tear-down and rebuild/repaint? or just make the thing run?

 

[bktheking]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

That looks like a split and not just a ding. Depending on how "pretty" you want the motor to be it will either need to be tig welded or "jb welded". You may also have water intrusion into the lower, these lowers are a piece of cake to pull a part so you may as well do it and inspect everything before getting it welded up, may be more going on then you know about.

 

[Fiftyfivefloater]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Piece of cake!

After just finishing my 6hp restore project, I can tell you that it will be a lot easier than you think.

Are you going to do a complete tear-down and rebuild/repaint? or just make the thing run?

Well BigB, that is a good question. I love the 'idea' of bringing this one back to 100% inside and out. Since this is my 'toe dunk' into the waters of boat motors, I really don't know at this point. Once I get in waist deep I probably will go for it though. Kinda have a habit of doing that with things as my better half will testify (or protest). :redface:

I have both the motor and an aluminum boat to redo. I plan to devote myself 100% to the motor and then I will turn my attention to the boat. It is my opnion that any boat that does not have a dependable motor is just an upgrade from a floating log.

The boat is a 14ft. 1955 Crestliner that has signs of being well used. The wood was there, but very crumbly. I have removed all the wood, stripped the paint and gave it an acid wash about 5 years ago, when it was at my Dad's place. It was sitting out under the live oaks in the hill country until I drug it back with me last Thanksgiving. From what I can see it needs a whole lotta love. Others have been packing who knows what into and around every seam and rivet it has. I remember putting water in it about 5 years back and it looked like a slow drip irrigation system.

Since the trailer is home made and just about as bad a shape as the boat I plan to (while working on the motor) keep an eye out for a vintage aluminum boat with good bones and a trailer that at least has a proper hitch and frame.

 

[mla2ofus]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

When you remove the flywheel, take a look at the insulation on the coils. I have a '53 15 HP i just had to change them on. The insulation was badly cracked and it had started giving me problems out on the water.
HTH,
Mike

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

That crack in the lower unit is caused from that little drain hole below it, plugging up with debris and water sits in there. During the cold months, that water will freeze up and crack the cavity.

 

[Fiftyfivefloater]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

That crack in the lower unit is caused from that little drain hole below it, plugging up with debris and water sits in there. During the cold months, that water will freeze up and crack the cavity.

Well, that would do it. I don't know where it had been before it was in the Austin area, but they don't get an awful lot of bad freezes down there. But, every now and then it does happen.

Curiosity got to me so I started taking the thing apart this afternoon. Once I got the prop and the very bottom part loose I did find some old but water free oil there. That much looks O.K.

I then went for the next section a little higher up. It is held on by 4 large screws and did not appear to have a gasket. I gave it a little tug and it did come apart without too much trouble. Looked around and didn't see any water damage in there either. However, when I went to put it back on there was copper tube I had to finger with to get it back into a slip-type seal/throat. It finally went in and I thought I was done. But now it seems I cannot get the last 5/8" of upward travel needed to complete the seal.
Here's what I am looking at.

 

[bktheking]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Did you disconnect the shift linkage by removing that cover on the side of the leg?

 

[Fiftyfivefloater]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Did you disconnect the shift linkage by removing that cover on the side of the leg?

No, but I did remove the little cover and saw the linkage. It had two heads, one with a slot and the other with a full hex. But I didn't do anything with them.

Should I have loosened the linkage prior to pulling on the lower unit?

 

[BigB9000]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Should I have loosened the linkage prior to pulling on the lower unit?

Chances are you didn't hurt anything. Pull the Flat head able one out, and off comes the lower.

 

[Fiftyfivefloater]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Chances are you didn't hurt anything. Pull the Flat head able one out, and off comes the lower.

Well, I probably need to do that so I can see whatever it is that is preventing me from putting it back together. At this point I was just trying to see what condition my condition was in. After a quick peek I was going to put it back together, but it doesn't want to fit up snug and I don't want to use the bolts to pull up a 5/8" gap. That just seems like too much space with too much resistance on it.

I am guessing that I've dropped something out of alignment on the top. That 5/8" travel has me worried.

I'll try taking the lower off and then see what I can see. And I'm going to order a shop manual.:redface:

 

[lindy46]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Could be the top splines in the driveshaft not lining up with the crank. Try having someone turn the flywheel slightly while you push up on the lower unit.

 

[lindy46]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Also, that lower unit should not have come off at all without removing one of those shift rod coupler bolts. If you haven't done so, remove one of the bolts so that the shift rod fits back up in the coupler. Three things must line up:
1. The driveshaft
2. The water tube
3. The shift rod.

 

[Fiftyfivefloater]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Also, that lower unit should not have come off at all without removing one of those shift rod coupler bolts. If you haven't done so, remove one of the bolts so that the shift rod fits back up in the coupler. Three things must line up:
1. The driveshaft
2. The water tube
3. The shift rod.

I think you are on the money. The distance it needs to travel is about what I would imagine a good size gear spline seating would require. Also, I did try rotating the prop shaft (allen wrench) to get them lined up. No luck there. Today I will have a buddy in the shop and I'll have him try turning the flywheel. Thanks!

 

[kbait]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Probably want to put a new impeller in if it hasn't been run for a long time. Then have your buddy turn the flywheel clockwise only to keep the impeller fins bending the right way..

 

[bktheking]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

You don't need to turn the flywheel, on most motors i've worked on when you shift in into forward this allows you to loosen the shift linkage with that linkage cover off. When you go to reassemble and if you haven't touched the shift rod that goes into the lower unit then assembling is a matter of rotating the prop while reassembling, the drive shaft will eventually line up with the crank and everything will fall into place. Line up the water tube and take the through bolt out of the shift linkage, line up and shove up on the lower once the linkage is lined up, it's a 2 hand job!

 

[Fiftyfivefloater]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Progress has been made! THANK YOU iboat forum members!

Once I removed the set screw from the linkage everything slipped out. I checked the impeller and it looks and feels good. The more I look at this it looks like someone has already gone through it, fired it up a time or two and then it just sat.

I did put eyes on that seal, the one on the drive shaft between the upper and lower...and from the bottom it looks brand new.

I'm not thrilled with the condition of the prop or the seal in that lower gear casing. May want to replace them.

The carb and fuel lines are still of concern. I had to clean orange wonderment out of the bottom of the bowl. No doubt there is more waiting to be discovered.

Since it appears I am becoming more and more addicted to this, is there a particular publisher/supplier for these vintage outboards that anyone can recommend?
Are the CD versions any good?
Some cover many many years, are they too general?

 

[Fiftyfivefloater]

Re: '55 Evinrude 15HP Project

Piece of cake!

After just finishing my 6hp restore project, I can tell you that it will be a lot easier than you think.

Are you going to do a complete tear-down and rebuild/repaint? or just make the thing run?

How long did it take? Did you have any prior marine motor/wrench time?
Also,what (if any) shop or repair manual did you reference?
Did you break it all down to do the paint or just leave some sections together?

I am thinking about buying a good repair manual and parts catalog but am not sure which ones are fair, good or excellent.