1956 Evinrude 30HP Lark Tune-up question

[garncarz]

Greetings;

I just acquired a '56 30 HP Lark (electric start) and fuel tank that has been in storage since '63. It turns and has good compression. Does anyone have a comprehensive list of maintenance items that should be accomplished prior to attempting to run it? I have the manual and parts list on order.

Should I put in fresh plugs and gas and see if it starts or go straight to rebuilding the carb, fuel, water pump, wires hoses, t-stat, etc, etc before starting after its long nap? I don't want to cause any damage.

Thanks.

 

[fireman57]

Re: 1956 Evinrude 30HP Lark Tune-up question

You say it has good compression, are the numbers within 10% of each other? If they are then carb cleaning, new hoses, and waterpump are essentials. Make sure to drain the lower unit and check for metal shavings then refill with fresh oil.

 

[lindy46]

Re: 1956 Evinrude 30HP Lark Tune-up question

If the coils are original, they will most likely need replacing also. Will also probably need points, condensers, plug wires and plugs. That motor doesn't have a fuel pump or thermostat. It has a pressure tank, and the tank MUST hold good pressure for the motor to run. Tank may need some work, but you can try it - rebuild kits are available. Make sure it is cleaned out thoroughly. Then, as Fireman says, clean and rebuild the carb, replace the fuel lines and change the impeller and lower unit oil.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1956 Evinrude 30HP Lark Tune-up question

I would suggest a carb kit, tune up kit (points and condensers), waterpump (impeller), spark plugs, fuel lines. I know it sounds like a lot, but it's well worth the effort and all of these parts are considered "consumable" and are meant to be replaced every few seasons. I would also check/replace the coils as needed per the earlier post. The original coils were notorious for conking out, but the new replacement coils are great and will last forever. You can get virtually all of the parts you need here at iboats. It shouldn't cost more than $150 or so for everything. Money well spent. You can check the forums here for threads that will walk you through all the steps. Good luck. Keep us posted.