A couple more ?'s on my 1958 5.5 Evinrude Fisherman

[goblerblaster]

Got the motor un-locked and running good after carb kit, points, coils, impellor, etc. NOW, how is an easy way to get the hood on? It is so nice I hate to scratch it up, but I can't seem to get it on without scratching side hood on the gear shifter. I have to unscrew the high and low speed carb adjustment screws and take them out of the carb because the small screws that hold both knobs on the brass stem are stripped and I can't take them off. Do you put the hood side opposite the gear shift on first or the side of the hood that is on the gear shift side first? Seems like I read one time that it is easier if you put the gear shift in reverse??

Thanks for any suggestions......still trying to find the sweet spot for the initial start after the engine has set for a couple of weeks. I usually have to use starter fluid and about 20 pulls to get it going. After that, it will start first or second pull all day long. any ideas?? There is gas in the glass bowl on the bottom of the carb and I can see gas running into the bowl when I pump the button on the gas tank that pressurizes the tank. Spark is good.

 

[F_R]

Yes, you have to put the shift side on first. Too bad you have to remove the needles, but what can we say. Put shifter in reverse & put a sock over it to keep from scratching the paint. I believe it may help to remove the spark plugs also. If the needles were in place, you would first slip the hood over them then work it behind the shifter, then finally the rear end.

 

[goblerblaster]

Thanks... looks like it would be hard to get the plugs back in if you have to remove them to get the hood on. Yes , having to remove the needles is a pain coz all the gas drains out of the carb. They sure don't make it easy to get on there.

Another ?, my pull rope is original and has a metal band that goes around the rope near the pull handle. Is the metal band supposed to get wedged in between the halves of the hood or go behind the hood halves- on the engine side- when the hood halves are closed and latched?

 

[racerone]

I do not believe you have to remove the carburetor needles , nor the sparkplugs.-----You may have you remove the knobs on the carburetor , yes.

 

[F_R]

I do not believe you have to remove the carburetor needles , nor the sparkplugs.-----You may have you remove the knobs on the carburetor , yes.

He said he couldn't get the knobs off. Seems odd, but maybe so. Anyhoo, the metal grommet goes between the hood halves when it is closed.

 

[geoffwga1]

If the grub screw threads are stripped you should be able to just pull the knobs off.

 

[oldboat1]

Have a '57, not a '58, and working from memory (2 strikes), but think the shift side of the clamshell can go on with carb needles and knobs in place (and plugs) -- if carefully slipped into place. It drops down and aft, shift lever in reverse and covered, as mentioned. Some other models have a shift lever that swivels down and out of the way, which is an improvement. The choke knob on the port side needs to be removed (reassembled with the cover in place). There should be grommets where the cover clamps around the needles, but OK for use if missing. There is a flange on the eyelet around the starter rope -- fits into the slot in the hood, and clamps into place between the halves as was mentioned. (I put it in place when the shift/starboard side of the shell is in place to secure the rope and handle, then swing the other half down into the closed position. There might be a rubber strap and hook to help hold the first half of the cover in place.)

There should be two rubber bumpers on each side of the powerhead and one on the top of the cover. The bumpers fit into small molded cups, and are important in positioning the cover. The bumpers get brittle, break off and disappear. If you have to choose, I would put one on top, then the shift/starboard side of the powerhead to help center that side of the cover. The cover can be a little awkward, and I like to fully open the clamshell to install. You can pull spark plugs without completely removing the cover -- use a 13/16 wrench or an adjustable. The wires and boots may have to be adjusted a bit so they don't interfere when putting the cover on or clamping the halves.

Anyway -- Sometimes it's a simple matter. Sometimes, not so much.

The engine should start with a couple of pulls if the the spark is strong, points are clean and adjusted, and the carb was carefully cleaned when the kit went in. (clean fuel, good working tank -- good fuel pump if converted.) You should avoid starting fluid. 16:1 should be the ratio, no leaner than 24:1. Initial needle settings are 1 1/2 - 2 turns out from lightly seated for the l.s. needle, and about 3/4 open for the h.s. needle.

Sweet running motor.

 

[goblerblaster]

Thanks for all the responses. The brass flat head screws that hold on the knobs are what is messed up= not the threads but the slot where you put the flat head screw driver. I started to try to drill off the screw heads and replace the screws, but was afraid of damaging the knobs. Just easy to unscrew the knobs with needles attached.The high speed needle knob does have to be removed- or in my case knob and needle removed together. The low speed does not as the clam shell hood comes down around it.

The low speed knob - the big knob on the bottom will idle best at only about 1/4 turn out from lightly seated and the high speed knob open about 3/4 turn seems to be best. These are "in the barrel" settings. Is that low speed an indication that something didn't go right in my carb kit install? I did kind of wonder if I was getting the Packing washers installed correctly for the needle screws

 

[lindy46]

The high speed is the bottom needle. 1/4 turn out is a little lean, but ok to start with. You'll have to adjust that on the water at WOT for maximum speed/RPM's. The low/idle knob is the top one. If there's no gas leaking out the needle, the packing washers are doing their job. Adjust the needle for best idle - if 3/4 turn seems best - fine. Usually if it's turned in too lean, you'll start to get a "lean sneeze". Back out about 1/8 turn from that point. Again, final adjustments must be done on the water in gear. Adjust the low speed needle (top) first for best idle, then the high speed needle for maximum speed/rpm's.

 

[F_R]

The LOW Speed (Upper) knob (or complete needle) does need to be removed. Also the choke knob.

 

[F_R]

IF--IF the knobs have the correct screws in them, and IF you want to remove those knobs and fix the situation, remove the knob & needle assembly and support the knob in some suitable fixture (hole drilled through a 2 x 4??). Then use a hammer and punch to drive the needle out of the knob. There is nothing holding it on there except friction. Once the knob is off, you can deal with the screw. It goes into brass, so shouldn't be seriously stuck. Then put everything back together with the correct screws.

 

[oldboat1]

Yup. Frank's right (both choke and low speed needle and knob need to come out). I went out to the garage to tinker around with my '57 a little, and the shift side of the clamshell encloses the needle and choke -- kind of an interesting configuration to allow opening the clamshell without removing anything (tab extends out in front from the side of the shell). You probably have it together and ready to go, Gobbler. The stops for setting the needles can be removed (little brass arms) -- thinking the stops could be a problem when making final adjustments. Rather than fooling around trying to get the knobs off, think I would just take off the stops -- maybe have done that already.

Offhand, the l.s. setting sounds a little leaner than usual to me too, like Lindy says -- agree that it's right if it runs best there. If you can get to a lean setting when dialing in, I think it's a pretty good sign that you have the carb in good shape. Slow and smooth.

 

[racerone]

Looked at a fisherman cowling today.----The lower needle DOES NOT need to come out in order to take the cowling off.-Low speed needle is the upper one and the knob needs to come off.---Choke knob needs to come off.----Worked on many of these years ago , do not recall issues with taking off / installing the cowling !

 

[HighTrim]

Buy a Johnson Problem solved!

Kidding of course. Sort of.

Those little guys should not take 20 pulls to get going. Is the choke plate closing fully? Either that, or the fuel is not totally filling the bowl. When you prime the fuel bowl with the button on the tank, does it take 7 or so pumps, then get stiff? By the way, the button primes or fills the fuel bowl, it does not pressurize the tank, the motor does that while running.

 

[oldboat1]

Looked at a fisherman cowling today.----The lower needle DOES NOT need to come out in order to take the cowling off.-Low speed needle is the upper one and the knob needs to come off.---Choke knob needs to come off.----Worked on many of these years ago , do not recall issues with taking off / installing the cowling !

yeah, l.s. needle-and-knob in the OP's case because he's using it that way (knob is stuck in place). Maybe he is already out running it.

 

[goblerblaster]

OK, I had my low and high speed needles confused. I got the cowling on and it is running and looking good. Interesting comment that pumping the button does not pressurize the tank..... maybe that is why it takes several pulls to get it going after a couple of weeks lay off- but then it starts first pull all day after it starts the first time.

Very helpful information that all have provided...Thanks !!

 

[racerone]

Just pulling on the recoil will start to pressurize the tank.

 

[goblerblaster]

For you guys that know about old motors..... this motor has stickers on the hood from when the motor was registered in Ohio in 1963, 1964. 1966,and 1969. Should I leave those on there or take them off for more value if I decide to sell it?

 

[HighTrim]

I think they are a neat identifier, and provide a history on the motor. A lot of people are drawn to, or purchase items, for the story they tell. My vote, and 2 cents, is to leave them on.

 

[oldboat1]

Interesting. They could add collector interest and a storyline. For practical reasons, it might be a good idea to leave them on anyway, unless prepared to do some repainting (better to show the stickers than marks where they were).