Re: 1955 7.5 evinrude gas tank???????
Hi Jonathan,<br /> As a fellow '55 Fleetwin owner, a few things to keep in mind. At the recommended 24:1 oil ratio, you're going to get smoke, and generally lots of it, particularly at start-up. You'll also get what seems like a lot more when you start it in a barrel, as it concentrates the smoke in one place moreso than on the back of a boat.<br /> You may want to replace the waterpump impeller, too. As a matter of fact, I recommend it. New ones are cheap, and they're not too hard to replace. You do have to remove the powerhead from the mid-section to do it (shift rod disconnect is under the powerhead) but it's not as daunting as it may sound. Salvage the gasket as best you can so you can cut a new one.<br /> Try
www.vintageoutboards.com for a rebuild kit for your gas tank. It has the base gasket, plus the various o-rings and diaphrams inside. Relatively inexpensive, too, and will save you some gasket cutting and frustration.<br /> Those little 7.5s are great runners. They do like lightweight hulls and do not like to be loaded down. If you've got a 14-footer with 3-guys, a cooler, fishing gear, etc. it's not going to be happy. It has aluminum rods with bronze sleeve bearings, and as such won't take a ton of abuse. Keep the oil on the rich side (no less than a quart of TCW3 rated oil per 6-gallons of mid-grade gas).<br /> Also, keep an eye on the gearcase lube. If it starts to get milky in short order, then new seals (propshaft, driveshaft and shift-rod) are in order. Not a difficult job, and the parts are readily available.<br /> Just for grins, has this motor been run recently (last 10 years)?? You might want to check the coils for cracking. Remove the recoil, followed by the three screws that hold the access plate to the top of the flywheel (if the plate is still there). Take a look inside and note whether the coils are shiny plastic (green, red or brown), or dull, cracked and chalky looking. The dull, cracked coils are likely the originals and will need to be replaced. Also, note as to whether the condensers have an orange fiber cap or a rubber cap. The orange fiber ones are original and should be replaced, even if they work for now. Condensers have a habit of going bad when you can least afford it - miles downstream with a 38-footer bearing down on you.<br /> Don't forget the hoses under the hood. They're 1/8" ID<br />- Scott
