old 4hp evinrude, need info

[Rick.]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

Well that makes it a 1976. It looks so good I just doubt there are many hours on it. I wonder what year they started with the gear shift on the four? Rick.

 

[someone11]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

I got a head gasket and a carb rebuilt kit on order at a local marina. He said parts should be here monday or tuesday. But, ill be out of town till wednesday.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

My god! Why would anyone replace the coils and leave those plug wires?

Good call on the head gasket. The motor looks to be in good shape. Good luck.

 

[someone11]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

My god! Why would anyone replace the coils and leave those plug wires?

Good call on the head gasket. The motor looks to be in good shape. Good luck.

I dont know for sure if the coils have been replaced.

I ran the motor in the dark and there was no arching in the plug wires, so for now im not going to worry about that. I took the head off the motor today since I got a head gasket on order.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

I dont know for sure if the coils have been replaced.

They have.

Replace the plug wires. You already have the flywheel off. If they aren't a problem now they will be.

 

[someone11]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

Anybody have anything to say about the pistons or head? Good/bad?

I checked the point gaps and they seem to be pretty close to where they're supposed to be.

 

[Rick.]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

I don't see any obvious problems. You should resurface your head. Place a sheet of sand paper on a sheet of glass and then sand the head in a figure 8 motion until you get a nice even surface. How were the bolts when you removed it. Were they looser near the leaky one? Rick.

 

[someone11]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

I don't see any obvious problems. You should resurface your head. Place a sheet of sand paper on a sheet of glass and then sand the head in a figure 8 motion until you get a nice even surface. How were the bolts when you removed it. Were they looser near the leaky one? Rick.

Yeah, ill definately sand the head and piston heads. I didnt notice any super loose bolts. I did notice some bolts had lots of oil on them though, compared to the top ones which had no oil on them.

 

[Rick.]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

I hate to over state the obvious but don't try and sand the tops of the pistons. If you get grit in the cylinders it will cause the death of a good motor. Not sure if that was what meant to say or not. Rick.

 

[someone11]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

I hate to over state the obvious but don't try and sand the tops of the pistons. If you get grit in the cylinders it will cause the death of a good motor. Not sure if that was what meant to say or not. Rick.

Im aware of the dangers, ive done it before though without troubles. You just have to be extra careful. Ill use fine steel wool and ill make sure to clean up well.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

Don't bother with the pistons they're fine. Just plane the head by hand. Give the pistons and rings a good shot of PB Blaster, Seafoam or the like.

 

[someone11]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

Just putting this back at the top, been out of town since sunday. Im hoping to go get parts tommorow. The Marina said they'd call me monday, or tuesday at the latest to let me know the parts are in. Well, its wednesday night and no call yet. Ill call them tommorow and see, and hopefully pick up some parts.

 

[Rick.]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

I did mean inch pounds. That's right from my manual for a 71 - 4HP Evinrude. Rick.

 

[someone11]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

Update with good and bad news. I got my parts today. Installed the carb rebuil kit, cleaned up the bowl and the other half where the gasket goes. That went well. Then cleaned the head and the rim where the gasket goes, on both the head and the engine block. Cleaned the piston heads too and was very careful to make sure I got all the burrs from the steel wool cleaned up. Also cleaned the points up. Installed the carb and the new head gasket, all was going well until I was torqueing down the head. Guess I was torgueing them too much. I was using 10ft/lbs, broke the top left bolt off.. All the other torqued just fine. I hope the head doesnt warp. I decided just to leave it since its the top bolt and im hoping it doesnt leak. I started the motor up. It ran nearly perfect. I watched the gasket where I broke the bolt and no leak yet. So far so good, but im really worried about that broken bolt.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

Update with good and bad news. I got my parts today. Installed the carb rebuil kit, cleaned up the bowl and the other half where the gasket goes. That went well. Then cleaned the head and the rim where the gasket goes, on both the head and the engine block. Cleaned the piston heads too and was very careful to make sure I got all the burrs from the steel wool cleaned up. Also cleaned the points up. Installed the carb and the new head gasket, all was going well until I was torqueing down the head. Guess I was torgueing them too much. I was using 10ft/lbs, broke the top left bolt off.. All the other torqued just fine. I hope the head doesnt warp. I decided just to leave it since its the top bolt and im hoping it doesnt leak. I started the motor up. It ran nearly perfect. I watched the gasket where I broke the bolt and no leak yet. So far so good, but im really worried about that broken bolt.

You gotta fix that bolt, or you'll likely be shopping for a new head soon. It's not like there are any "extra" ones there with only six of them to begin with.

 

[someone11]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

You gotta fix that bolt, or you'll likely be shopping for a new head soon. It's not like there are any "extra" ones there with only six of them to begin with.

Yeah thats kinda what I figured. So how do I go about removing a broken bolt, if the bolt is down in the hole?

 

[wbeaton]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

Remove the head. If there is a little bit of the bolt sticking out of the block then your can try either welding a nut on top and backing it out that way or put a pair of vise grips on it and try to turn it back out. If its broken in the block then centre puch it as best you can and then drill it out. I don't recommend easy-outs that thread into the bolt as they often break off inside the bolt making it a much harder fix.

 

[someone11]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

Remove the head. If there is a little bit of the bolt sticking out of the block then your can try either welding a nut on top and backing it out that way or put a pair of vise grips on it and try to turn it back out. If its broken in the block then centre puch it as best you can and then drill it out. I don't recommend easy-outs that thread into the bolt as they often break off inside the bolt making it a much harder fix.

Yeah, thats kinda what I figured I had for options. Im hoping it broke off inside the head so some of the bolt is sticking out, it would make the job much easier lol. And I do know how to weld, but never though of welding a nut on, thanks for the idea. Ill work on the motor tommorow probably. Can I replace the head bolt with any bolt from the hardware store, or is there a certain bolt for head bolts?

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

Some would disagree with me, but I have used hardware store (not Home Depot..) bolts on these lower HP heads. But I bring an old bolt with me and exactly match the markings on the head bolt. It also helps that I have a couple of real hardware stores still around that carry thousands of bolts in stock and have very knowledgeable people working there.

The real Evinrude head bolts are available for $2.25 ea at:
http://shop2.evinrude.com/

If you end up drilling it out, I recommend cobalt drill bits. Also, put the head back on and use the head as a guide to drill straight.

Good luck!

 

[wbeaton]

Re: old 4hp evinrude, need info

If you end up drilling it out, I recommend cobalt drill bits. Also, put the head back on and use the head as a guide to drill straight.

Good luck!

I second that. Its a lot easier to drill if you centre punch the bolt and its easy to centre punch dead centre of the bolt if you can use the hole in the head as a guide.

I've never used hardware store bolts on the head, but I've seen motors with them. If I was being honest and the motor was meant to be a runner not a show piece then I'd just buy a new bolt at the hardware store.