No tilt??

JSGOLD · Nov 5, 2009

Well I guess I goofed when we bought our boat....76 Starcraft (16') with 55HP Evinrude (also 76). Boat is nice, engine runs, we have a decent 5.5 kicker motor but have not been able to get to a lake yet. been working with the boat a little, most likely not going to get to take maiden voyage til spring which is fine. Now for what it NOT fine. The previous owner showed me a lot on the boat, motor, trailor, etc. except one thing...how to tilt the motor...He was going to, but I was busy looking at something on the boat and forgot to have him show me. Beside..how hard can it be? Well, considering the entire tilt mechanism is gone, plenty! I did not pick up on this and now I am puzzled on how he even did this...I am trying to find his number and call him but I ordered the proper parts book, service manual and they confirm the tilt handle and all brackets are gone. That's what being new to boating can do when you don't know everything to look for...Still like the boat but the only way I see is the trim adustment, as far as lifting the motor, unless I am missing something else. I will find his number eventully but do any of you have this same problem? I can tow the boat with the motor down, but when fishing in smaller lakes I need to tilt the motor or remove the prop. Is there an easy way to correct this or what? I would guess the parts would be difficult to find.

bktheking · Nov 5, 2009

Re: No tilt??

This doesn't make any sense. Then how is motor being held on the boat without transom brackets? From the front of the motor look at the bottom left side of the lower part of the motor cowl. There should be a tilt lever that you can pivot to release the lock lever on the motor. Go to shop2.evinrude.com and look up your year and model. The tilt handle is 21, the locking lever is 46, this should be on the motor, I can't see why someone would remove it, the motor would flop around up and down and wouldn't be seaworthy.

JSGOLD · Nov 5, 2009

Re: No tilt??

Well that is what's drivimg me crazy...There is NO lever. The books I have shows a lever, connected to a bracket which looks to control this. But they are not there... I guess I need to get a pic or two but motor seems complete except the handle, brackets, and any other control mechanism for the manual tilt. The motor is solid, does not flop or move. I could lick myself for not checking this when I bought the boat, one of my dumber things. I saw the pin at the bottom and assumed that was the tilt...and of course that turned out to be a trim adjustment, and well...

BTW, the brackets I refer to are the tilt brackets, not the main brackets holding motor on the boat. And I do have the factory manuals...unless by some weird chance there is a different motor bolted onto the transom bracket...if that is even possible.

bktheking · Nov 5, 2009

Re: No tilt??

Then maybe you are just missing the lever. Look on the side that I am talking about, is the locking lever still there? I would assume it is if the motor won't tilt , something has to be locking it in place.

JSGOLD · Nov 5, 2009

Re: No tilt??

That's the mysteryhere...I see in the book where this handle is supposed to be, but on the motor there is nothing I see that it could possibly connect to. No brackets, no rods, no opening, nothing. I removed the cowl this evening and took a flashlight and find didly squat that would let you tilt this motor, except for the trim adjustment, which has several holes and a pin that locks it in. Really odd. I will climb into the boat tommarrow and see if anything I am missing. i first thought maybe he had just to reach into an opening and pull with some pliers or something but there just is not a darn thing I can find that matches the service manual or parts manual on this....rest is right on.

bktheking · Nov 5, 2009

Re: No tilt??

The lever isn't under the cowl. Maybe he removed everything, who knows. A pic would help, take one tomorrow and post it.

JSGOLD · Nov 5, 2009

Re: No tilt??

I removed the cowl in desperation, LOL. I was just hoping to see better into the motor for a clue. Still looking for the previous owners phone number, will try and post a pic tommarrow. My guess is that at least part if not all was removed...but again I may be overlooking something..

bktheking · Nov 5, 2009

Re: No tilt??

Can you grab the model number off the motor?

JSGOLD · Nov 5, 2009

Re: No tilt??

Evinrude 55673E, 1976 55HP.

86 century · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

It may be a power tilt and trim mount that is missing the pump and cylinders. As the tnt mount does not have a lock.

bktheking · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

You'd think a trim switch would be evident, no motors in that year of that HP came with power trim not to say it couldn't be added.

JSGOLD · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

I will remove the kicker motor and take some pics this evening....still mad I did not ask more about this motor when I had the chance. can't find the guys number now and I guess I could drive to his house but a long drive...LOL. The motor is usuable regardless of what we find as he ran it like this for some time and I can remove the prop if need be but would like to get it "right" if possible. Maybe I'll have to find a blown motor for parts. Or maybe I'll get lucky and just have to cobble a handle...with an engine over 30 yrs old I am sure there was some switching around and robbing of parts one way or the other..

ezmobee · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

This is where it SHOULD be:

JSGOLD · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

Nor sure if I did this right...let me know

http://s787.photobucket.com/albums/yy158/JSGOLD2009/

samo_ott · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

Hmmm... definitely not TNT. I used to have a '76 Johnson 55hp just like that. I thought my lever was on the starboard side. Hmmm... So the engine does tilt though right? You can lift up the lower end and manually tilt it up? There's just nothing to hold it up in position? You shouldn't use the tilt lever for trailering anyway. You should use a transom saver to hold it up properly. As long as the engine tilts properly I'd just do that and not worry about it unless you really need to hold it up for another reason.

bktheking · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

It is on the SB side, I found another pic online, the lever is right where the lower housing starts to curve , his is missing.

JSGOLD · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

Motor doesn't budge....I tried this evening. It looks like a side bracket is missing and the handle also. Not sure what else. I have a transom saver that he gave he as well. We left the motor down for the trip home, shoulda went ahead and put it in...but we just had a vicious rain and were in too much of a hurry to get the h out of there. I just have to figure what is holding the motor down.It almost looks like the large pin is holding it, when I lift it seems to be the only thing holding it. There is a pin in between the side where the bracket should be, based on my manual. But nothing to grab onto.

bktheking · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

The pin is to adjust the trim, it has nothing to do with tilting the motor up. If the motor is locked in place then the lock bracket has to be there or someone welded the motor to the transom bracket.

bkwapisz · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

Hey JSGOLD- Once you get that to move there's a bunch of Johnson TNT setups for sale on ebay from $20-$280.

Might be time for your first upgrade!

BTW- Might want to try greasing the zerks on the tilt tube. I just got my first Johnson and the grease fittings were all dry as a bone.... Funny how everything works better with a little lube....

JSGOLD · Nov 6, 2009

Re: No tilt??

LOL, I saw some of those on Ebay lasy night! I see no welding but who knows? The previous owner told me it lifted, would hope he did not mean the trim adjustment. Anyway I am going to fiddle with the area that has the pin on SB side, where the handle should be. if all else fails another trip to Barboursville is in order to talk to previous owner. the one reason I keep mentioning the trim pin is that it looks like the pin has been removed several times. Will eventually figure it out, just new to outboards, shoulda paid more attention to that than I did.
Yes, will hit all zerks!

No tilt??

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