Evinrude 1977 55HP Outboard

[Jazzmandave]

Hi Everyone,

My Wife and I bought a boat last night, a 1972 15' Seaswirl with a Evinrude 1977 55HP Motor.

The guy who sold it to me told me that this detached "lower unit" was detached because he had just had it serviced, and that it would be easy for me and a friend to reinstall.

I am ready to be strapped to a board and checked into a mental hospital after 4 hours of trying. I think I should go to a shop, what should I expect to pay for a shop to do this?

Also, I think Ill need a propeller, as I was dumb and took his word for it that the prop was in the boat stuffed in a compartment. (It is nowhere to be found) Will it be possible to find a compatible propeller for an engine this old?

Last, any comments or thoughts or tips for this motor?

Thanks!

 

[david_r]

Re: Evinrude 1977 55HP Outboard

first off i would get hold of the seller and tell him you want the prop........... those dudes can get expensive.

dont know how much a shop would charge but if you have any mechanical abilities at all you should be able to do it yourself.........

does the lower unit have a rod sticking up parallel tot eh driveshaft of does it have wires coming out of the lower unit?

also as long as it is apart i would go ahead and replace or at least check on the condition of the water pump.

a manual will go a long ways for the do it yourselfer......... not seloc but factory service manual. you should be able to get everything you need from this site or a local boat dealership....... dealers are higher of course.

as for shop work cost around my neck of the woods they charge right around $100 per hour for labor

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Evinrude 1977 55HP Outboard

Get a Clymers manual for your engine and do it yourself... Not that hard once you see how they go together...

I too would contact the seller and tell them I want the Prop. If he sia dit was there, it should be there or he should supply one. They can get pricey, especially for a SS one...

 

[jeff_smith_0423]

Re: Evinrude 1977 55HP Outboard

If you can't swing the factory service manual, get a Seloc. The Clymer's are junk. However, if you're having a problem getting the L/U on, there's probably something specific to your model that you're missing, and you're not going to get that unless you have a model specific manual.

Contact the seller about the prop.

Let's hope you dind't get burned. You definitely didn't follow a typical boat buying process if you picked up a 32 year old motor that you didn't see run.

 

[Jazzmandave]

Re: Evinrude 1977 55HP Outboard

Thanks folks,

I know I should have seen it run, but it was only $750 for the entire thing, and the boat itself is immaculate. I thought that even though the engine was old that a shop could still work with it being an evinrude outboard... 2 stroke motors are not complicated I thought...

I guess Ill need to pay someone to install the unit, no wires but there are two rods that need to be sleeved up as I push the lower unit up. The smaller rod has an end that is offset and that needs to be pushed up in the exact correct direction to fit where it needs to so I can twist the bolt in. Meanwhile the exhaust part needss to be fitted in between and its all quite tricky. Plues since I need a prop, and also because I think I should have a mechanic give it a general look see, Ill take it to a shop.

Thanks for the advice, this seems like a great group for me to learn from.

Cheers!

-Dave

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Evinrude 1977 55HP Outboard

There are a few of things that can happen when you try to put a lower unit back up and can't get it, and can make you nuts if you've never done one before and don't know what to look for:

1. The driveshaft splines are not going into the crank right. You need to turn the flywheel as you hold the L/U (lower unit) up, so that you can get the splines to line up with the crank.

2. The shift rod has either been twisted and the height isn't right or it is slightly twisting as you put it back up and is not going up straight through the shift rod tube.

3. You have to line up the water tube with the output on the water pump, as you slide the L/U up. As you slide the drive shaft and shift rod in, you need to reach in with your hand and guide the water tube onto the top of the water pump.

I would bet that you are having a problem with one of these three things.

Seeing as how you have never done this before and don't have much experience with it, it may be beneficial to take it to a shop. Not that I don't promote DIY, but seeing as how this guy lied about the prop to you, how do you know that it's the right L/U or that something hasn't been done to it, ie. shift rod twisted, while it was down?

I also agree that either you or whatever shop you bring it to, should put a water pump kit in it, that way you know you have a new good pump in there that you won't have to worry about for 2 years.

Props are props, you don't need a 1977 prop for a 1977 motor. You can buy one that was made a month a ago for a 1977 motor. And they aren't that expensive, I don't know anybody who would put a SS on a 55hp motor. Go to a place that sells props and tell them the year and HP and they will sell you an aluminum one for less than $100, that will work perfect. Or ask the shop you take it to for the L/U to sell you a prop.

Hopefully you can get it straightened out and enjoy the boat. Good luck with it.

 

[jeff_smith_0423]

Re: Evinrude 1977 55HP Outboard

Shouldn't be more than an hour shop labor to install a water pump kit and re-install the lower unit.

As for the prop, look at the turning point hustler. They're a good prop and inexpensive.

 

[Jazzmandave]

Re: Evinrude 1977 55HP Outboard

Well the shop called today to tell me the lower unit was not serviced as the seller promised me, but thats not the worst news. The lower unit is not even for my motor.


The shop says they have one $395 to sell me, I hope that includes a prop.

Caveat Emptor. Wow what a guy, bald faced lies, and good at telling them. Now I just hope the boat goes through registration and doesnt come back as stolen...

'sigh'

 

[lindy46]

Re: Evinrude 1977 55HP Outboard

Well the shop called today to tell me the lower unit was not serviced as the seller promised me, but thats not the worst news. The lower unit is not even for my motor.


The shop says they have one $395 to sell me, I hope that includes a prop.

Caveat Emptor. Wow what a guy, bald faced lies, and good at telling them. Now I just hope the boat goes through registration and doesnt come back as stolen...

'sigh'

Wow-for that price, make sure they have replaced all the seals and that the gears are good and it has a new clutch dog - ask them before paying.