Evinrude '83 4hp EXHAUST MANF. HOT AS HECK

Good Morning,

It's been awhile since I have been here since I bought a sailboat... but I see there is a "sailing" forum here so I'm gonna have to check that out!

I am working on a 1983 Evinrude 4hp (yacht twin) M# E4BRHCTA.. not a bad little motor, it pushes my 1500lb sailboat ('74 Laguna Windrose) pretty good.

Let me mention that this unit looked just beat to heck when I got it. I pretty much just painted it, replaced the exhaust man gasket (it was REALLY leaking there - lots of build up), rebuilt the card, water pump, repl'd points and plugs.

It is one pull start and runs pretty good for the most party except pretty shaketty and noisy.

THE PROBLEM:
At full throttle the exhaust man is VERY VERY hot, so hot in fact that it sizzles water as well as melted the paint near the lower aft edge (missing paint shown in pic below).

It runs good and seems to be circulating water although I hear that the "pee holes" do not produce much stream, it sorta just spits out droplets. Speaking of the "pee holes" you can see a black residue from the exhaust holes in one of the pics below - this is after running for the first time in years for 8 hours.

MY QUESTIONS:
Does the powerhead come off easy? It looks like 5 small bolts. The shift mech is below the joint so I gather that will not have to be disturbed.

I head the exhaust DOES NOT have cooling.. does anyone know about this??

I plan to remove the powerhead and check for clogs as well as replace the grommet.

Any input greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Shawn T
Wichita KS

Re: Evinrude '83 4hp EXHAUST MANF. HOT AS HECK

That is completely normal. As you may have noted when you pulled the cover off, there is no water circulation through the cover, only along the forward edge (where the paint has not changed color). So you've got a metal plate with hot exhaust gases directly on the other side. It's gonna get hot!

The cylinder head should have a little bit of cooling to it along the outer edges as there are passages there for water, but the center portion around the plugs will get hot.

Re: Evinrude '83 4hp EXHAUST MANF. HOT AS HECK

Thanks Chine, that's kind of what I have heard. Is it possible that it will run much hotter under load? I splashed some water on the exhaust manifold and it sizzles like a skillet! Would it be worth pulling the powerhead and replace that grommet?

Thanks!

Re: Evinrude '83 4hp EXHAUST MANF. HOT AS HECK

That certainly won't hurt to check the grommet, but as I noted, those plates will get very hot - yes, hot enough to sizzle water spritzed on it. Most motors do run warmer under load.

Re: Evinrude '83 4hp EXHAUST MANF. HOT AS HECK

I removed the powerhead and holy cow there was a little broken piece of plastic in that little chamber that the water tube snaps into (grommet bad)... the PH came right off easy. All other passages seem clear.

Re: Evinrude '83 4hp EXHAUST MANF. HOT AS HECK

Here's the pic, I got the little piece of plastic laying there & I circled it.

Re: Evinrude '83 4hp EXHAUST MANF. HOT AS HECK

Now I can't get the darn new grommet in! Does anyone know if it's better to put grommet in first then insert water tube??.. OR... put grommet on tube and then try to insert??

Re: Evinrude '83 4hp EXHAUST MANF. HOT AS HECK

I have always put the grommet in then pushed in the tube.