1958 Evinrude 5.5 Fisherman

[goblerblaster]

I bought a 1958 5.5 Evinrude Fisherman in pristine condition. Not hardly a scratch on it.. Been in a barn since 1969. Motor is locked up and has original 2 hose fuel line. gas tank in rusted up inside.

Any suggestions on how to free it up and anything to get rust out of the tank.??? I feel like it is just stuck rings and don't really want to pull the heads if I can get out easier. I have sprayed WD 40 in the spark plug holes but no luck yet.

 

[F_R]

It's yours, and you can do whatever you want, but you are assuming an awful lot by your thinking it is "just stuck rings". Reality is it has been sitting and rusting for nearly 60 years, so why is it that only the rings are stuck? Consider that the connecting rods are aluminum with silver plating. The silver is the bearings. Inside the silver bearings is the steel crankshaft. If that steel shaft is rusted and you rotate it, the rust will scratch and scrape at that silver plating, severely damaging it.

It would be a shame to destroy that pristine motor. If it were mine, I would carefully disassemble it and clean it up before moving anything. With care, it can be around another 60 years. But as I said, it's yours.

 

[Crosbyman]

took me 3-4 weeks to loosen up my $50 9623a 9.5hp with stuck rings

soaked it 3 weeks pulled the cyl head and gently knocked it loose with a round 1 inch wooden peg and hammer ​

marked the flywheel and saw small progressive movements over a week's efforts soaked again and again .. one day it fully loosen up.

changed coils points etc... impeller

ran great all summer

S.M. true.... all goood points !

 

[lindy46]

It could also be the lower unit which is frozen. There is a shock absorber in there which may have broken and seized up. I'd remove the lower unit and see if it is free. You'll have to remove the powerhead to drop the lower unit as the shift rod attaches under the powerhead. It WILL need a new water pump impeller, so you'll have to drop the lower unit to change that anyway. So go ahead and remove the L/U and see if it's frozen. If it is, then check the powerhead and see if it turns. Yup. lots of disassemby in your future.

 

[Crosbyman]

see excellent link

 

[goblerblaster]

I appreciate the tips.. I have soaked the cylinders in 1/2 acetone and 1/2 tranny fluid for a couple of weeks and still can't turn the motor over. Before I pull the head and knocking paint off all the bolts and needing to buy new base gasket, etc I am wodering if this motor should just be left as a "conversation piece". I have noticed that the exhaust cover is discolored- instead of being the same color blue as the rest of the motor, the back 2/3rds of the exhaust cover is kind of a greenish brown. Is this a sign that it ran hot and maybe that is why it is locked up? Or, is this normal?

I don't want to get into a complete piston, rings, rod bearings etc rebuild and would rather not take it apart if the discoloration is a sure sign that it is probaly burned up.

Any ideas on whether to press forward or not considering what I am looking at and my desire not to have to replace everything??

 

[lindy46]

If the lower unit is locked up, the powerhead isn't going to turn. You'll have to drop the lower to find out. At this point, you've got nothing to lose. If the powerhead is at fault, then you still have your "conversation piece". I've seen older motors with discolored exhaust covers that run fine, so that's not a definitive sign that the motor is fried.

 

[Chinewalker]

The 5.5 models only had a portion of the exhaust cover actually cooled, so it is common for the cover to show discoloration.

As for the conversation piece aspect, I'd get it running as Frank suggested. Tear it down, clean it up and put it back together. A conversation piece that makes blue smoke will garner MUCH more attention!

 

[goblerblaster]

Thats kind of what i'm thinkin but now I cant get the stinkin fly wheel to bust loose. Any suggestions?

 

[Chinewalker]

Using a harmonic type puller?

 

[goblerblaster]

I only have a block of wood and a hammer !!!

 

[HighTrim]

Well, Im not sure I want to know what you are doing with those, lol.

Get a cheapo harmonic balancer puller. Get grade 8 bolts, 1/4-20, about 3" long. It will come off in about 2 seconds, and wont ruin your flywheel.

 

[Crosbyman]

great motor... dont destroy it get a puller as indicated


with the powerhead off you will quickly see if the engine is stuck or the lower unit is the trouble.

check the utube link above... it is an easy job to remove the powerhead... I did it

one week's soaking is not enough !!!!! especially if all the o?l drains out into open exhaust ports

fortunately...on my 9.5 both cyl had the exhaust ports closed so the o?l saturated the rings,.. very slowly and it loosened up after 3-4 weeks

you can always take out the carb back plate and reeds ( try to save the gaskets) this will aloow you to peek Inside a bit and see the crank.....hopefully the Inside is not all rusted shut

blow some o?l in the rear of the pistons to help loosing it up. get a can with a long spay tube ( like a fogger can) and o?l up the Inside

keep at it winter is coming anyway

btw did you remove the cyl head to firmly wack the pistons day by day with a wood peg ???

drop the lower unit first to confirm that only the head is stuck .....

go easy on those cyl head bolts