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Old evinrude question

Hello,

Newb' here. I have what I hope is an easy question(s).

About 5-6 years ago (I think) I "inherited" my uncle's old cedar
planked reinel boat. It had a 1965 75 horse Evinrude on it (the real
reason I wanted it). The problem was, it had sat in my uncle's yard for
18 years. He didn't do any up keep on the engine (or the boat). It got
so that that the boat's transom rotted out. The guy who owned it before
my uncle, had put in, I kid you not, 8 screws in each plank that
connected to the plywood transom. I think that sped up some of the
rotting. Subsequently, the motor stood in the mud (and halfways
connected to the transom).

Anyways, I junked the boat because I would've had to replace every
piece of wood in order to fix it (I fell through part of it). But I
kept the evinrude and the trailer. I built a structure to hold the
engine, and got to work on getting it running. I was told that old
johnson and evinrudes are bullet proof (and the fact my family has a
1962 75 horse Johnson, that's still working fine after 43 years says
something) and that I should be able to get it running relatively easy.

After I bought a new distributor cap, plug wires, and plugs I got it
running like a champ. One thing that was nice (at least, I thought so)
was the water spitting out of the exhaust (or whatever it comes out of)
at a better rate than another engine I have access to (the
aformentioned 62 Johnson).

It even sounded stronger/healthier than the 62.

My concern/question is this. In the garbage can I used to run it, the
water got a layer of an oily substance on it's surface, after each time
running. Now, I know that old boat engines (of this vintage) tend to
leak oil (etc), but I was wondering if there could be another reason
for that to have happened?

Like (and I realize there are important bits of information that I'm
leaving out, that could help better decipher the situation for you)
maybe I had flooded it, or I might have put too much oil in the gas. I
don't remember how much oil I put in (I'm fairly certain I put in the
correct ratio) or if I flooded it. And since I haven't used/started the
evinrude since, I really don't have any recent evidence to reference.

Was it maybe that the garbage can I used was small enough that what
oil/discharge would normally appear (and usually dissapated in a
lake/river) just accumulated in the garbage can and appeared to be more
than what was "normal"?

Also, is there a way to check the gaskets without taking it apart?

I hope this makes the least amount of sense.

Thanks

Dan

There shouldn't be ANY sheen at all.

The lower unit can be pressure tested. Be sure to test it at both
low (like 1 PSI) and higher pressures per the service manual.
One of my whaler buddies had an engine that wouldn't leak at the
pressure speced by the manual, but would leak at low pressure,
and leak in the water.

"Blazer Fan Dan" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,

Newb' here. I have what I hope is an easy question(s).

About 5-6 years ago (I think) I "inherited" my uncle's old cedar
planked reinel boat. It had a 1965 75 horse Evinrude on it (the real
reason I wanted it). The problem was, it had sat in my uncle's yard for
18 years. He didn't do any up keep on the engine (or the boat). It got
so that that the boat's transom rotted out. The guy who owned it before
my uncle, had put in, I kid you not, 8 screws in each plank that
connected to the plywood transom. I think that sped up some of the
rotting. Subsequently, the motor stood in the mud (and halfways
connected to the transom).

Anyways, I junked the boat because I would've had to replace every
piece of wood in order to fix it (I fell through part of it). But I
kept the evinrude and the trailer. I built a structure to hold the
engine, and got to work on getting it running. I was told that old
johnson and evinrudes are bullet proof (and the fact my family has a
1962 75 horse Johnson, that's still working fine after 43 years says
something) and that I should be able to get it running relatively easy.

After I bought a new distributor cap, plug wires, and plugs I got it
running like a champ. One thing that was nice (at least, I thought so)
was the water spitting out of the exhaust (or whatever it comes out of)
at a better rate than another engine I have access to (the
aformentioned 62 Johnson).

It even sounded stronger/healthier than the 62.

My concern/question is this. In the garbage can I used to run it, the
water got a layer of an oily substance on it's surface, after each time
running. Now, I know that old boat engines (of this vintage) tend to
leak oil (etc), but I was wondering if there could be another reason
for that to have happened?

Like (and I realize there are important bits of information that I'm
leaving out, that could help better decipher the situation for you)
maybe I had flooded it, or I might have put too much oil in the gas. I
don't remember how much oil I put in (I'm fairly certain I put in the
correct ratio) or if I flooded it. And since I haven't used/started the
evinrude since, I really don't have any recent evidence to reference.

Was it maybe that the garbage can I used was small enough that what
oil/discharge would normally appear (and usually dissapated in a
lake/river) just accumulated in the garbage can and appeared to be more
than what was "normal"?

Also, is there a way to check the gaskets without taking it apart?

I hope this makes the least amount of sense.

Thanks

Dan

Chuck Tribolet wrote:
There shouldn't be ANY sheen at all.

The lower unit can be pressure tested. Be sure to test it at both
low (like 1 PSI) and higher pressures per the service manual.

ok, dumb question. how would I go about doing that?

if I do the test, what would the results imply is causing it?

One of my whaler buddies had an engine that wouldn't leak at the
pressure speced by the manual, but would leak at low pressure,
and leak in the water.

I know that our older engine leaks a bit, and there's always crap
coming out of it when we take it out of the water, but we're never that
low on lower unit lube (or other fluids).

If all else fails, I might just take it to someone someday to have them
look at it.

"Blazer Fan Dan" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,

In the garbage can I used to run it, the
water got a layer of an oily substance on it's surface, after each time
running. Now, I know that old boat engines (of this vintage) tend to
leak oil (etc), but I was wondering if there could be another reason
for that to have happened?

Those old motors were not environmentally friendly back then. They used
"stutter valves" to blow excess oil accumulated in the crankcase overboard.
At idle, they ran rich and much unburned fuel and oil were in the exhaust.
If the thermostat is not operating and allowing the cylinders to get up to
around 140 degrees, the fuel burn will be even more inefficient. The idle
needles are adjustable and if set too rich, will also allow more unburned
fuel into the water.

So when you run the motor in a small environment, like a garbage can or feed
trough, the fuel and oil make a film on the water very quickly. This is
assuming that you don't have a leaking gearcase also.

Bill Grannis
service manager

Billgran wrote:
Those old motors were not environmentally friendly back then. They used
"stutter valves" to blow excess oil accumulated in the crankcase overboard.
At idle, they ran rich and much unburned fuel and oil were in the exhaust.
If the thermostat is not operating and allowing the cylinders to get up to
around 140 degrees, the fuel burn will be even more inefficient. The idle
needles are adjustable and if set too rich, will also allow more unburned
fuel into the water.

yah, this I knew. I think there were several reasons why it was like
this. Poor mixture, and I didn't set the carb right probably (it did
smell rich when it was running, I forgot to mention that. Mostly
because I just remembered it now)

So when you run the motor in a small environment, like a garbage can or feed
trough, the fuel and oil make a film on the water very quickly. This is
assuming that you don't have a leaking gearcase also.

Bill Grannis
service manager

thanks for the info/help. Is there a simple way to tell if I have a
leaking gearcase?

"Blazer Fan Dan" wrote in message
oups.com...

thanks for the info/help. Is there a simple way to tell if I have a
leaking gearcase?

Pull the bottom drain plug and see if only oil comes out, or if it looks
like a milkshake or plain water is there.

Bill Grannis
service manager

Billgran wrote:
"Blazer Fan Dan" wrote in message
oups.com...

thanks for the info/help. Is there a simple way to tell if I have a
leaking gearcase?

Pull the bottom drain plug and see if only oil comes out, or if it looks
like a milkshake or plain water is there.

Bill Grannis
service manager

I know when I drained it originally, the color was darkish brown/black.
I haven't done it since. I do know what to look for, as the older
johnson has a greyish color to it.

Check this out
http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ul...;f=36;t=000033

"Blazer Fan Dan" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,

Newb' here. I have what I hope is an easy question(s).

About 5-6 years ago (I think) I "inherited" my uncle's old cedar
planked reinel boat. It had a 1965 75 horse Evinrude on it (the real
reason I wanted it). The problem was, it had sat in my uncle's yard for
18 years. He didn't do any up keep on the engine (or the boat). It got
so that that the boat's transom rotted out. The guy who owned it before
my uncle, had put in, I kid you not, 8 screws in each plank that
connected to the plywood transom. I think that sped up some of the
rotting. Subsequently, the motor stood in the mud (and halfways
connected to the transom).

Anyways, I junked the boat because I would've had to replace every
piece of wood in order to fix it (I fell through part of it). But I
kept the evinrude and the trailer. I built a structure to hold the
engine, and got to work on getting it running. I was told that old
johnson and evinrudes are bullet proof (and the fact my family has a
1962 75 horse Johnson, that's still working fine after 43 years says
something) and that I should be able to get it running relatively easy.

After I bought a new distributor cap, plug wires, and plugs I got it
running like a champ. One thing that was nice (at least, I thought so)
was the water spitting out of the exhaust (or whatever it comes out of)
at a better rate than another engine I have access to (the
aformentioned 62 Johnson).

It even sounded stronger/healthier than the 62.

My concern/question is this. In the garbage can I used to run it, the
water got a layer of an oily substance on it's surface, after each time
running. Now, I know that old boat engines (of this vintage) tend to
leak oil (etc), but I was wondering if there could be another reason
for that to have happened?

Like (and I realize there are important bits of information that I'm
leaving out, that could help better decipher the situation for you)
maybe I had flooded it, or I might have put too much oil in the gas. I
don't remember how much oil I put in (I'm fairly certain I put in the
correct ratio) or if I flooded it. And since I haven't used/started the
evinrude since, I really don't have any recent evidence to reference.

Was it maybe that the garbage can I used was small enough that what
oil/discharge would normally appear (and usually dissapated in a
lake/river) just accumulated in the garbage can and appeared to be more
than what was "normal"?

Also, is there a way to check the gaskets without taking it apart?

I hope this makes the least amount of sense.

Thanks

Dan

IBNFSHN wrote:
Check this out
http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ul...;f=36;t=000033

thanks, I was hoping there was a FAQ type page out there.