1959 Evinrude Lark

[vcaptain]

Hello everyone, I am going to attempt to get this 1959 Evinrude 35 hp lark running again. It's mounted on a 1971 starcraft 17ft boat that I bought at auction.

I did a compression test before I removed the head. The lower cylinder read 110, the upper 55. I tried a wet test, not sure I got enough oil in there, but the reading did not change.

I have very little knowledge of outboard motors but am mechanically inclined. The cylinder walls are perfectly smooth, there does not appear to be any scoring at all. What should my next step be? Also, anyone know where I can get a new gasket for the head? I appreciate any advice you can offer me as I am very eager to learn. Thank you!

Pictures:

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

 

[ronboonville]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

Might have stuck rings, I don't know if there is a way to free up without taking it apart. You might tilt the engine and pour some fuel in that cyclinder and see if goes past the piston. I'm sure some one on this site can give good advice. good luck.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

Hi captian. Neat old motor you've got there. The imbalanced compression numbers means you probably need to replace the head gasket. The parts are still readily available and pretty cheap. You can get almost anything you might need right here at iboats, marineengine.com, ebay, amazon or a number of other vintage outboard sites. Here are a couple great links to familiarize yourself with you motor. Once you're comfortable with how everything works you can tear into it. I would suggest you go ahead an get a tune up kit which contains a new pair of points and condensers, a carb kit, and and imepller. You can get them all right there at iboats for about $20 each. You'll want to run 24:1 fuel/oil mix along with Champion J6C spark plugs. Also, you can't run these old girls on "muffs" out of the water, so you'll have to use a test tank with water filled up to about 1-2 inches below the main exhaust port on the back of the motor. If it fails to pump water, shut her down to avoid an overheat.

Reviving a Vintage Big Twin - Part 1
1959 Evinrude 35517 35 hp Outboard Motor Parts

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

Hi captian. Neat old motor you've got there. The imbalanced compression numbers means you probably need to replace the head gasket. The parts are still readily available and pretty cheap. You can get almost anything you might need right here at iboats, marineengine.com, ebay, amazon or a number of other vintage outboard sites. Here are a couple great links to familiarize yourself with you motor. Once you're comfortable with how everything works you can tear into it. I would suggest you go ahead an get a tune up kit which contains a new pair of points and condensers, a carb kit, and and imepller. You can get them all right there at iboats for about $20 each. You'll want to run 24:1 fuel/oil mix along with Champion J6C spark plugs. Also, you can't run these old girls on "muffs" out of the water, so you'll have to use a test tank with water filled up to about 1-2 inches below the main exhaust port on the back of the motor. If it fails to pump water, shut her down to avoid an overheat.

Reviving a Vintage Big Twin - Part 1
1959 Evinrude 35517 35 hp Outboard Motor Parts

Ok, that is some great advice i appreciate it. I love this motor, and want it to work, it just looks way cooler than the new ones, like a classic car.

I found the gasket on iboats easily...I think, but the only marking on this motor I can find is on the transom bracket and it reads 22082. That is the only number I have seen, anywhere else to look? The image of the gasket looks right, do I need a sealant as well, or dry mount?

Thanks for the help!

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

Might have stuck rings, I don't know if there is a way to free up without taking it apart. You might tilt the engine and pour some fuel in that cyclinder and see if goes past the piston. I'm sure some one on this site can give good advice. good luck.

ok, I'll check it out, I was very pleased to see that the walls were clean and not scored up. I think that's a good sign she'll run strong again one day, they don't make em like this anymore. Thanks for the tip.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

I'm working on a '60 Lark right now. Looks identical but mine is a 40hp. It's odd that your cylinders look good, and the gasket and the compression is down. You might want to check the compression relief at the back to ensure that neither of the relief valves are sticking open. A new head gasket is good. I hope your rings aren't stuck but that's a possibility also. Sometimes if and when you get it running they will loosen up and it will improve. There's also a process called de-carbing that sometimes loosens up the rings. Search the forum for it. Keep going, you'll get it!

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

I'm working on a '60 Lark right now. Looks identical but mine is a 40hp. It's odd that your cylinders look good, and the gasket and the compression is down. You might want to check the compression relief at the back to ensure that neither of the relief valves are sticking open. A new head gasket is good. I hope your rings aren't stuck but that's a possibility also. Sometimes if and when you get it running they will loosen up and it will improve. There's also a process called de-carbing that sometimes loosens up the rings. Search the forum for it. Keep going, you'll get it!

Ok, now I'm really getting my hopes up, would you suggest reassembling, carb clean, impeller check, lower oil fill/check and try to start? (in water barrel - thanks kfa4303 I didn't know muffs wouldn't work and was considering buying them). It might run rough, but I've tested the starter, it works. Would that possible free a stuck ring? It's already been turned over, and so far no harm to cylinder walls..any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

I'm working on a '60 Lark right now.

Forgot to ask, does yours have the golden jubilee emblem? What model number is yours? Also, if you found any schematics you can share I'd appreciate it, I think they'd be similar.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

Yes, try and get it running. It sometimes improves the compression as they loosen up. and use some seafoam to help it.

I actually recently got a '59 cowling for my '60 as my '60 one was rough. and it has the emblem on it but I'm keeping it! Sorry.

Yes, I have the parts manual. PM me your email address and model num.

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

Yes, try and get it running. It sometimes improves the compression as they loosen up. and use some seafoam to help it.

I actually recently got a '59 cowling for my '60 as my '60 one was rough. and it has the emblem on it but I'm keeping it! Sorry.

Yes, I have the parts manual. PM me your email address and model num.

The only number I can find is on the transom mount, 22082 not a thing anywhere else, is there somewhere I'm missing?

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

Model should be a 35516 or a 35517. And it should be on the transom mount along with the serial num.

 

[HighTrim]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

You have the parts from a few different years on there, but in general a 1959 35hp Lark parts manual would be good to go by.

Im not convinced that it is the head gasket. Could likely use to have the head dressed, and new gasket installed, but I dont think that is your initial problem. I belive the rings are stuck on the bad cylinder. Remove the bypass cover on the side of the motor for the bad cylinder, align the rings with the hole by turning the flywheel, then push on the rings with a small screwdriver. Do they bounce? Or are they stuck?

I just dont think you will be able to run it with compression like that to be able to do a decarb at all. Best to know what you are dealing with before investing any more money.

 

[lindy46]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

As long as the head is off, I'd install a new head gasket and clean up the head real good, especially those pressure release valves to make sure they're not leaking.

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

Model should be a 35516 or a 35517. And it should be on the transom mount along with the serial num.

nothing but that number. weird.

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

You have the parts from a few different years on there, but in general a 1959 35hp Lark parts manual would be good to go by.

Im not convinced that it is the head gasket. Could likely use to have the head dressed, and new gasket installed, but I dont think that is your initial problem. I belive the rings are stuck on the bad cylinder. Remove the bypass cover on the side of the motor for the bad cylinder, align the rings with the hole by turning the flywheel, then push on the rings with a small screwdriver. Do they bounce? Or are they stuck?

I just dont think you will be able to run it with compression like that to be able to do a decarb at all. Best to know what you are dealing with before investing any more money.

The gasket looks fine, a little dirty, but it seems to have done it's job without failing. When you say the bypass cover, that's on the port side, correct? If it wasn't raining I'd go take a photo.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

If you tilt it up as far as you can and pour in some sea foam and let it sit that has been known to loosen up rings.

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

As long as the head is off, I'd install a new head gasket and clean up the head real good, especially those pressure release valves to make sure they're not leaking.

In the photos above, are the pressure relief valves right above the spark plugs? To clean them up, should I count the turns out on unscrewing, how should they be adjusted?

 

[vcaptain]

Re: 1959 Evinrude Lark

If you tilt it up as far as you can and pour in some sea foam and let it sit that has been known to loosen up rings.

Really? I'll try that.