restoring old sears 5hp outboard

[taxijayce]

Have just been gifted a sears 5hp outboard model 21758520 from my uncle who has moved from his house to elderly housing. Motor has been sitting in garage loft for 40+ years. Only run maybe 10 times. Paint is still perfect on prop and around sparkplug. this motor is beyond sweet. I am thinking 67 or 68. All of us kids (not any more) learned on this and I have the 10' aluminum pram to go with it. Want to make memories with my kids. Will never sell it, will now be an heirloom. Besides The obvious fluids, plug, points, carb kit, any suggestions on getting it back right and where to get parts. Also any tips on how to find out exactly what year it is? Would the serial # be able to tell the tale?

 

[tomhath]

Re: restoring old sears 5hp outboard

eska sears outboard model page1

Looks like a 1969.

 

[Wakko]

Re: restoring old sears 5hp outboard

Show us some pitchers!

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: restoring old sears 5hp outboard

Welcome to Iboats.
Sears actually still carries a decent amount of parts for these motors. This is a link for the Sears Parts Direct website that shows parts break-downs for you motor;
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...247/1305320?pathTaken=&prst=0&shdMod=21758520

The engine itself is actually a Tecumseh. Tecumseh went belly up in '07, but Certified Parts Corporation bought up Tecumseh's stock, and blue prints/castings, and have been re-producing parts. The may be able to find the hard to find parts for you; CPCMain

As far as what you need to do, change the leg oil (make sure you note if there is any water or excessive metal shavings in the oil when you drain it). If the engine has had little use in its life, the points may just need to be dressed, adjusted, and cleaned with acetone or contact cleaner. The water pump should be replaced (the engine itself is air cooled, but the exhaust is water cooled), Sears still carries the pump. As far as the carb is concerned, pull the bowl off, and carefully clean it. Inspect the needle and seat (the tip of the needle may be missing as it was just rubber). Unfortunately they don't make a carb kit for this carb anymore (so like I said treat things carefully). You may be able to borrow parts needed for the carb from other Tecumseh carb kits, or CPC may be able to help you with getting the right kit for you carb if it needs anything.

 

[taxijayce]

Re: restoring old sears 5hp outboard

:facepalm:Thank you very very much for this helpful information. Just got out of work and immediately went to a marine store in Dover N.H. called Dover Marine that I was refered to by a good friend figuring this area is old boat central. He told me to see this old guy who is very knowledgeable and would help me right out. Explained to him my situation how I acquired it and how much it meant to me. Showed him the original parts manual and he just flipped through it with disgust and impossability." Yeah its probably a Tecumseh motor and they went out of business and we have 60,000 parts on inventory and there's no way to cross reference the part numbers." Don't waist my time and your money is what he was thinking. Took me to the parts dept. let them check 1 number and rudely stood there until I walked out with him even though the parts person still wanted to help. I am a millwright and work on old steam turbines and power plants all over the country , and when met with a seemingly impossible task, I usually say " I will win with anger and determination", and cobb whatever the situation calls for with a torch or grinder or welder or my forehead need be and make it happen. How ever this time I dialed back the anger and cranked up the determination and quietly walked out figuring that I will not be beat by a 50 year old 5hp boat motor or an 80 year old four foot nothing salesman. RAH!!! And so I drove down the road thinking this was going to be a long long war with my 50 year old 5hp boatmotor until I got home and seen all this helpful information. I cannot thank you enough! sorry about the rant, but I had to vent. Now my wife is calling me down for dinner and to tell me what a fool I am for waisting my time and our money on a 50 year old motor. Jokes on her ,its the same age as me. Doesn't matter ,me and my daughter will ride the lakes of N.H. in our 50 year old 10'pram with our 5hp motor no matter what. Thank you again and although I am not much of a computer person I will do my best to get pitchures .

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: restoring old sears 5hp outboard

Don't worry about the rant, sounds like you dealt with a jerk yesterday.

I didn't take a good look at the site Tomhath posted when I posted yesterday, but it looks like they may have a source for a carb kit (aftermarket?) for your motor (the Tecumseh factory kit is extinct).

Really shouldn't take much grunt work to get her up and running. I worked with my neighbor last year to get an old 5.5hp Ted Williams up and running that someone from his work had given him (after that guy was told by a dealer its "impossible" too). Simple, and strait forward. We had to borrow a needle and seat from another carb kit, and he was able to get a new set of points. Once we got it all back together, it fired up and ran beautiful. His son took it down the lake to the river, and an hour and a half later came back and remarked how nice and low it idles, and never had a hiccup despite how many decades it sat unused.