1971 Evinrude 4 HP 4106D - few questions

[scottybk]

Hi all, I'm new to the boards here and to outboards and boating in general.

Today I bought a 1971 Evinrude model 4106 D. Paid 150 cash. Motor fired up fine on the second pull ! It was stored indoors in a garage, and when I pulled off the plastic housing the inside looks like brand new- no rust, very clean inside (no cobwebs or rat nests, all fuel lines & spark plug lines look good).

This is going to be used on a 12' jon boat.

This has the 5 inch extension section added to the lower unit- how much trouble is it to convert this back to the short version? I mostly run shallow water and don't need the extra 5 inch drop. Will I need to buy any new parts for this conversion, and is it diffiicult ( i am pretty handy with small engines but have never worked on boat motors).

Also, do I need to replace all the fuel hoses with new ones that can handle ethanol gas? I've heard that a few gallon of "modern" gas thru these old lines can eat them right up?

Any other parts I should replace for preventive maintainence? I saw a nice tuneup kit with new points, condenser, etc for about $20 online. Are there any other parts that are likely to be dry rotted etc and worth just replacing now rather than waiting for trouble?

Also, do these little motors have a good reputation for reliability etc?

Thanks in advance- scott

 

[Rick.]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 4 HP 4106D - few questions

I have the same motor with a short shaft. You would need a short drive shaft and you could cut five inches off the water tube. Nothing else comes to mind but hopefully others will challenge my thinking on this one. I've never done it.

Personally the first thing I do is check compression. If it is good, continue reading. If not you must decide if you want to spend money on the internal parts it might require. Here is a site you can view all your parts at.
http://epc.brp.com/SiteMods/BRP_Public/BRP_Public_Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/Index.aspx

If your compression is good, get yourself an original factory OMC service manual. No CD's and no sealoc or clymer manuals. I normally get them on Ebay. Searayman at Ebay normally has the manual I'm looking for and has been good to deal with. Do a search as some times you'll find better pricing elsewhere. You can purchase Evinrude or Johnson as they are identical except for decals and color.

You need to get a flywheel puller to check your points and coils. If your coils have been replaced already they will probably be fine. If they are cracked then replace them. Check the points for condition but I would just replace them with new and then you know it's been done. Gap them to .020 and make certain they are absolutely clean. I would replace the condensers too. Make sure your wires are out of the way of moving parts. To be honest I would replace the plug wires at the same time as the coils unless it looks like they have already been done.

Your right to do the fuel lines right from the tank to the carb. A carb. kit would be money well spent as well although if your happy with the way it runs it isn't really necessary. There is a good chance there will be carb. issues on your doorstep if you don't.

Replace the gear case oil and use new gasket washers behind the drain/fill and vent plugs. A new water pump impeller is a must do as this is the device that will keep your motor running at proper temperature. The motor has no thermostat so it runs fairly cool.

Pull the screen on your fuel pump and clean it with carb. cleaner. Pull the recoil rope all the way out and have a good look at it's condition.

Pull your prop. and check that your shear pin is in good condition.

Grease and lube things as you go. Also have some solvent handy and clean as you go. Clean motors run way better just like clean cars. LOL.

Yes, they are excellent motors. Very reliable and I troll my boat and consume about a liter of gas an hour which is fantastic consumption. I wish they had forward/neutral (later models do) but that's life. To go in reverse you quickly spin the whole motor 180 degrees. I've reconditioned a 73 Johnson for a good friend and he loves his as well. I've run my prop into the rocks more than once which is my own fault starting it too close to shore. It is always best to turn your boat and then it moves away from shore as soon as it starts. I'm a slow learner. You won't get up on plane with a four horse but you will get lots of trolling hours of trouble free use. I am far more confident in my 71 4HP than I am in my 95 40HP Johnson and I mean far. Sorry for the long winded answer but you did ask a lot of questions. Best of luck. Rick.