Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deteriorate

[wickware]

Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deteriorate on this model motor (model 40973R)? I have seen this twice before now.

1. On a 70s OB that had been under water. The wires and insulation started breaking down after about 10 years.

2. On an 80 Volvo that I felt had a bad quality on insulation.

From your experiences, do you feel the motor has been under water even though there are no other signs? OR! Do you feel heat or etc. under the cover broke down the insulation (under the cover ?Only?)? The big concern in the rewiring is the wiring going down to the lower unit (for the electric shifting). Any tips or etc. on the rewiring?


Thanks in advance.

JOW

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deteriorate on this model motor (model 40973R)? I have seen this twice before now.

1. On a 70s OB that had been under water. The wires and insulation started breaking down after about 10 years.

2. On an 80 Volvo that I felt had a bad quality on insulation.

From your experiences, do you feel the motor has been under water even though there are no other signs? OR! Do you feel heat or etc. under the cover broke down the insulation (under the cover ?Only?)? The big concern in the rewiring is the wiring going down to the lower unit (for the electric shifting). Any tips or etc. on the rewiring?


Thanks in advance.

JOW

Pretty normal. The insulation goes away for various reasons over 40 years. I think that heat and WD40 have done mine in before. They were not underwater....

Anyway, I just direct wire my 40's. I take out all of the wire, and make a harness directly to the engine. The only hook-ups I use are:
Battery (+) to solenoid (4 gauge)
Battery (-) to block (4 gauge)
Fused (+) and (-) back to a terminal strip from solenoid and block. (16 ga)
Choke, Ignition and the 2 kill wires from the ignition switch back to the motor. (18 ga.)

For an electric shift 40, there are two additional wires from the shift switch for forward and reverse.

I quit using the generators years ago. More trouble than they are worth, IMHO.

 

[wickware]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

Thanks TX,

I?ll pass this info to my friend. I Guess, ? Time Brings About A Change Is True?! Do you have any links to Gen. Engine Torque Specs on the 69 40 HP?

JOW

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

I have a 1966 manual:

#6 7-10 IN.-LBS
#10 2-3 FT-LBS
#12 3-4 FT-LBS
1/4" 5-7 FT-LBS
5/16" 10-12 FT-LBS
3/8" 18-20 FT-LBS
Spark Plugs 20 FT-LBS
Flywheel Nut 100-105 FT-LBS
Cylinder Head 14-16 FT-LBS

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

In 1968, after many years of having a reliable vendor supply the wiring for the OMC engines, some idiot decided that they would make a change. The change involved having all of the 1968 and many of the 1969 engines equipped with the poorest quality wiring insulation known to man....... it would deteriorate within a few years to a point whereas any movement of the wire caused the insulation to actually fall away and expose the bare wire.

Whether this decision was made by OMC or by the vendor without OMC's knowledge is an unknown to me.

In the past, I have had to remove the engine's wiring harness, attach it in its proper shape to a piece of plywood
in order to keep the proper wiring lengths, then replace each individual wire, soldering on the proper end terminals and wrapping the finished product in electrical tape..... in essence a factory replacement harness (in appearance and quality).

A pain in the butt? You betcha, but the only way to go if one intends to keep the engine in its original condition.

So much hell was raised that this idiotic change was corrected a couple years later (or sooner) and the change was made back to the proper quality wiring and insulation.

 

[wickware]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

Thanks TX,

We appreciate your time and info. This should help my friend get his project going. I forgot to ask what the cylinder compression should be? The Starcraft boat and Evinrude motor appears to just need minor repairs since not being used since 1990. My friend is giving the project "the works" toward being safe.

JOW

 

[wickware]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

Thanks Joe,

This is good and bad info to know. Have you all ever had a short or problems related to the electric lower unit shifting? If so, what are some of the fine points we should look for or work with?

JOW

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

Shorts pertaining to the electric shift can take place via exposed wiring at any location of course, BUT................

The shift wires are routed directly down thru the exhaust housing, coupled with (of course) the red hot exhaust discharge of the engine. Normally there is a small hole drilled in one of the water tubes that sprays water sround in that area to help cool the shift cable. There is also a nylon shield that slips over the shift cable to combat the heat (different length nylon shield, std shaft, long shaft).

Regardless, neglecting to notice a overheating engine to a point whereas the engine will obviously seize to a point where the power actually smokes usually results in damage to the shift cable, shield ot not.

You're having a shift problem?

 

[wickware]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

Thanks again for the good info. We are not having a shift problem that we know of due to not running the motor yet (due to wiring and etc.). I?ll let Mr AJ (the owner) take over with some of the specifics (in a day or so) since he is seeing more than I am.

JOW

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

Thanks TX,

We appreciate your time and info. This should help my friend get his project going. I forgot to ask what the cylinder compression should be? The Starcraft boat and Evinrude motor appears to just need minor repairs since not being used since 1990. My friend is giving the project "the works" toward being safe.

JOW

Compression should be at least 100 psi, but more important is that the two cylinder readings be within 5-6 lbs of one another. In other words, a reading of 100-100 psi is "better" than one of 120-110 psi.

 

[Walkenvol]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

I have a 1983 35 hp johnson and a 1981 25 hp evinrude. Both have wire deterioration. Sounds like the wiring problem continued past the late 1960's. What is the purpose of having so many connector plugs anyway? Is there a downside to wiring it straight besides the obvious one of removing the motor from the boat?

 

[wickware]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation to be "Bad"

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation to be "Bad"

Thanks For The Input Walkenvol! A quick follow-up, which I feel, is pure courtesy on info asked of others.

1. Mr AJ reported the motor is starting on a pre-mix prime and appears to have good compression vs a compression reading (due to comp. adapter).

2. Sounds like the wiring and fuel matters are to come after seeing the Kick after 20 years.

3. I?ll try to correct a tired error, LOL!

Thanks To All!
JOW

 

[wickware]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

Mr AJ called with ?The Monster? running and it sounds good but there is still Maintenance WORK!

Thanks To All Again.
JOW

 

[wickware]

Re: Evinrude 1969 40HP. Is it common for all (100%) of the insulation be to deterior

1. Please help us with a condensed list the basic steps/tips to dropping the lower unit to check/replace the impeller on this model motor.

2. Is it common for the drive shaft to stick to keep the lower unit from dropping? Is any linkage involved with the electric shift?

3. As mentioned in my last post there is more maintenance to come.

4. Mr AJ called to say he is not getting the cooling water he initially got.

5. Plus, he has not been able to get the lower unit off to check/replace the impeller or etc..

Thanks for your help in advance.

JOW