Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

[Logos]

I bought a nice old Lightwin 3 this morning at a garage sale.

This is the newer model with more contemporary lines with remote gas tank.

Serial starts out 3806A (I think that's the model number) and the owner thought it was from the late 60s.

Can anybody tell me what this model was called and what year it was made?

Thanks.

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

from the number you posted, it's a 1968 3 horse lightwin, lots of info on it by doing a google search using "evinrude 3806A"

and welcome to the forums

 

[Logos]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

Ok.....I was bright enough to figure out the "Search" function and lo and behold, I find this is a 1968 model.

Well and good.

Now I would like to know if these later ones (with remote tank) are considered to be as good mechanically as the earlier ones......or are they indeed about the same engine?

Also, I notice the prop has a little wiggle to it.......is the prop supposed to be totally tight or can it have some play back and forth?

I haven't messed with it other than to look it over. It seems clean under the hood.

I have no mechanical aptitude, so I'm going to take it to an Evinrude dealer and just tell him to tune it up and replace any parts that look like they might be questionable.

 

[Logos]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

Thanks, Chief......you just beat my post.



Any ideas on my new questions?

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

I have a 1963 tightwin 3 horse with an internal tank, and I have the same play in my prop, I questioned the play as well, but haven't done anything with it since I got it, at some point, I'll decide it's time to get it running and address the loose prop issue then.

As far as taking your motor to a dealer and telling them to, "have at it, fix anything you see wrong with it" is leaving you wide open for a pretty good sized repair bill, I personally wouldn't do that.

These motors are pretty easy to work on, if your mechanically inclined at all, it should be a fairly easy straight forward job to do it yourself.

I took one of my motors to a dealer once, (when I first got into outboards) and I watched the guy fiddle with it for about an hour, the whole time I was watching the guy, I had thoughts going through my head like "that's easy" "I can do that" "I have all those tools, I could be home doing the same thing this guy is doing"

150 bucks later, after I paid the guy, I walked away with my motor thinking, "I just spent 150 bucks for this guy to tell me the same thing I could have figured out if I had done it myself.

my advice, save the money, buy some tools, get some parts and repair manuals, and do it yourself, that 150 bucks I spent would have gone a long ways towards tools, manuals, and parts to fix my own outboard.

Plus you have the satisfaction of knowing, if something goes wrong, you can figure it out yourself, and you have the manuals, tools and parts to do it.

With a little knowhow, and the support of this forum, your not going to get in over your head, this is a great place to come for a wealth of information and help.

 

[Logos]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

You are undoubtedly correct. I've been doing a lot of searching and reading and I see there's a lot of info here. After I learn a little more of the terms and vocabulary I may feel a bit more comfortable with the notion of digging into this thing myself.

One of the things I was wondering about was whether or not my '68 is less highly regarded than the earlier models with integral gas tanks.

What's the thinking on this? They were shaped different, too......a little more pleasing to the eye, maybe. Are the internal parts pretty much the same?

 

[F_R]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

You are undoubtedly correct. I've been doing a lot of searching and reading and I see there's a lot of info here. After I learn a little more of the terms and vocabulary I may feel a bit more comfortable with the notion of digging into this thing myself.

One of the things I was wondering about was whether or not my '68 is less highly regarded than the earlier models with integral gas tanks.

What's the thinking on this? They were shaped different, too......a little more pleasing to the eye, maybe. Are the internal parts pretty much the same?

You are asking for opinions. The facts are that they are more or less the same motor with different cowlings. Probably the biggest difference is the recoil starter and throttle lever placement. You will get lots of opinions on that subject. A large number of the guys at the antique outboard club dislike the fiberglass covers--no matter what motor they are on. No "class". But the truth is that they are easier to get on and off, are quieter and rattle less, and don't dent. When have you last seen an aluminum integral tank that didn't have big dents in it? That is supposed to be "character".

 

[Logos]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

Well, great......so there's good reason to believe I really do have an example of one of the greatest small outboard motors ever made.

I'll settle for that.



Really glad I ran onto this one......once in a while I'm the first one at a garage sale.

Very happy with this find.

Thanks again.

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

it always makes you feel good when you can score on an old outboard, for me, anything I can tinker with, I consider a good find.

I'm happy witht he ones I have, every one of then, (with the exception of one) are garage sale finds, if it's old, and has compression, and looks to be complete, and the price is cheap, (in my case, anything 50 bucks or less) I'll take it, so far, I've only found one motor that I considered a mistake buying, and only because it was my first garage sale find, I had no idea what I was doing, I paid way to much for it, it was missing parts, had some other problems, and it would have cost me way more to get it running then it was worth to me, so I parted it out, sold all of it through ebay, and still managed to get my money back out of it, so even as a first experence, it wasn't bad.

if your going to go garage sailing for outboards, make sure it's cheap, my rule of thumb is, if it's a Johnson or evenrude, I'll take a second look, if it has compression and looks to have all it's parts, and they will take 50 bucks or less for it, I'll consider buying it.

the only outboards I would be willing to pay more for would be a really nice mid to late 50's evinrude or johnson, 10 horse to 20 horse, or any that are mid 1930's and earlier, (still looking to get my hands on one of those)

 

[Logos]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

Hmmmm.......I already violated one of your rules--I paid $75.

One thing about garage sales, sometimes you have to say, "I'll take it," before one of the other two guys looking over your shoulder says it. One guy was walking over toward the lady selling it and I'm sure he was going to hand her the money.

Anyhow, I think it will work out. This one looks in really excellent shape. Used, but taken care of real well. The paint shows some wear marks, but it's really clean under the cowling. I haven't even gotten around to pulling a spark plug yet, but the exterior of the plugs is immaculate. They look like new plugs.

Maybe I'll have time later today to take a look.

The external gas tank is a new-looking red plastic gas tank--is that an aftermarket addition?

 

[Logos]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

Well, it's been a while.......and I'm getting back to this nice little motor because it will soon be winter and I may have time to get into this.

I've read here that the mix will be 50-1 on this motor.

Correct?

Do I use regular gas? Premium gas?

 

[TN-25]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

I've read here that the mix will be 50-1 on this motor.

Correct?

Do I use regular gas? Premium gas?

50:1 mix. There is little point in running any sort of high octane fuel since your motor does not need it. I say "little point" because around where I am, the higher octane fuels are not blended with ethanol (that can be a saving grace).


My brother has dad's old 1967 Johnson folding weedless 3 (last year for the metal cowl & integral tank) and I have a low-hours 1971 Evinrude Yachtwin 4 (same as yours but runs at a higher rpm for added power output, plus it has the high thrust 90 degree drive rather than the 110 degree weedless drive like yours). They are great little motors. I broke in a brand new 1974 4-horse and have always thought they were great running and cute.

 

[Logos]

Re: Lightwin 3 Identification Please.

Thanks.....I'm in MN and I'll have to check and see if the premium gas has ethanol (I suppose since we're a corn-producing, ethanol-producing state all the gas is full of ethanol).

Yes, we had a Lightwin Evinrude when I was a kid, too. It was about a '63 model and a great little motor. Sure wish I'd been able to keep it, but my dad sold it. I saw a nice clean Johnson (with manual) of that vintage at another garage sale that I could have gotten for $125.....now I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy that one.

This one I have, of course, is the more modern styling, as you say, the first with the remote gas tank.....but I like it a lot and I'll either keep it or give it to my brother once it's fixed up.

I'd like to get hold of an old-style '67 Evinrude or Johnson, and I probably will eventually. I want to get an old duck colored Grumman Sport Canoe so I'll have an outfit just like we had when I was a kid.

Nostalgia with the added attraction of practicality. I like that.