'54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

[asdasc]

I have a '54 SeaKing 5hp (GG9015A by Gale) that I took apart. One of the issues was the recoil. When I pulled the recoil off (3 screws) it pulled back in fine. I lubed it up good and it seemed to work great UNTIL I screwed it back to the tank on the motor. Then it stopped working. It seems to rub on the top top of the flywheel. I think I can fix it by adding a washer or two under the gas tank mounts, raising the whole assembly a little.

Has anyone had this issue before? Is my fix going to mess up something else I haven't forseen? The Flywheel seems to be torqued down well, so I don't think it is riding too high.

Thanks,

 

[steelespike]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

Speaking generically;
I think I would look at the recoil.Perhaps someone assembeled it wrong a washer on the wrong side pushing the pulley assembly down.Perhaps the tank mounts (under the tank) are bent or assembled wrong.The parts blow up shows a washer between the mount and the tank.The pic doesn't show a rear mount if thats the case perhaps the rear of the tank dropped down causing a miss fit. Bottom of the tank bent so it sits low? We'll be interested to hear what you find.

 

[asdasc]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

Actually, looking at the parts manuel from the other thread it looks like there should be a washer between the gas tank and the tank mounts. I will have to double check, maybe I put the washers directly under the heads on the mounting bolts instead.

There are 2 more bolts on the back of the tank, but they aren't shown in the parts manuel - at least on page 19.

 

[ohm116]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

Mine has a similar issue, but the tank is also all dented up too.

 

[asdasc]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

Next time you look your motor, can you check the front tank mounts? Is it tank-washer-mounting bracket, or is it tank-mounting bracket-washer?

 

[ohm116]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

I don't have washers under my recoil assembly, might need them though as I have to leave the screws a little loose for it to work properly, I'm not sure what the previous owner did to the motor so there might have been some at one point.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

I use rubber washers as a spacer for that on many older motors...parts wear with age. Can take awhile to find the right spot after it's snugged down.

 

[asdasc]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

I don't have washers under my recoil assembly, might need them though as I have to leave the screws a little loose for it to work properly, I'm not sure what the previous owner did to the motor so there might have been some at one point.

I originally was looking at under the recoil, but realized that spacing up the whole tank does the same thing. In the parts book, it shows washers between the tank mounting brackets and the tank, which would space the recoil up as well. I am sure that on my reassembly I put those washers in the wrong spot, dropping the tank and recoil closer to the flywheel.

 

[steelespike]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

I don't have washers under my recoil assembly, might need them though as I have to leave the screws a little loose for it to work properly, I'm not sure what the previous owner did to the motor so there might have been some at one point.

Washers are under the tank between the tank and mount bracket.Missing
or improperly placed washers may account for having to leave the recoil screws loose.

 

[steelespike]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

I originally was looking at under the recoil, but realized that spacing up the whole tank does the same thing. In the parts book, it shows washers between the tank mounting brackets and the tank, which would space the recoil up as well. I am sure that on my reassembly I put those washers in the wrong spot, dropping the tank and recoil closer to the flywheel.

There you go.Actually the washers are probably there to place the stress directly on the thread boss and not the tank.We may all need to take a look
for the health of the tank.

 

[ohm116]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

Washers are under the tank between the tank and mount bracket.Missing
or improperly placed washers may account for having to leave the recoil screws loose.

No mine is because the tank is caved in in the back causing it to sit lower in the rear, I do have the washers between the tank and the mount as per the diagram, I was wondering about that myself at first. I well try the rubber washers but I also have a lead on a much better looking tank for it from a SeaBee which I think should work.

 

[asdasc]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

Hi Guys,
It is getting cold again, which means I need to pull the pontoon boat and start lugging an outboard to a row boat every time I want to get to the cottage (it is on a small island).

Anyway, it got me back to messing with this, and sure enough, adding the washers between the tank and the brackets fixed things nicely! The recoil works great!

Thanks to all for your help.

 

[steelespike]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

Its all ways nice to have a success story and its one more little bit of info for the next guy.Happy boating

 

[JasonAych]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

I know this reply is late but, I have 2 53 Sea King 5 hp outboards. There are washers in between the tank and mounts. Both outboards have identical washers so I am sure they are OEM . The front washers are thicker than the back washers. About 1/8" for the front and about 1/16" in the back. My recoils function perfectly.

 

[asdasc]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

That is really helpful information. I may double up the washers on the front to give it the factory spacing. I no longer have the originals, and bought some 'normal' ones that are about 1/16 thick.

Thanks for posting the additional info.

 

[asdasc]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

I am sorry to hi-jack my own thread, but can someone confirm quickly if Champion J8C is the right plug for this motor? I pulled the old ones out last year and I *THINK* I put them in my Johnson 1959 18HP, but can't remember for sure.

Thanks. I am heading out to the cottage and need to know what to pick up before I get there.

 

[keith-uk]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

If its the SeaKing 5hp then Champion J6J or J6C or its Equivalent NGK B6S.

 

[asdasc]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

Thanks Keith, I had the wrong plugs so I didn't spend time on it. I ended up using an old 3hp for the weekend. I will pick up the correct plugs and get it going this weekend. I re-did the carb and ignition last summer but had this other recoil issue which got fixed a couple months ago and never tested. It should be great now. The only thing I will need to do is adjust the carb, which is a little bit of an odd one. There is a big rotating high speed adjust on the side, which looks to only need adjusted once. I have no idea where to set that for an initial setting.

Back when I had the recoil issue, it did fire up quite nicely, so I think it is close enough.

Thanks again,

 

[JasonAych]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

The only thing I will need to do is adjust the carb, which is a little bit of an odd one. There is a big rotating high speed adjust on the side, which looks to only need adjusted once. I have no idea where to set that for an initial setting.

See my reponse to a similar question under topic "Gale outboard info "

 

[asdasc]

Re: '54 SeaKing 5hp recoil adjustment

Hi Jason, thank you for the information and the response.

The adjustment I am referring to is either to adjust the airflow at idle or at high speed, but I am not sure which. In the blurry picture, just to the right of the air intake there are 3 screws that can be loosened, this allows you to turn the piece inside the carb that controls airflow I think. There is another peice out the top on a spring that turns the same think when the engine throttles up.

After cleaning the carb real well, I couldn't tell where it was originally set, so I guessed.