'77 175 Rude fixer upper

[SHickey]

Hello,

I was wondering if any of you had experience with late 70's 175 HP rude motors. I have an opportunity to buy one of these that has not been run in about 4 years. There is no key for the controller so I can't check compression or spark. The guy I'm buying it from is moving out of state.

Should I take a chance or pass on it. It would be real cool if I could get it running again but I can imagine it is a gas sucker. Any experience or advice on how easy or dependable these motors are would be most helpful and appreciated.

Happy fall boating!!

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: '77 175 Rude fixer upper

spend 30 bucks and find out if its worth the hassle. bring a charged battery then pull the plugs and spray a little light oil in the cylinders then hook up the battery and wire a push button between the pos of the battery and pos of the starter solinoid coil (use a inline fuse as thats always a good idea) then if you are lucky the starter motor that has not turned in 4 years will still work and you can get a compression reading. the water pump is shot already so it will not hurt that while testing. do not try to start the engine just compression and spark check

the engine will burn about 17.5 gallons a hr at wot the question is if your boat is rated for that much hp.
i heard on the forum that evinrude didnt use to many key combinations so you should be able to get one from a scrap yard or just replace the ignition if the engine tests good

 

[SHickey]

Re: '77 175 Rude fixer upper

Thank you Glen, looking at the circumstances surrounding this motor "flip" , in the best case scenario, it may be worth the trouble to clean up and replace the impeller if it has good compression and spark.

On the other hand, it may be a money and time hole that will sit around the garage all Fall & Winter and may just be parted out instead of sold running. The fuel consumption is staggering and I would suspect, motors like these go on some heavy fellas (18 - 22' I would imagine).

I love tinkering with motors but I need to decide how practical this endeavor would be especially if it takes time and resources from my 19' Bluefin that needs a few tweaks and upgrades. These are times I wish I were retired instead of working two jobs with 4 kids in college!! Not much me time anymore!!

SH

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: '77 175 Rude fixer upper

tinkering with motors is fun but its going to need a impellor, 6 carb kits and new fuel lines even if shes in real good condition. one day the kids will be out of colledge then maybe they will buy you a new boat

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: '77 175 Rude fixer upper

OMC sells pre-made, numbered keys for their control boxes. You'll need to know the number of the key, then see your local Bombardier dealer. That key switch inside the control box has the key number cast into the tumbler end of the key swtich. Some of these stamped key numbers are visible on the end of the key switch. In most cases, you'll have to pull the two halves of the control box apart to actually see the stamped number on the switch. In their day, the 175 was a solid engine. A 150 block with big carbs. Lots of low end torque. Agree that you really need to check the compression before purchase. When new that engine probably had close to 110 lbs compression on each cyl. I'd also open the lower unit oil drain screw and see if the lower unit oil has any water contamination.

 

[SHickey]

Re: '77 175 Rude fixer upper

Thank you Glen that is a fabulous idea (getting a new boat) but the problem is, most new boats need little to no repair or tweaking. With all that extra time on my hands, I would be sure to get myself in a lot of real trouble if I'm not careful!!

 

[SHickey]

Re: '77 175 Rude fixer upper

This may be a stupid question but can some controllers be modified to take a plunger push button start switch and just forget about the key entirely, or is it necessary to have an ignition switch to connect to the accessories on the dash?

Secondly, is there any any salvage value for motors this old (are people seeking parts for motors of this type) or are they pretty obsolete by now with little demand or interest?

I am always honored when an Admiral responds to my Cadet land lover questions.

SH:facepalm:

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: '77 175 Rude fixer upper

is there any any salvage value for motors this old

Very little as used parts for these are a dime a dozen.....If seller wants over $450 they are asking to much as motor retails in the $600-850 range in in good clean running shape.

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: '77 175 Rude fixer upper

It's not a good idea to run the dash gauges off the engine's key switch. Generally, you can run a tach off the key switch-that's about it. The engine main wiring harness runs off a small 20 amp fuse. If you connect too many electrical devices to the key swtich, that fuse can overload and blow. Once it blows, the starter won't work. Most boats have a dedicated main electrical wire fused direct to the battery, running to the dash. The remaining dash items are then fused to that main wire. Bilge pump, radio, horn, livewells, lights, fishfinders, etc. Many of the critical parts for this engine are still available as new parts. If you need something which has been discontinued (such as some cowl vents) -there were so many of these engines made, that salvage (used parts) are very easy to find if you scrounge around a little.

 

[SHickey]

Re: '77 175 Rude fixer upper

Thank you Admiral, you pretty much confirmed my thoughts on this whole endeavor. All of the common sense indicators verify that this should be a motor I should pass on and focus more practical needs. But some Cadets do not think in practical terms. They focus on the end result and avoid taking into account the 100's of reasons why buying a non running motor for $250 would be a bad idea.

Why do I wrestle with the vision of a cheap running 175 HP, cruising WOT slapped onto an 17 or 18' fixer upper must only be diagnosed as a psychological condition know as DREAMER PSYCHOSIS and that is something I need some extensive professional help with!!

Thank you all for the session and can I have the same appointment time next week??

SH