Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

[AGENT 37]

So I was digging a hole in the backyard to bury the left over meatloaf that I found in the fridge the other night and my shovel struck a hard metallic object. Out of curiosity, I started unearthing the object wondering if it were ancient body armor, a hidden treasure chest, a time capsule or remnants of a crashed alien space craft.

It turned out to be neither of the above; it was a contraption marked with the words "Evinrude Super 55". It had a model number that read: E55RWLCRD. I did some translation and found out that this means it is a commercial outboard boat motor, with a 20" shaft length, built in 1984.

After wrestling the find out of the ground and into my garage, I buried the meatloaf and proceeded to fumigate the garage with enough PB Blast to get my wife to open the door too see if I had passed out and died. While this smell that seeped through the garage door and into her beautiful house irritated her and sparked threats of bodily harm upon myself, it did manage to help undo seizing of the moving parts on the beast (that being the outboard.... not my bride)

I then cleaned the fuel system, sprayed some lubricant into the cylinders, hooked up a fuel tank, and made half a pull on the starter rope....... It's all kind of fuzzy and I'm not exactly sure what happened next, but all of a sudden it got really noisy, there was a bunch of smoke, the neighbors came out of their houses, dogs started barking, car alarms went off, and our cat, "Black Max" departed in the direction of Mexico at about 938.2 MPH (give or take 2-3 MPH).

I don't know if it was the strange events that occurred following the pull upon the ancient starter rope or the PB Blast fumes, but it was all very confusing and exciting at the same time.

Anyhow, this outboard isn't engaging in forward or reverse, the linkage moves but there is only slight resistance and a hint of gear meshing felt in the lower unit.

So, I'm interested in finding a lower unit to fit this outboard and was wondering what model years and HP I should look for. Any suggestions?

 

[patrick4266]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=359907

 

[yorab]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

Nice prose agent 37, very entertaining!

 

[bob johnson]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

try to see if the shift linkage is even connected!!!

then Id just drop the lower unit and have a look

you would have to do that anyway

plus when you go shopping you can drag the old LU along to make sure they both look the same

good luck

bob

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

Anyhow, this outboard isn't engaging in forward or reverse, the linkage moves but there is only slight resistance and a hint of gear meshing felt in the lower unit.

It's unclear if you're trying to engage the gearcase with or without the engine running. It's normal for the gearcase to refuse engagement if the engine isn't running. If, on the other hand, the engine is in fact running when you're trying to engage forward or reverse then you have a problem.

 

[AGENT 37]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

Shift linkage was properly connected. I removed the lower unit and actuated the shift shaft by hand, still no engagement. There's lube leaking from weep holes/seals too.

Because this motor is a "commercial" model, is it going to have a larger gearcase? I have not done any measuring or counting of splines yet.

Would a small diameter gearcase still work?

 

[bob johnson]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

Shift linkage was properly connected. I removed the lower unit and actuated the shift shaft by hand, still no engagement. There's lube leaking from weep holes/seals too.

Because this motor is a "commercial" model, is it going to have a larger gearcase? I have not done any measuring or counting of splines yet.

Would a small diameter gearcase still work?

what dia is the housing around the gears? 4-7/16th

or 3.5"

http://www.sterndrive.info/outboardmotor/help_identifying_lower_units.html

I found that the HOUSING is listed as used on only the 83 and 84 55 hps
and the drive shaft was listed as only used on the 84 and 85 55 hps

soooo

good luck

bob


bob

 

[AGENT 37]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

"It's unclear if you're trying to engage the gearcase with or without the engine running. It's normal for the gearcase to refuse engagement if the engine isn't running. If, on the other hand, the engine is in fact running when you're trying to engage forward or reverse then you have a problem."

Both.... I turned propshaft by hand while engaging the gears and also shifted while the engine was running. So it's definitely smoked, I'm guessing that it's an issue the drive gears and not the clutch shifter because I can hear and feel the gears grinding just a little and it doesn't feel like there is any binding in the shift linkage. It feels like there is positive engagement with the linkage and shifter just no connection between the prop shaft and the drive shaft.

 

[AGENT 37]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

I'm guessing 4-1/16th by looking, but I haven't measured yet

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

The commerical 50 uses the 4" dia gearcase housing. It like the old 1974-76 bigger 50 units but parts some parts are limited to the 1984-85 models.

 

[dew2]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

Ya think if ya kept digging really deep you might have found a Yamaha,suzuki in someones pagoda?

Open the bugger up and have a looksee

 

[AGENT 37]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

As a matter of fact I did end up with a Yamaha 75 Enduro too. It was supposedly overheated. It turns freely, has a good lower unit, but I did a quick compression test and found the three cylinders spread between 60 and 90 psi. It was also laying down on it's starboard side with the electrical parts in a frozen puddle of water inside the cowling and has a couple of bolts snapped of in on the cyl. head.

My Super 55 does have a 4" gearcase....... What does this mean? Not much for interchangeability? I'll go count splines next.

What is the common culprit for failure of these particular lower units?

What do I need for special tools to disassemble the lower unit? What do I start with.? (no manual yet). The only lower unit I opened up so far was on my 90HP Honda.

 

[AGENT 37]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

15 spline drive shaft / 13 spline prop shaft

 

[AGENT 37]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

Drive shaft is sheared off just below the water pump base.

Quick functional check of the gears and shifting components are normal and appear serviceable.

The break is right at the seal, so I doubt that welding the shaft would work out well.

Looks like finding a matching replacement drive shaft may be a challenge:

http://www.boats.net/parts/search/BRP/EVINRUDE/1984/E55RWLCRD 1984/GEARCASE/parts.html

But wait......... I think I found one!

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/j...RWLCOS&manufacturer=Evinrude&section=Gearcase

Now do I want to sink the $ into this thing? I'm looking at about $400 to replace what needs changed on this motor with new parts....... like a throttle cable and small parts for the twist grip and a broken latch on the hood.... aside from the obvious lower unit parts.

 

[AGENT 37]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

Well, I found a 1979 50 that has the same diameter hub and bolt pattern for $75. I'll take the lower unit off that motor...... which has a bad power head and missing ignition components, and see if it matches up with my 1984 55.

The large diameter hub - 2 cylinder - 55 isn't really mentioned other than on boats.net from what I've seen. I'll let you guys know what I find. I don't think I want the drive shaft that came in those lower units. I found another lower of the same year that had the exact same failure.

 

[AGENT 37]

Re: Entertaining Gearcase Compatability Question

I just finished bolting up a complete lower unit from a 1979 Evinrude 50 to a 1984 Evinrude Super 55 because the original drive shaft was sheared below the water pump. Everything matched up and operationally checked out good.

The lower inside exhaust housings looked a little different but the 1984 matched up to the 1979 just fine. Both of these gear cases had the large diameter (4-1/16th inch) hub.

A few more small fixes and this outboard will be good to go. Thanks to all for your help. I posted on the secret file link with this info too.