1969 evinrude 33 hp can it be done?

[T.J.]

I have a 69 rude 33 hp. and would like to put a telltale on it. Has anyone done this to give me a little insight as to the best, least intrusive way to do so before I drill and tap at my own discretion? As this seems to be my only option at this point.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1969 evinrude 33 hp can it be done?

here is a pretty intensive thread. i don't know if any one has done a 1969.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=222677 i think i would pull the cylinder head to be on the safe side.

 

[F_R]

Re: 1969 evinrude 33 hp can it be done?

Beats me why everybody thinks they need a tell-tale. That 33 has a more-than-adequate cooling indicator at the rear of the midsection. If you feel that you have to keep watching it all the time, you are too paranoid and worry too much. OR-- you are not maintaining your motor properly or abusing it. Time on the water should be spent enjoying the ride and looking at the scenery and bikinis.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 1969 evinrude 33 hp can it be done?

I have mixed feelings on this one. Even a month ago, I wouldn't have considered a telltale on such a motor. In fact, I still wouldn't if its a tiller steer, or if you boat in a place where the likelyhood of picking up a plastic bag, vegetation, etc. over the intake, is slim.

The reason why I may have a different opinion than I used to, is due to a recent experience. I put a telltale in my 1972 Johnson 65hp engine a couple of months ago. This motor is essentially identical to later OMC three cylinder motors that had them, and it isn't always readily apparent that the cooling system is functioning. I had wanted to do this for some time, and finally got around to it while doing another project.

As soon as I put the telltale in, I began a habit of glancing behind me every once in awhile to see if the stream was visible. Not long after, I was running up a bayou and picked up a clump of duckweed, which had wrapped around the intake on the gearbox. Since I was running at about 3/4ths throttle, had I not noticed the lack of water stream, I might have overheated the motor. Intead, I slowed to a stop, reversed the engine, and waited for the stream to resume. As I pulled away, I could see the chunk of duckweed floating in the water behind me.

Sometimes, objects like this will clear themselves before any damage is done, but sometimes they won't. For that reason, I'm now glad that I took the time to do this project. If you do it, I agree with TD that taking the head off is a good idea. This will allow you to find the best location for the nipple that you will have to install. It will also insure that you don't drill into something that you shouldn't disturb. Finally, it allows you to vacuum out all of the metal shavings from the drill.

If you perform the work, I would be interested in a description of how you did it. I have a couple of Johnson 33hp motors and you never know, I might want to do the same to them someday.

 

[T.J.]

Re: 1969 evinrude 33 hp can it be done?

Thanks for the thread there tashasdad that did help. As for FR if you ran in the weedy lakes that we have around here you'd understand, and this isn't a tiller unit either so I can't just look down to see what's going on at the bottom of my motor when I'm seven feet away. Also I really like this old rig and want to keep it around longer, and knowing you're flowing is always a good thing. Thanks for the insight guys it's time to head into the shop to get some work done. After all the walleye are starting to come in so it's time for the boats to get ready to get in the water. Have fun be safe and I will try to post pics of the completed project.

 

[F_R]

Re: 1969 evinrude 33 hp can it be done?

Whatever you want to do is ok with me. But just for information, there is nowhere with weedier lakes than here in Florida. Some are impassable with anything less than an airboat.

I'll say one thing about that 33 though. With the water inlet located where it is behind the prop, it will quit pushing the boat long before it totally obstructs the water flow.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 1969 evinrude 33 hp can it be done?

I'll say one thing about that 33 though. With the water inlet located where it is behind the prop, it will quit pushing the boat long before it totally obstructs the water flow.

That's a good point. There is a great deal of difference in the water inlet locations in the old pin drive engines v. the thru-the-hub type motors.

I get nervous with my motor because the duck weed wraps its self around the leg right where the intake is located. It doesn't seem to bother the boats that are very fast, because it just "blows off." My boat is slow by their standards and doesn't seems to be able to do that.

 

[Rick.]

Re: 1969 evinrude 33 hp can it be done?

Just a comment about tell tale location. I have a 9.9 with a factory tell tale. It is at the back of the engine on the starboard. It is in a really dumb location as for as I'm concerned. It is very awkward to see in that location. If I were installing one I would attempt to put it straight out either side of the lower cowl. Where you could see it at a glance. Rick.