Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

I picked this engine up last year and just got around to working on it. Started right up in the test tank after I read starting instructions and turned the small knob wide open instead of at 3 like someone else instructed. Put her in gear and ran her for twenty minutes fine. Now I'm gonna try a lake test and was wondering what I should set the large knob on and what direction to turn it for each condition? I'm new to the old engines and would appreciate any help.

Also I had water spitting out of the weap hole, but also had some dripping out of the top just underneath the engine cowl. Is that normal?

Thanks
Don

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

Hi bobberii. Great old motor you have there. You should not have any water leaking out under the cowl in any shape form or fashion. Do you have a pic perhaps? Give these links a read to familiarize yourself with your new toy. Holler if you get stuck.

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/columns/max/index6.htm

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=167352

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

kfa4303 said:

Hi bobberii. Great old motor you have there. You should not have any water leaking out under the cowl in any shape form or fashion. Do you have a pic perhaps? Give these links a read to familiarize yourself with your new toy. Holler if you get stuck.

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/columns/max/index6.htm

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=167352

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Thanks for the links. I will post a picture later this week of the leakage. Actually leaking might be a little overboard it was dripping from an area around the shift lever. I'll try to pin it down and post a pict.

Thanks for all the help.
D

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin



Pictures aren't that great. I looked at it again and water is leaking out of weap holes that are located on the bottom of the cowling. It increases with the rpm's. I'm assuming that water is going up there to cool the engine and that wherever it is supposed to go that it has sprung a leak. Thought I remembered seeing on a forum somewhere of an o ring somewhere that might allow water to leak up there. Any ideas?

Thanks

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

I think you're referring to the o-ring on top of the driveshaft. I'm not sure if you'd see water in the cowl from there. Run it in a bucket with the cowl off and watch for the leak. Could be a number of places - welch/freeze plug, head gasket, exhaust cover gasket, etc. But you should be able to spot it.

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

lindy46 said:

I think you're referring to the o-ring on top of the driveshaft. I'm not sure if you'd see water in the cowl from there. Run it in a bucket with the cowl off and watch for the leak. Could be a number of places - welch/freeze plug, head gasket, exhaust cover gasket, etc. But you should be able to spot it.

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Where is the Welsh/freeze plug and how do you replace it? Can I get the part easily or do I scavenge it off a doner engine?
Hoping for easy first. Hoping not to have to replace gasket. And it does run smooth, so I wouldn't think it was a blown head gasket.

Thanks,
D

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

Hello again bobberii. Looks like the motor is running good and pumping lost of water as it should. It's hard to see exactly where the water is coming from. Sometimes water from the lake/barrel just splashes up under the cowl. There are drainage holes to allow it back out. However, if the water is coming from beneath the powerhead, then you may have a bigger problem. Welch plugs are little, coin sized discs that can be found on the power head and carb bodies. They are designed to be removed so you can access various passages within the carb and motor. The one on the powerhead is about the size of a quarter and will probably have what looks like an "M" and/or some numbers stamped into it. You can get them from most OMC dealers. However, before you go that far. Check lindy46 idea of a missing driveshaft o-ring. You can check easily enough by dropping the lower unit and checking the top of the driveshaft for a small, black o-ring. It's about the size of your pinky finger. As the motor spins, water can actually "climb" up the driveshaft towards the underside of the power head. The little o-ring prevents it from getting quite that far. If/when water does reach the power head it can cause the driveshaft to rust and stick in place as well as leak, as you've seen. Give this a quick check, report back and we'll take it fom there.

P.S.
To drop the lower unit, you'll need to remove the small oval plate from the side of the leg of the motor and remove the lower bolt from the shift rod coupler. Now remove the 4-5 bolts holding the gearcase onto the leg. When all of the bolts are removed, the gearcase should drop out along with the driveshaft, lower shift rod shaft and possibly the copper water uptake tube. You can then check the top of the driveshaft for the o-ring in question. If it's there, replace the LU using the reverse procedure. If the o-ring is missing, you'll need to get a new one, which comes in a lower unit reseal kit along with the oil seals for about $25. You can get a kit right here at iboats. Good luck. Keep us posted.

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

Hello Again.

I did as suggested. Freeze plug looked fine. I took the entire cowling out and started it up. I can't specifically locate the leak. All the gaskets were fine. I'm guessing the o ring on the driveshaft. The leak is coming from under the powerhead near the head gasket. I have two other lower units that I planned on replacing the current one with anyways since it leaks. So I will just replace it and see if it stops. Gotta focus on NATO now, so I will repost when I get around to messing with it again next week.

Thanks for all your help.

Don

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

Also I searched iboats and couldn't find a reseal kit. Am I looking in the worng place?

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

Ok NATO over. Took her out in the lake and she ran great. Pushed my 11 foot Baltic Inflatable real good. Still had water coming out so after we sea tested her we took the outdrive off for the first time and found an o ring at lowes and replaced it on the drive shaft. Put her back together and wouldn't pump water. We said a bunch of choice words and after 2 retries we finally got it pumping again. Unfortunately still have a little water coming out of the cowl. I guess I'll just run it and see if it gets worse to where I can diagnose it easier unless anyone else has a better idea.

Thanks for all the help,
D

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

The o ring on the driveshaft prevents water from getting INTO the powerhead. It would not present itself as a leak OUT OF the powerhead that you are noticing. Nonetheless, cant hurt to have a fresh one installed.

So to your current issue. I am guessing that it is coming from a gasket, be it the head, exhaust or base. Hard to tell without being there. You cannot see the leak at all? Where exactly do you first notice it? Did you inspect the upper water line grommet while the lower unit was down? They are often original and cracked as they are a pain in the you know what to replace sometimes. Looks like you are still getting fairly good pressure though.

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

are those motors prone to leaks at the shift lever o-ring? thats where it appears to be coming from in pic #3.?

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

Use this link to find parts for your motor. I have a 55 fastwin and i currently need a shift shaft and shift handle does anybody know if the 1955 fastwin is the same as the 1953 fastwin?
http://www.marineengine.com/parts/v...evinrude-johnson/FORM_2104/FORM_210400001.htm

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

dbuchinskiy said:

Use this link to find parts for your motor. I have a 55 fastwin and i currently need a shift shaft and shift handle does anybody know if the 1955 fastwin is the same as the 1953 fastwin?
http://www.marineengine.com/parts/v...evinrude-johnson/FORM_2104/FORM_210400001.htm

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I have one from a 1958 that fits upside down, and one from a 1953, the '53 doesn't fit. I think it needs to be from a '55 or a '56. I'm looking for the same thing. I may wind up having to fabricate something if i can't find one.

Re: Fine Tuning 1956 15hp evinrude Fastwin

If Ive told my wife once, Ive told her a thousand times, this is exactly why I keep 3 or 4 of every motor.