Fuel pump conversion for 57 evinrude

[thegipper]

I have a mint condition 1957 Evinrude 5.5hp that has been collecting dust in my garage for a few years now. I rebuilt the carb and installed a new waterpump a couple years ago and had it running perfect.

I'm considering using this motor as a kicker on my 17' starcraft but I'd like to do the fuel pump conversion.

Does anyone have a link or a parts list of everything involved? Is there an "easier" way to do it or is there pretty much only one way?

I've seen where you can buy the plate that is already tapped for the nipple and others just drilled/tapped through the existing plate.

Thoughts?

 

[F_R]

There is no plate if it has the original powerhead. A lot of people have used the procedure described in the Duckworks Magazine article. Google duckworks

 

[Crosbyman]

here is some info on the basics
..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojOMbwvH55I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtG4M7ye1N8

see pic on my 5.5 hp rear…... bracket mounted B&S pump using a 90 deg angle snipped at its base and 2 flat pieces to form a triangle and mount the pump

sold it to a friend and he still loves it !!! great motors …(and he is still a friend )

Book called CHEAP OUTBOARDS is a great referrence book to do this

https://www.amazon.ca/Cheap-Outboards-Beginners-Making-Forever/dp/1891369628

 

[Crosbyman]

more pics

 

[thegipper]

Did you fill the "vanes" with a sealer or did you block off the hole using the vacuum plug? Using the vacuum plug seems easier.

I've read it doesn't matter which hole you block off either if you go the vacuum plug route.

 

[Crosbyman]

remove the check valve behind the carb plate …. block one channel and use the pressure nipple as your new pulse port to drive the B&S pump

plugging the nipple behind the carb is only done when using the plate mounted pump or nippled port .to get vcum from the crankcase

see pic for a mikuni set up and a plate set up but on a 5.5 you have no side ports so use the blocked channle method. worked for me

 

[Crosbyman]

see plate method… with a standard OMC square pump (plate need to be drilled behind the pump to allow pressure pulses from the crankcase to reach the pump diaphragm

 

[thegipper]

Yeah, I have no side port plates but I thought you can still use a vacuum plug to block one of the two holes once you removed the check valves?

Reason I ask is it just seems easier to do it that way instead of trying to fill that vane with a sealer.

Here's a link to my motor running (put some fresh gas in it and fired it up today).

https://youtu.be/u3Pl8Z_VliI

 

[thegipper]

One other question.

Is there a quick connect fitting I can use that will bolt up to the existing spot? And anyone have a link to the B&S pump everyone is using and what size fuel line will I need. I'd like to start ordering parts for the swap.

Thanks!

 

[Crosbyman]

those pumps are everywhere on the net , eBay , tractor stores, they are used on lawn tractors, Kholer engines, motor bikes etc... very common and amazon has cheapies

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07L4GNVMH/...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

gluing up the channel is no issue just plug it with JB weld or similar

purist keep parts in case they want to revert… if you have a good non rusted pressure tank they are fine also

omc bolt on single line connector is your best bet … ask around or try aomci webertize board

btw really nice motor mint…. why not keep the 2 line hose/tank

 

[thegipper]

I want to use this motor as a kicker on my boat and would like to use a small plastic tank for it (limited space in boat).

 

[Crosbyman]

I want to use this motor as a kicker on my boat and would like to use a small plastic tank for it (limited space in boat).

well that motor is a gem…. I would get a bigger boat to make room for the kicker tank :lol::lol::lol:

you are going to put a mustache on a Mona Lisa :blue:

 

[Crosbyman]

[No message]

 

[thegipper]

I'm not dead set on doing the conversion. I may just try using it as is so I can see how I like the kicker set up before I commit to changing anything on the Fisherman.

The motor really is a gem. Even the original prop doesn't have a scratch on it. I even have the original owners manual and paperwork when it was bought new (including the Evinrude stand).

About two years ago I put a carb kit on it, new impeller, resealed the gas tank and new o rings in the fuel connector. When I first got it, it didn't shift (it was that heavy spring like thing that is notorious for breaking on these) and it only ran on one cylinder. It had the original coils which were all cracked so I replaced them.

I took the motor to an old school boat motor mechanic in Milwaukee who welded that spring. He said he's been doing that for years and never had one break again.

Just about every time I take this motor out, pretty much any old timer on the lake wants to check it out.

I got the motor from my ex-girlfriends grandpa who passed away. The story is, he bought the motor new and would use it once a year on a fishing trip up north. Her grandma also gave me an all original K98 Mauser and a FN hi power (he was a Captain in Army during WW2 in Europe). My Ex's mom wanted to call the police and have them take the guns away!!!

Only good thing that came out of that relationship....

Thanks for the help so far.

 

[thegipper]

On a side note, the motor never had the "silencer" on it. How important is that? It seems to run fine without it but I'm wondering if I shouldn't see if I can find one on Ebay or something if it really should be on there.

 

[lindy46]

I'd keep the original setup and maybe look for a 4 gallon pressure tank if you want/need a smaller tank. The original design was simple and one less part (fuel pump) to malfunction. I like to keep the old motors original.

 

[Rook66]

I put a fuel pump on my '57 Evinrude 5.5 a couple of years ago and replaced all the fuel and vacuum lines. You can find several videos on Youtube that show a couple of different methods of installing a fuel pump on these motors.

I used a little Ashata universal fuel pump I found on Walmart's website for $10.11. You can find the Mikuni fuel pump on E-bay that's the same thing for $9.96 with free shipping. I made a couple of metal brackets from scrap I had laying around to mount the fuel pump instead of using wireties like they did in the youtube videos.

You will need to remove the check valve from the intake manifold and plug one of the holes with a automotive vacuum cap which will create a pulse that will operate the fuel pump.

I found a used single line gas tank line connector on Ebay for around $14 bucks.

I found a single line gas tank on ebay that was in pretty good shape.

Ran like a new one on the second crank.

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[thegipper]

Awesome! Thanks for the tips!

 

[oldboat1]

Like Lindy, I'm agin' the conversion. Get the smaller tank, and rebuild it if you need to. (and find the silencer and front cover -- think it would affect tuning to run without it.) Parts motor on hand isn't a bad idea -- maybe with intact spring, too, in case the weld doesn't hold or affects operation.

 

[Rook66]

If the pressure tanks were a good idea then OMC Johnson/Evinrude never would have changed over to a fuel pump.