Re: 73' evinrude 50hp tune up
There is a very good post on here about waking a sleeping motor that you probably should take a look at. The first thing to do is get a manual from your library or purchase one here at the marine store.
I have purchased many parts from iboats and have nothing but good comments about the service, availability and super fast shipping. NAPA is a good source also, but in my case was a little more expensive and I still had to wait for the parts order)
When you put a new water pump kit in it, pull the starter, (3 bolts and about 45 seconds). Makes things a lot easier.
Remove the screw on the bracket below the carbs that holds the shaft top. You will be looking at the head as you are looking from the side, in back of the starter. It sits near the bottom of the powerhead. Don't remove the one facing forward.
Take out the 4 bolts around the casing and two under the cavitation plate and you are in business. There will probably be an exhaust tube the will want to fall out when you casing comes apart but its no big deal, just be ready for it. Don't move the shifting shaft if you can help it. I'm sure you will read about this in the manual.
(This is good time to do the stinky and messy job to drain and refill the gear lune in the lower unit.)
There is a thermostat under a plate in back of the motor that contains the thermostat. Get a therm kit and gasket for the plate, (not a head gasket). You can get this plate off easier if you take the 3 bolts that hold the bracket for the power pack and electrical acc. off. Pretty easy to get the coils and bracket out of the way.
When you get the coils off take a good look for cracks in the casing. Cracks are bad news.
A ratcheting 7/16" box end wrench will come in handy for couple of the bottom bolts on the thermostat cover but not necessary, just handy.
When you put kits in your carbs, pull them off as a set and mark the linkage positions and get them back exactly where they are originally, this may save some tweeking when you get it back together. There is a tiny o-ring holding the choke linkage on, get a piece of tape and stick it to it so you don't loose it. When you remove the screws holding the carb set on, loosen the 4 bolts and move the carbs out a little to get the bolts to thread off completely. same as reinstalling. You would think that there would be enough room to get the bolt off but there really isn't but its a fairly easy job.
Take the front plate off, it will make it a lot easier because the front plate will hit the latch assembly in the front. It is kind of tight but if you take the dual linkage adjuster mechanism off it will be easier. (I left mine off to make it easier to tweek the fuel mixture for each carb independently). Once you get them set there should be no reason to be turning the mixture adjustment anyway, let alone adjusting them both at the same time and increments.
When I put mine back on, I replaced all the fuel lines and installed an in-line filter under the where the fuel line goes into the pump. (Cheap insurance)
(Don't forget to clean the screen in back of the fuel pump cover)
Good Luck and have fun.
