'69 Evinrude 33HP: Powerhead Removal Questions

i386

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Aug 24, 2004
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As if you didn't see this one coming...

Contingent upon the powerhead I'm getting on Wednesday being good, I'm going to swap them out.

My manual briefly touches on powerhead removal at the begining of the section on overhauling.

I know the starter, carb, flywheel, magneto needs to come off. I've got boxes, ziplock bags, sharpies, and cameras ready for all that. :p

Other than the posibility of having a hell of a time getting the old powerhead to turn loose, what other surprises am I likely to run into?

Do I need to disconnect the shift linkage like I did when I dropped the lower unit? Anything else connected down there? Water tube?

Any gaskets?


Can I clamp the "new" powerhead to a bench and test compression before I commit to swaping them out?
 

F_R

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Re: '69 Evinrude 33HP: Powerhead Removal Questions

Once you get all the screws and nuts removed. it should come off easy. May have to bump it a bit to break the gasket loose. but it's not something that needs brute force. You don't need to do anything with the shift linkage other than remove the flat interlock bar that runs up the side of the powerhead. Water tubes etc are not involved at all.
 

Paul Moir

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Re: '69 Evinrude 33HP: Powerhead Removal Questions

Just a couple small things I'd like to add. Don't miss the two nuts that hold the front of the powerhead down. They're way in beneath the carburetor.

Also, where I live powerhead removal is often not a straight-forward task. I suspect you'll run into the same difficulties given your experience with the head. Particularly the small bolts that hold the powerhead on tend to get corroded into place so go really easy on them and don't hesitate to break out the torch. If you twist one of the heads off them, the stud will continue to hold the powerhead on to the midsection by the strength of the corrosion alone, and it won't be any easier getting it freed. So really try to take your time with them.
The middle-back one goes into the water jacket and seems to me to be especially bad.

There's nothing stopping you from doing a compression test on the bench. Hold it well as it'll want to walk with the starter.

EDIT - From my shop notes: if your torque wrench works in reverse as well as forward, the small bolts wind their heads off at about 140 inch/lbs.
 

i386

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Re: '69 Evinrude 33HP: Powerhead Removal Questions

For once I had a stroke of luck with this engine. All of the bolts came out easily except one. The head was rusted on one so I carefully worked it loose. I took pictures of everything so I can get it back together. The carb is in a ziplock bag. Now let's hope the "new" powerhead is a winner.

removed.jpg
 

i386

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Re: '69 Evinrude 33HP: Powerhead Removal Questions

The "new" powerhead arrived today. I was blown away when I took it out of the box. The thing looks brand new. Not a speck of rust or corrosion. The only paint missing is on the bolt heads and the "lift ring" bolted to the head. The plug wires look original, yet new. The small wiring harness from under the magneto to the vacum cutout looks original, yet new. The carb and fuel pump gasket are new. Not a spec of dirt, rust, or corrosion on the bottom end of the crank. No dimples under the flywheel from someone beating it with a hammer. Spark plug threads are in great shape.

I know external appearances may not count for a whole lot, but maybe this one's a winner. It sould be a shame for something this nice to have some major problem inside.

I would be interested to know if this is the original paint. I found one thing that might tell either way. The oil return hose was painted and very brittle. If the factory paints this hose then this is the original paint.

Stay tuned...
 

Paul Moir

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Re: '69 Evinrude 33HP: Powerhead Removal Questions

Factory painted those hoses. I wouldn't doubt it's original paint. It should be fairly obvious up around the top crank bearing where the paint normally thins out. I really good repaint usually won't be thinned there since you end up masking the bearing & crankshaft.


Glad to hear it's in good shape. No play in the top bearing I hope! :)
 

i386

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Re: '69 Evinrude 33HP: Powerhead Removal Questions

Update:

The new powerhead is on. Not hard at all. Starter, carb, fuel pump, vacuum cutout switch all installed. All the linkages feel a LOT smoother than on the other powerhead. Starter wouldn't hit a lick but Paul's wiring diagram got me on track. There's no spark, but I think I can handle that now thanks to you guys. I didn't have any luck getting the flywheel off today. My puller snapped one of the three 1/4" bolts trying. I've got some penetrating oil soaking on it so I'll give it another shot tomorrow.

Stay tuned...
 

F_R

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Re: '69 Evinrude 33HP: Powerhead Removal Questions

Use only grade 8 bolts in your puller. They won't be snapping like that. Wal Mart won't have them. Go to Ace Hardware or an auto parts store.
 

i386

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Re: '69 Evinrude 33HP: Powerhead Removal Questions

Heh, funny you should mention Ace Hardware. I found some 1/4" x 3" bolts but I knew I'd have to use washers with those. I asked the "helpful hardware man" if he had flange bolts of the same size. He said "huh?". After I showed him what a flange bolt was he said they didn't have them in the size I needed.

There's a fastner supplier in the industrial park just up the road from where I work. I'll get some good bolts there tomorrow.


I've been really dissapointed lately when I''m buying parts/hardware/etc...

The guy at the parts house thinks regular auto spark plug wire will work on my old outboard.

The guy at the industrial fastner supply house doesn't know much about the many flavors of loctite.

And now the guy at Ace in the fastner department doesn't know what a flange bolt is. At the other Ace we had before it closed the fastner was like a bolt guru. He'd give you the correct part and teach you a thing or two if you needed it.

I'm done ranting now. Thanks F_R.
 
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