1965 big twin

[corzy]

hey guys, im going to look at a 1965 evinrude big twin 40 HP motor this week, its a pull start with throttle/shift cables for a 16' boat. the owner says it has maybe 20 hrs total on it because his dad sold it to his uncle (his dad bought it brand new in 65) and the uncle stored it for 20 years...it does look pretty clean from the pics...he has it on a stand and it hasn't ran in a few years...hes asking 600 for it, im going to offer 3 or 400 when i get there if everything looks ok...now he said he cant start it cuz he doesn't have a boat, well ill bring my muffs and a lil can of gas with my johnson 2HP hose (that should connect right?) and pull away see if it starts, maybe ill bring some quick start.
any advise? i have to drive about 2 hrs just to see it, so would like to know before hand what to look for.
i dont have a cylinder press tester, should i grab one? or just try to get it to fire up?
its a 2 stroke right?
thanks guys

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1965 big twin

Don't use any type of quick start, use some fuel mixture and squirt it into the carb.
If the owner will let you, check the lower unit for water, check the compression and spark. If those are all OK, anything can be fixed without much work. You will most likely have to overhaul the carb. You will also have to replace the water pump.

 

[corzy]

Re: 1965 big twin

ok, you figure the quick start could score the cylinders? i was told using it now and again was fine, but i wont...so from sitting for years, the water pump is probably dried out, is that what happens? is that a big deal to change out, ive never changed one before...also what are these carbs like to work on?
thanks

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1965 big twin

Those engines were pretty basic, they are not hard to work on. If you don't have much experience working on outboards, I would suggest you get the factory manual for your engine, it will be a great help to you.
Yes, the water pump impeller dries out and takes a set and will need to be replaced. You will have to drop the lower unit to change the pump. If you follow the manual and are careful you should be able to overhaul the carb.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: 1965 big twin

Since you don't seem to have a lot of experience working on old outboards, if I were you I would not even consider getting this one for the following OTHER reasons that the aforementioned one:

1.) The price is too high for a nonrunner of that age/
2.) If you have to pay a mechanic to get it back in running condition for you, you'd quickly be into it for more than 5 times what the engine would be worth if you resold it.
3.) It will likely need the carbs overhauled, new fuel lines, impeller, probable lower unit seals, and ignition components replaced.

Even if you were handy at working on old outboards, it wouldn't be a great deal at $400 in non-running condition. Most guys that buy old stuff like this consider non-running motors as "parts motors" until proven otherwise, and pay accordingly. Great advice above, I just think in your case you may be getting more than you can handle.

BTW------NO electric start??????? That'd be a deal breaker for any price, to me. You'll quickly find that the bigtwins aren't the easiest to pull start.
Just my opinion,
JBJ

 

[corzy]

Re: 1965 big twin

ok thanks for the other points...I just figured that since it only has 20 hrs on it then all the points/electrical would be not too bad, he says it runs but they havent for years, so i would take my small gas tank and line with my muffs and see if it starts, and ya for sure if it wont pull over then i would either forget it, or offer way less...i looked up how to change the water pump, looks not bad. ive played with carbs before so im sure i could get it pretty cleaned out, maybe put a kit in it. i would never take it to a marine mechanic those guys are way too expensive!!

 

[jbjennings]

Re: 1965 big twin

ok thanks for the other points...I just figured that since it only has 20 hrs on it then all the points/electrical would be not too bad, he says it runs but they havent for years, so i would take my small gas tank and line with my muffs and see if it starts, and ya for sure if it wont pull over then i would either forget it, or offer way less...i looked up how to change the water pump, looks not bad. ive played with carbs before so im sure i could get it pretty cleaned out, maybe put a kit in it. i would never take it to a marine mechanic those guys are way too expensive!![/QUOTE]

And often worth every penny!!
Just because it has low hours doesn't mean that it doesn't need a lot of work. The impeller is easy as are the carbs---the whole thing is easy if you've done it before. I'm just trying to point out that even a brand new in the box motor from '65 would likely need a lot of work to get in good reliable working condition due to deterioration of seals, plastic, rubber, etc. You probably already knew all that.
GOod luck either way,
JBJ

 

[corzy]

Re: 1965 big twin

ok, thanks again...famous last words i guess, i just cant afford to take it to one and yep they certainly know how and what to do, and its nice to have things running right and in a fast time, but boating/fishing isn't a life priority (at least according to my wife ) so when i need to do things even if it takes a long time with the use of these awesome forums, thats the way i have to go.
I wasn't trying to sound like a smart *** if it came off that way

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 1965 big twin

Also, that is one motor that you can't run with muffs. You have to put the lower unit in a barrel up to the lower mount.

I scend what jbjennings said. It's probably a nice looking motor, but it will need a major tune up, which entails new carb kit, ignition system, lower unit seals and impellar.

Those are good reliable motors, but right now, those particular models are a dime a dozen. The best deal I've got so far, was three of them for a whopping $50 You can easily pick one of those up for $100. I myself can actually demo you a nice running one, with electric start for $300

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1965 big twin

Zephyr and JBJ are bang on. $600 is way too much. Those engines are a dime a dozen. And how can he prove it only has 20 hours on it? Has he had it since new? Pretty slim chance. I wouldn't go across the street to pick one up that price. This week I bought a non running '60 Evinrude Lark 40hp for $80. That's the standard price range in my area.

 

[corzy]

Re: 1965 big twin

wow 3 hundy with electric start, thats pretty good, wheres yamhil?
no i totally agree 600 is too much, but if it started when i got there (he just hasn't tried to start it) and i could get him down to 3 or 400 i thought it might be worth it, and yes his dad bought it new in 65, he has the owners manual too, and since it looks so clean i beleive it has so few hrs, but no, theres no way of proving it ...
heres the add, its near detroit
http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/boa/3017906504.html

 

[jbjennings]

Re: 1965 big twin

It does LOOK to be in good condition, and once you do all the basic stuff---plan on new coils, impeller, carb kits, fuel lines, then it would probably run for years and years. Do a compression test, expecting about 130psi on a gauge that's actually accurate. Most important would be within 10% of each other. It is important that the gear oil look nice and clean---if it's been sitting for 20years with water in it, you can expect rust. There's no telling if the clutch dog and gear ears are good, but that's a risk you take if you don't get to run it before you buy it.
If you're set on that motor, I'd surely not spend more than 3 or 400 on it. But if you intend on keeping it for a long time and replace all the stuff that needs replacing, it would probably outlast the person running it. The $600 price tag is not even ball park in my opinion. Michigan is full of nice older motors that have low hours. I wish I could spend a couple of months in your area just buying used outboards!!!! NO joke....
GOod luck whatever you decide,
JBJ

 

[corzy]

Re: 1965 big twin

ok cool, that sounds pretty fair, i wouldn't mind doing those things as i know these old motors do run forever if cared for and i would like to have it for a long time.
thanks for your input, im sure ill be back on here asking how to pull things off put new ones on hahaa
or maybe ill get there and decide to wait for another one to come around....time will tell

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 1965 big twin

Yea, that is a nice motor. Mine is a '61 Lark, but it looks very similar that that one you're looking at. A slightly different shroud and it's kind of a dark brown color. Mechanically though, it's very much like that Big Twin. Unfortunately, you live a long ways from me.

jbjennings is spot on though. Once you do go through it and give it a major tune up, you will have a long time runner. They sold hundreds upon thousands of them motors and a lot of them are still running. The rest have been hidden away in an old barn or garage someplace or scrapped. They're pretty easy to coax back to life though and pretty forgiving. I have a '58 model that was stuck when I got it and it was laying in a boat, with the flywheel off and the mags exposed to the weather. I fixed up the ignition system and got it unstuck and got it running. After about 30 munites of running, I got 130 psi in both cylinders.

 

[corzy]

Re: 1965 big twin

thats pretty sweet, it is amaizing how well older motors were built to last...i hope i can get buddy down a bunch in price, might even offer 2 since its not running...but who knows, its always a gamble buying used stuff...but if i get it for 2 or 3 then i wouldn't mind putting 1 or 2 more into it (before the wife gets too mad )
not sure why someone would leave a nice motor like that in his garage without getting it started if he wanted to get that much coin out of it. so im not even sure if ill try and start it when i get there...if he has a garbage can i might, but i think its a good bargain tool to buy it without hearing it run due to the chance factor

 

[lindy46]

Re: 1965 big twin

I wouldn't pay more than $150 for even that clean a motor without electric start. I hope you have a strong arm and shoulder! You could add electric start to the motor, but it will cost you another couple hundred (minimum) to do that. You should be able to find an electric start motor in good condition for the price you're willing to pay.

 

[corzy]

Re: 1965 big twin

thanks Lindy, dualy noted...wish there were more motors near me for sale to compare to...i guess my arms/shoulders could use some beefing up haha been a long time since i went to the gym

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: 1965 big twin

corzy. apperantly you live in MI. or there about. there are better deals than that motor, unless you have vintage boat of tha era to put that motor on.

 

[corzy]

Re: 1965 big twin

im in ontario, but its only a 20 min drive to port huron...where are these motors for sale? on here? there isn't much on craigslist.

 

[corzy]

Re: 1965 big twin

ok, so i called the guy today with that engine, asked his best price, he said 475...he also said that it did run last spring and was checked out by some marine mechanic near him...i asked if he would take 4 but his wife wouldn;t let him hahaha
any advise? if he is telling the truth then sounds like a good motor, but i'd be taking his word since i cant hear it run before....