Evinrude 20 help

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2mate

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Hi guys i recently fitted a impeller to a Evinrude 1973 20hp i bought and it starts but imunsure if it is cooling, there is no water coming out the exhaust on the leg, is it underwter cooiling?:confused:
 
lindy46

lindy46

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

There should be water spitting and sputtering out the exhaust bypass hole on the leg. Motor needs to have the leg submerged to just below the hole to get the water flowing. If it's not flowing, then you probably need a new impeller.
 
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2mate

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

Okay well i changed the impeller last week, only thing was is i couldnt remove the drive shaft from the powerhead? Any ideas?
 
J

James R

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

How on earth did you replace the impeller with the drive shaft in the power head. Not possible. That drive shaft has to be in the lower unit to fit the impeller and key. Tip the motor upside down with the lower unit off and shoot PB Blaster down the shaft. Leave it overnight and if you are lucky you will be able to jiggle the shaft loose. Note I said jiggle not heave.
 
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Silver Heels

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

I thought 1973, evinrude had the 18 horse, while Johnson had the 20. Not that it makes any difference in how the impeller is replaced, and I may be wrong altogether, but perhaps there is some other mistaken technical terms causing the confusion.
 
kfa4303

kfa4303

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

2mate, describe what you mean when you say "impeller" perhaps you're using the wrong terminology because JamesR is right, there's no way you could've replaced the impeller without removing the lower unit and therefore the drive shaft. Perhaps a few pics would help too. In any event, if you're sure you're not getting water out of the exhaust like you should, DO NOT run your motor unitl you get the cooling issue resolved. It would be a shame for the motor to overheat and sieze up on you. Ther are lots of videos online that can show how to change an impeller on Johson/Evinrude outboards. They may be worth checking out. Keep us posted on your progress.
 
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2mate

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

Okay well i managed to line the drive shaft up at 90 degrees aswell as the impeller and i think what might have happened is the drive key on the drive shaft may have fallen out?
 
kfa4303

kfa4303

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

Ah Ha! That's fairly common. I know I've had a few breathless moments trying to find a lost or dropped impeller key. They're tiny and can go missing if you don't remeber to put them somewere safe. If it really is lost, then your motor is reving and spinning the drvie shaft, but without the impeller key it can't turn the impeller itself. As aresult no water is being pumped up to the engine. you should be able to find a replacement impeller key at a local dealer or online. be partient and don't run her again until you've got the key back in place and the impeller reinstalled properly. Remeber to only ever turn your driveshaft CLOCKWISE while installing the impeeler into its housing. Twisting it backand forth will cause the fins of the impeller to go in the wrong direction and reduce water flow. Not that it helps now, but everytime I drop a lower end, I put a few wraps of tape around the impeller key while it's still in the drive shaft to hold it in pace while I 'm working. Here's link showing a guy installing an impeller. Start around the 4 min mark. In fact, all of the vids in that series are great and can show you how to rebuild an entire engine. Hope it helps. Keep us posted.

http://www.youtube.com/user/PistonPumper#p/u/8/a_-ZfbUNT3A

http://www.youtube.com/user/PistonPumper#p/u/8/a_-ZfbUNT3A
 
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2mate

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

Popped the lower unit of and your right the shaft is just spinning the key has gone! Now to get the shaft out :S
 
kfa4303

kfa4303

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

It's always the little things isn't it. you should be able to find another key pretty easily. Once you get a new key, it should all go back together pretty easily. The driveshaft should slide out of the rest of the lower unit with ease. remove the top of the impeller housing, the impeller and the impeller plate. You shoul then be able to gently lift the drive shaft out of the gearcase. keep us posted.
 
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boobie

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

Maybe I missed it but did you ever get the d/s out of the p/h ??
 
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2mate

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

Nope still stuck in power head. Any thoughts?
 
kfa4303

kfa4303

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

hmmmmmm..........any chance you can post a pic or two? How are you supporting the motor? is it on a stand or laying on the ground or in some other orientation? I usually hang my motor on a stand, or just leave it in place on the boat and drop the lower unit straight down. gravity and one or two light taps is usually enough for it to come free. resist the urge to smack or yank on it, tempting as it may be. have you tried spinning the flywheel slowly by hand to see if that helps free things up a bit? Did you undo the shift rod connector behind the little window on the side of the exhaust leg?
 
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2mate

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

The lower unit is all of its just the drive shaft stuck in the powerhead i am letting it soak again over night and will try free it again tommorow. All shift rods are disconnected.
 
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boobie

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

To do a water pump job properly you have to have the d/s in the l/u to properly put it back together. Try a 50:50 mix of acetone and atf fluid and put it on the d/s splines. Have the mtr upside down when doing this.
 
samo_ott

samo_ott

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

I've never tried but one could probably change the impeller without removing the driveshaft. You'd just have to work form the bottom up. Would be a pain in the butt though.

Another thing to try to remove the driveshaft is to clamp on a pair of vicegrips in an area where there are no seals and to tap down with a hammer. Gently.

And yes, Evinrude made a 20hp in'73. And a 25hp.
 
2

2mate

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Re: Evinrude 20 help

Guys i still cant get it out so i was thinking of getting a few pins for the drive shaft,maybe glue one in? Then slide the lower unit over the pin with the housing screwed in, can the pin bypass the housing?
 
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