The First Evinrude Outboard

The First Evinrude Outboard

By James S Thompson

Evinrude outboard motors take their name from the man who designed and built his first outboard way back in 1907. That man was called Ole Evinrude who was Norwegian being born in April 1877 in the city of Oslo. At the age of five his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Cambridge, Wisconsin where Ole was educated and became interested in engineering and decided to pursue this as a career.

His early life involved working on the family's farm in summer and sorted tobacco in a factory during the winter. Having always been interested in ships he built two wooden sailboats when he was sixteen the first was a disaster from which he learned by his mistakes and produced the second which he charged people to sail on at Lake Ripley. This venture silenced his father who until this point thought his sons interest in ships and engines was a waste of time when plenty of work was available to do on the farm.

Later in the same year as building the sailboat Ole left the farm to learn about engineering by taking a position as an apprentice machinist in Madison learning the trade and studying in his own time. He moved to Pittsburgh once he was an accomplished machinist to work and learn about the steel industry. What he done over the next five years was dedicate himself to learning as much as he could by constantly changing jobs as soon as he mastered a specific subject. By the time he returned to Wisconsin aged 23 in 1900 he was skilled in steel making, machining, designing, motors and testing all in all a self made first class engineer.

He started work as a consultant and pattern maker for a Milwaukee company while at the same time opening his own pattern factory. His attention turned to the internal combustion engine which was a relatively crude invention at this time. He done work for several motor manufacturers mainly in design and consultation while still trying to build up his own factory which was at this time a large garden shed.

The financial break that he needed came in the form of a partnership called Clemiek and Evinrude which produced engines and parts to order and rapidly grew to six machine shops in as many months. The firm had a secretary called Bess who in her time of also helped Ole in his shed where he still had inspirations of his own engine business. It was on a day out on the lake with Bess that he first thought about an engine for a small boat. This happened as he had rowed to get Bess an ice cream and by the time he rowed back it had melted making him think how good a portable boat motor would be.

It would be three years later before this idea came to fulfillment as he parted company with Clemiek and went into a doomed business venture with a retired furniture maker with whom his decisions conflicted with so much that he left. He married Bess and had a son opening a pattern shop from which to make a living and it was while doing this that he designed and built the first Evinrude outboard in his shed at home in 1907 and was producing outboards for sale by 1909.

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Annual Service of Your outboard Evenrude Motor

Annual Service of Your outboard Evenrude Motor

Your outboard evenrude engine was hopefully winterized and now is ready for its annual service. You could take your outboard evenrude to your local marine mechanic to do this service. Or you might want to do the various tasks yourself if you are reasonably confident about your abilities. Each task is quite simple to do - nothing too difficult. You need a small selection of tools, some grease, lubricant spray, engine oil and gear oil. Once you have these things around you are ready to start!

There are quite a lot of little tasks to do when you are going to service your outboard evenrude engine.
If you use this checklist you should cover just about everything:

1. Change the gear oil - and while you are doing this see if any water has got through the seals.
2. Replace the spark plugs - some people just clean the old ones, but buy new.
3. Strip down and clean the fuel filter.
4. Strip down the water pump - clean any corrosion.
5. Check the flywheel nut and nuts around the cylinder head.
6. Check the recoil starter - lubricate it - also the pull rope for any wear.
7. Check the gear and throttle cables for any damage - lubricate all linkages.
8. Check the tilt mechanism - grease it and the clamp screws while you have the grease out.
9. Lubricate the prop shaft.
10. Bleed the auto lube pump - check for air in system.
11. Check the ignition timing - adjust if needed.
12. Adjust the carburetor pilot screws if they need it - otherwise leave as is.
13. Change the engine oil.

Start your outboard evenrude up after doing these tasks and listen to it. Check to see if water is exiting the exhaust. Then adjust the throttle - the engine should have a smooth pick from idle. The maximum revs should be achieved. Return to idle speed and check to see if does maintain its correct idle speed , now that the engine is hot. With the throttle working smoothly, check all other functions, including the stop button! Happy motoring!

Outboard Evenrude Engine Servicing

Outboard Evenrude Engine Servicing

Routine outboard evenrude Maintenance

After your engine has been properly run in, you'll need to establish a maintenance routine that begins with systematic checks every time you use your boat. These checks won't take long, but could spell the difference between life and death for your engine.

Daily Checks and outboard evenrude Maintenance

Daily checks should include a quick look at just a few key items. First, make sure that your oil tank (if you have one) is topped up. If you have a four-stroke engine, be sure to check the crankcase-oil level and top up if needed. Check your owner's manual to determine if your dipstick should be screwed in, or left unthreaded when you check the oil level. Failure to do so could give you a false reading, and lead to overfilling or underfilling your engine's crankcase, which can cause problems.

Check that you have adequate fuel for your intended trip, and that the fuel-tank vent is open.
With the engine tilted up, check for excess oil buildup near your propeller...it could mean that a seal in your lower gearcase has deteriorated. (Note: Some oil film buildup is normal in many cases; look for changes in the amount of buildup. If it appears to be increasing, check the oil level in the lower unit as discussed in the owner's manual) If the seal has failed, take the engine to an engine repair shop immediately to avoid expensive gear-unit damage.

Check for fishing line wrapped around the propeller hub area. If you ignore it, the line can wrap tightly around the propshaft and cause the aforementioned gearcase seal failure.

If your engine is not through-bolted to the transom of your boat, make sure the screw clamps are tight and secure. Many engines have landed on the bottom of the sea through neglect of this simple check.

Sniff around for any sign of a fuel leak, and if you find one, fix it.

Once the engine is running, make sure to check the "telltale," or "tracer," spray, or exhaust discharge, to be certain the water pump is working.

If all these items are in order, you're ready to go. There's just one more thing:

If you tow your boat on a trailer, and run it in salt water, flush the cooling system daily with fresh water.

How to Choose Used Outboad Evenrude Motors

How to Choose Used Outboad Evenrude Motors

Once you have a boat, you'll need a motor to get you out to that great fishing spot. Looking for a good used motor? Look no further. A few simple decisions and you are on your way. Here are just a few things to keep in mind when buying a used outboad evenrude motor.

When buying used, the best thing to do is look for quality name brand; Evinrude, . It is actually better to purchase a more popular brand because they are usually the best quality and come with the best warranties. Check out Consumer Reports for outboad evenrude motors. Read consumer's reviews on Yahoo Shopping. Look around and ask people what they have and why. When you have the whole picture, you are ready to choose your next used outboad evenrude motor.

Look at the different accessories you may choose. Some have hydraulic tilt, cable steering, and electric start, all of which simplify using the motor, while others have a pull rope start and a tiller handle for steering and throttle control. Because of these factors, no one piece of advice or article can cover all the possibilities. If you already have the boat, however, you need the compatible motor to your setup. In other words, if you have a steering wheel, or stick type steering system, you will want to buy a motor with a steering cable attachment, and if you have a battery and wiring to an ignition system you will want electric start. On the other hand, if you do not have these features in your boat, it is not practical to buy a motor that uses them.

Next, consider age. Age and use are not always synonymous. A used motor can be older, and still have had relatively little use. It is hours run that matters with a boat, and not miles on an odometer as in a car. Anything over 500 hours run will generally mean more maintenance. As a rule of thumb, look for a motor with the fewer hours run. This is the safest economical practice.

Buying a boat, complete with motor, often ends up costing more. If you find a boat, new or used, then choose wisely on a used motor, you are saving money, since in many cases, it is the new motor you are paying the most for on a boat bought complete. Remember that age does not equal quality. There are some fantastic used motors out there that have had little use. Depreciation on a motor occurs most rapidly in the first year, but that doesn't mean the quality of the motor is any less.

The same principle applies to having a boat that has need of a "new" motor. Choosing a used quality motor is going to be much cheaper than buying new, and in most cases, just as practical. By doing just a little homework you can decide which used outboad evenrude motors are best for you. Having an economical used outboad evenrude motor does not have to compromise quality.

Why Change 4 Stroke Outboad Evenrude Motor Oil?

Why Change 4 Stroke Outboad Evenrude Motor Oil?

On 4 stroke outboad evenrude engines, other than checking your oil level at regular intervals, changing the oil is the next most important task. Regular oil changes will prolong the 50 outboards life. You can do this task yourself without too much trouble. Just remember to think in a methodical manner and have everything at hand before starting. Here are the steps you need to take to change your outboad evenrude motor's oil.

1. Always follow the outboad evenrude manufacturers recommended maintenance schedule. For example, for small outboards the oil would normally be changed every 50 hours. For large horse power 50 outboard engines this may be every 100 hours. If you do not use the outboard very much and do not keep a record of the number of hours that it is in use, then always change the oil every year.

2. Gather around you a number of useful tools. A large screwdriver, adjustable spanner, a socket set with a box spanner, an oil filter wrench, a funnel, a bucket or some kind of container to hold the old oil, the new oil, perhaps an oil filter to replace the oil one, WD40 or similar, grease tin, a plastic bag, and some old rags.

3. Have the outboard evenrude manual by your side. Check to see how much oil the outboad evenrude takes and obviously the grade of oil. When an outboad evenrude motor is new the manufacturers like you to use a certain brand of oil, but this is not so important with older engines. As long as it is the same grade and of good quality, it will do the job just as well.

4. Before changing the oil, run the engine until it is warm. Why? Well warm oil will flow easier than cold oil! You will need to put the outboad evenrude in some water before starting or you could use engine muffs designed to allow fresh water to flow through the motor as it runs. Sometimes these muffs are called flushing devices. If you connect the system to your garden hose just make sure the tap is not fully on, adjust the flow accordingly.

5. Once the engine is warm. Take out the oil dipstick or the oil cap and put them to one side. This will help drain the oil. Unscrew the drain plug either with a spanner or screwdriver, depending on the engine. Put it to one side (in a safe place). Remember to catch all the old oil in the bucket or container.

6. Some outboad evenrude engines have an oil filter, if so, then remove this also by having a plastic bag to hold it in and put to one side. Next screw in the new filter a few turns, then using the rags clean the base (filter seat) and using some grease smear some around where the filter is going to rest in. Continue to screw the new filter in by hand until tight, then tighten an extra half turn. If your engine does not have a replacement oil filter, perhaps it is connected to the drain plug, then clean it with some petrol to remove any trace of the old oil.

7. With the drain plug firmly back in place you are ready to fill with the new oil. Use a funnel in the filler hole to avoid spillages. Fill with oil until it reaches the maximum level on the dipstick. Then replace the oil cap or dipstick.

8. Start the outboard evenrude motor and run it at idle speed for 3 minutes. This is long enough to allow all the new oil to get to every part of the engine it should reach. Check the oil pressure warning light goes off and that there are no leaks around the filter or drain plug.

9. Stop the outboad evenrude motor. Leave it for 3 minutes to allow all the oil to return to the sump. Then remove the dipstick to check the level. Top up with oil if it is necessary.

10. Finally, dispose of your old oil in accordance with your local laws. Some areas have a local dump that you can take your old oil to and they will take care of it for you.

This procedure can be messy but it is necessary. It is quite within most boaters capability to do without sending the outboad evenrude to a dealer or mechanic.

Annual Service of Your Outboard Evenrude Motor

Annual Service of Your Outboard Evenrude Motor

Your outboard evenrude engine was hopefully winterized and now is ready for its annual service. You could take your outboard evenrude to your local marine mechanic to do this service. Or you might want to do the various tasks yourself if you are reasonably confident about your abilities. Each task is quite simple to do - nothing too difficult. You need a small selection of tools, some grease, lubricant spray, engine oil and gear oil. Once you have these things around you are ready to start!

There are quite a lot of little tasks to do when you are going to service your outboard evenrude engine.
If you use this checklist you should cover just about everything:

1. Change the gear oil - and while you are doing this see if any water has got through the seals.
2. Replace the spark plugs - some people just clean the old ones, but buy new.
3. Strip down and clean the fuel filter.
4. Strip down the water pump - clean any corrosion.
5. Check the flywheel nut and nuts around the cylinder head.
6. Check the recoil starter - lubricate it - also the pull rope for any wear.
7. Check the gear and throttle cables for any damage - lubricate all linkages.
8. Check the tilt mechanism - grease it and the clamp screws while you have the grease out.
9. Lubricate the prop shaft.
10. Bleed the auto lube pump - check for air in system.
11. Check the ignition timing - adjust if needed.
12. Adjust the carburetor pilot screws if they need it - otherwise leave as is.
13. Change the engine oil.

Start your outboard evenrude up after doing these tasks and listen to it. Check to see if water is exiting the exhaust. Then adjust the throttle - the engine should have a smooth pick from idle. The maximum revs should be achieved. Return to idle speed and check to see if does maintain its correct idle speed , now that the engine is hot. With the throttle working smoothly, check all other functions, including the stop button! Happy motoring!

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