Evinrude 6 HP Flywheel key and Sierra carb kit question

[Tim Frank]

Doing some maintenance on a 6 HP E/rude, 1975 model.
I have had this motor for ~ 15 years has always run really well...last year not as well. The motor got "drowned " a couple of years ago and while drying out the ignition (flywheel off) I noticed that the coils looked "iffy" and so I put them on the do-soon list.

Compression is 90 PSI top and bottom.
So this spring got a whack of parts from iBoats (they were great to deal with):

1) Changing entire set of ignition components...coils, points, condensers ....no problem with this, but I created a real problem for myself with the flywheel key.

First question ....is 1/16" enough of the key to be showing above crankshaft taper?
It looked way too small to me ~ I did not measure, but it would have been no more than 1/2 the depth of the keyway cut in the flywheel....so I decided that I'd get a new one and tried to get the old one out....it doesn't want to budge with the force I have used so far....I have a fairly light hand learned from the times when I have used too big a hammer..

I have chewed the key up enough that I would not be comfortable reassembling with the old key. Obviously this is entirely self-inflicted...since with a bit more thought I would have accepted that the motor ran fine as it was, so I should have left sleeping dogs lie....but I didn't. :facepalm:

The crankshaft taper is pristine and there is nothing that looks odd...that the original owner might have done....glue or adhesive of some kind. So I am not sure why it might be locked in there.

So....any tricks on removing a stuck flywheel key?
Are they hardened?....or might it be soft enough that I could drill and tap for a small machine screw and pull it out with that?

2) Carb....The carb kit that i got from iboats has a few extra parts...including an assortment of carb-manifold gaskets and fibre washers.
The problem I have is with the low speed jet packing installation. When i took out the low speed jet there was a plastic washer and "some" packing behind it.
The kit shows the assembly as (from the inside out) 1- Needle valve packing, 1- needle valve packing washer, and the packing nut.
They do not include a packing nut, obviously you reuse the original brass one....and there was nothing in the kit that could have been the packing washer so I reused the old one with one packing

The OEM manual that I have shows just two packings...and the packing nut...no washer...
The parts list at "shop2.evinrude" shows two packing + the washer and then the nut.

Anybody got any suggestions on what is correct?

I have installed lots of these over the years and it all feels fine...loosen the packing nut a bit and the needle valve turns easily....tighten it down and the NV gets hard to turn.
It may not really matter, but it seems odd that the 3 references would all be different.

 

[oldcatamount]

Re: Evinrude 6 HP Flywheel key and Sierra carb kit question

Since you have already chewed up the key, take a screwdriver (with a blunt blade edge), place it on the top edge of the key and give it a sharp rap downward with a mallet. The key should pop out. When you install the new key, place it in the crankshaft slot so that it's parallel (vertically) with the threaded (top part) of the shaft. Look at the key first, there is a small hash mark which will be the bottom of the key. Don't force the new key into the slot. It should be a snug fit but don't hit with anything. As for the carb kit, go with the OEM manual instructions (even though I always use the packing washer, then a nylon washer, then the packing nut). The key piece being the packing washer.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Evinrude 6 HP Flywheel key and Sierra carb kit question

Thanks for the carb suggestion. That's what I shall do.
Re: key removal....thanks, I'll give that a try.

Your instruction about the key installation is different from all my OMC OEM manuals.
These manuals ALL say that the key must be parallel to the taper section.