1956 Evinrude Lark 30 HP Tear down

[Piomarine]

The flywheel nut came off without any fuss...the flywheel itself complained the whole time! It jumped nearly 2” off the spindle when it finally popped.

The lower unit is off. I got the garage cleaned up and a usable workspace opened up right next to my work bench so no issues there. I have not opened up the lower unit yet to look at the gear box or the clutch dog. Based on everything I’ve seen up to now I’m not too worried about them but I’d still like to check. And I’m almost certain I’m going to need a new water pump. New impeller to be sure. Pretty sure that’s what caused my lock up in the first place!

Having gotten a look at the points and condensers it looks like the points are fine, it bright, shiny metal and they look to be in good shape. The condensers are shot. I’m sure I can find a part number on them but I seen to recall Pappy saying something about current stock being not very good, but clarification on that and where to find some decent ones would be appreciated.

There has also been a fair amount of discussion regarding top and bottom crankshaft bearings and seals. If I want to inspect/replace those won’t I still need to pull and split the crank case?

Final question for now...how do I pull off the ignition system? I see the plate with the points and condensers but for the life of me cannot see where they separate from the powerhead.

 

[Shaugh]

Based on the condition of everything I've seen you will want to replace almost everything. But the lower seal is probably ok. The upper seal can be changed with the powerhead intact.

While you were turning the puller nut so hard you should have needed to hold the flywheel from turning? If you didn't and the lower unit and shaft are off, then the powerhead is comprehensively locked up. That is always caused by the piston rings sticking to the cylinder walls. Pull the cylinder head off, spray penetrating oil and tap the pistons downward with a soft piece of wood and a hammer to loosen them until they move. Put the nut back on the crankshaft and use a rachet to help turn and loosen up the head. (always clockwise).

The magneto comes off with 4 screws. 2 are on the coils (the one in the middle) and 2 are screws down on the plate (next to the points screws). remove those 4 screws and the magneto will lift off... you will also need to unhook the curved arm.

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

As you take things off clean them with gasoline. Get a big 5 gallon can with a gallon of gas in it... dump parts in like t

This is quite dangerous. Use something that won't burn your hair off.

 

[Piomarine]

So I did a little bit more tear down tonight. Pulled the magneto plate, the rest of the lower shroud, and the exhaust port cover (not sure if that was totally necessary but I did notice the gasket is shot so I guess it was coming of anyways). I then took the motor off the stand and laid it down and flooded the cylinders with penetrating oil (ATF and acetone).

 

[Pappy]

The condition of the ignition system is exactly what i LOVE to find in a vintage project engine. That tells me that the previous owner never went Billy Bob or Bubba and ran the engine on 50:1 mixture! Those coils have been shot for decades!
Yes.....save the points. Purchase new OEM condensers and coils if you can find them. No hurry on these as you have plenty of cleaning and inspecting to do.
Follow Shaugh's advice on freeing up the rotating assembly.

 

[Piomarine]

I did what you suggested Shaugh, with the motor laid down I took a 2x2 and gave the cylinders a few good thwaps and to my pleasant surprise, they moved! I was able to to give the cylinders a full rotation with the hammer. I gave them a look when it was at the bottom of the stroke and I didn’t really see any significant scoring to speak of so I am feeling even more encouraged!

Now that said...I did have a small piece snap while I was pounding on the cylinders...no idea how that happened, but it will certainly require replacement.

 

[Shaugh]

Once you get it loosened up I like to put a big drill with a 3/4" socket on the flywheel nut and just spin it clockwise for a while. Keep it juiced up with the beverage of your choice and just let it spin. You'd be surprised how that can heal up even bad scoring.

I cannot place the broken piece.. show me where it came off...

 

[Shaugh]

You should probably also keep your eyes open for a good deal on a parts motor... you'll alway be switching out little bits from one... An 18 horse..but you get the idea... Sometimes wish I still lived in MN....

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/264590474866796/

 

[Piomarine]

Thanks, I will keep my eye out for a parts motor (I’ve been thinking I will need one anyways).

Here is where that part broke from.

 

[satx78247]

Piomarine,

FYI, I've been "massing about with" the JOHNNYRUDE Big Twins for nearly 60 years (I got my first Big Twin on a 1955 Lone Star "tinny" that my dad gave me for my "best report card in years", in 1962.) & I can tell you without doubt that you have procured the BEST Outboard Motor EVER made.
(As long as you avoid the 1960-61 Big Twins & ANY of the Electro-Shift models.)

ALL of the other Big Twins are so OVER-ENGINEERED that it's ridiculous.= My loony 1st cousin ran one of my 35HP Johnnys W/O adding oil to the 6-gallon tank for a whole day.
(He told me later that he put nearly 6 gallons of regular in the tank & then remarked, "You need to work on that !@#$%^& motor, as it "gets hotter than H after running it a few minutes". =====> GEE, I wonder WHY it got HOT?? - CHUCKLE.)
I still fish with that same OB, btw. - AFTER COOLING OFF OVERNIGHT & WITH A TANK OF PROPER FUEL, IT FIRED RIGHT UP & still runs fine.
(a MERCURY would have been "so much scrap metal" after 5-10 MINUTES, much less a whole day of running W/O oil in the fuel.)
FYI, I run a "little more oil than required" in my Big Twins, as I don't want to replace any of the dozen or so that I have/use. = I expect my 1955-70 Big Twins to outlast ME w/o major repairs.
(In over 50 years, I've NOT ever seen a Big Twin that is WORN-OUT in service, though a lot
of them are ABUSED TO DEATH.)

SUGGESTION: IF you have NOT already bought one, buy a copy of CHEAP OUTBOARDS: The Beginner's Guide to Making an Old Motor Run Forever, by Max E. Wawrzyniak III
(That book is PRICELESS to a "shady tree OB tinkerer" like me. - I've literally worn-out my first copy & bought a 2nd one.)

After you get the lower unit off & fix it, I suspect that the Big twin will need a COMPLETE replacement of the ignition system, including point, plugs, condensers, both coils & the wiring, a carb rebuild & a water-pump impellor. After dong that, it likely will crank up & run just FINE.
(I do that to EVERY "garage sale Johnny" that I buy.)
ADDENDA: The place to get parts CHEAP is your local NAPA Auto parts store - Ask to see their SIERRA PARTS CO. catalog.

NOTE: I'm "addicted to" OMC-made SEA KING outboards & buy every one that I find at garage sales for 50-100 BUCKS..

Then ENJOY your PRIZE for DECADES, as it's a GOODIE.

BEST WISHES, tex

 

[jgdunham]

The part that broke is the linkage for the recoil lockout.
The system prevents pulling the cord when the throttle is set too high.
For now, simply remove the rest of the system (the little rocker on the recoil starter)
Replacing it is probably a good idea but you dont need to to get things running.

 

[Piomarine]

Thanks Tex. I actually have a digital copy of said book and had already planned on replacing everything you mentioned (attempting to save what I could in the ignition system.

Jgdunham- that’s good information! Glad to know it’s not critical to make it run (especially since I will likely be running the electronic start).

 

[Shaugh]

That's why I didn't recognize it. I generally pull the recoil start system off of big twins and leave it off. That motor is simply too big to pull start. Even with that goofy valve system... The engineer that came up with that whole contraption should have immediately been sent to Scott Atwater.... If you need that I probably got several laying around...

 

[jgdunham]

I like to keep them on.
That one time that you forget to check and it gets bumped into forward could be your last. If you are standing to give it a yank and it starts first pull it would take off and dump you over the transom.

 

[Shaugh]

It was already broken and missing on the 2 recoils sets I have in a bin... but this is how it looks:

 

[Piomarine]

Got it free!!! It feels like the bearings are worn, it still takes a fair amount of force to get it moving initially but once going it moves with out trouble. It vibrates pretty hard but my 57 Sportwin vibrates quite a bit too so I’m not too worried about that...(unless someone tells me I should be lol).

After turning it over with the drill I am almost certain now that it will need new bearings and a serious scrubbing.

How do I pull the upper crankshaft bearing?

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

You might be ahead just to find another motor with good powerhead. There some motors with bad lower units for sale cheap.

 

[Shaugh]

You seem determined to take the E ticket ride here... Which might be fun I guess... I'm not really qualified to get you any further down that road though, having only done it a couple times in my life. (having only run across a couple smaller motors that ever actually needed it). Maybe someone here can walk you through that disassembly better than me? My advice would be that a compression test, once you loosened it up a little more, would tell us whether that was necessary, but like I said I think you appear destined to do it all.

Once you resurface from that journey I'll help you where I can....

 

[satx78247]

Piomarine,

Partner, you NEED a PARTS MOTOR. - I wouldn't even bother with fixing that powerhead.
(NOT RARE or HARD TO FIND with a BAD foot, so usually CHEAP.)

I paid 15 bucks for the last parts motor that I bought for the powerhead AND ended up with a GREAT RUNNING JohnnyRude & lots of "spares" to put away for another fix & to share with other OMC addicts.

BTW, your coils look like the ones on the last Johnny that I got from a garage sale - Straight to NAPA for new coils & the old ones went into the "round file".

Just my OPINION, tex

 

[Shaugh]

What others are saying is that a total evisceration is rarely done unless it’s a special motor.

You can easily replace major parts so why rebuild?

I’d be willing to bet money that power head is good. The way to know is to gauge it’s mileage with a compression test. Spend some time loosening it up with the drill and atf. Then put the head back on and test.