Evinrude 5.5 motor question

[JSGOLD]

This may be a stupid question...but I HAVE to ask...I have a 1961 Fisherman, 5.5 that I want to use with a 16' boat and a 55hp motor. Do these smaller motors have tilt??? I am new to boats, period. I know this motor has a release to let it tilt up in case of bottom scrapping but it swings up an down only a little to give if it does hit. I do not see a tilt, a tilt latch or anything in the manual on it...but maybe it is so simple I overlooked it?? Feel free to laugh if I am wrong.

 

[kbait]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

Should have a lock/release lever on the front of the transom clamp bracket between the clamps that you use to attach to the boat.

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

Yes, it does...but doesn't that just release the motor to swing free in case you might hit bottom, or, does it allow you to lock in raised position??? I thought the locking part was to lock it down when not needed.

 

[kbait]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

If you're referring to a 'shallow drive' setting, that motor doesn't have one. Just lock, or release. You can adjust the tilt pin for drive angle, and you can adjust the pivot bolt for tension on raise/lower.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

does it allow you to lock in raised position??? I thought the locking part was to lock it down when not needed.

Dont know about that engine specifically but generally they have a lock on the tilt to lock them down so that you can use reverse gear without the prop climbing out of the water!

My '84 6hp has a support that engages automatically.... independently of the tilt mechanism ...to support it in the fully tilted position but I know that 6 hps from the 1970s do not have that support. I'd guess yours does not either. All you can do is tighten the nuts on the pivot pin until it is self supporting, At least that is what you can do with the 1970s versions. Does mean that it won't swing up so easily when hitting an obstruction of course!

Shallow water drive is an additional feature that supports the engines to which it is fitted in a partially tilted position.

 

[F_R]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

Dont know about that engine specifically but generally they have a lock on the tilt to lock them down so that you can use reverse gear without the prop climbing out of the water!

My '84 6hp has a support that engages automatically.... independently of the tilt mechanism ...to support it in the fully tilted position but I know that 6 hps from the 1970s do not have that support. I'd guess yours does not either. All you can do is tighten the nuts on the pivot pin until it is self supporting, At least that is what you can do with the 1970s versions. Does mean that it won't swing up so easily when hitting an obstruction of course!

Shallow water drive is an additional feature that supports the engines to which it is fitted in a partially tilted position.

The 5.5 has a lock to hold it DOWN, but nothing to hold it up except the friction adjustment via the tilt bolt nut.

EDIT: Or do like everybody else and put a stick under it.

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

So, this motor can be locked in the "up" position too then??? That is the big question. The book says yes, the release can be used to raise the motor (tilt) but does not say what releases it or if it locks.....it does say the release can be used while in shallow water to let the motor "give" some if I hit something. I have a severly injured wrist right now and can't lift anything for weeks, that is the reason I have not tried this evening.....maybe I can get a helper and try this some more.

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

OK, I see now....yes it does lock when raised much further up...and releases with the same latch....sorry for the trouble guys, appreciate the information. Just curious, will this hold up when using the motor as a kicker motor, with the bigger motor bouncing the boat around a bit?? Not sure how solid this tilt latch is.

 

[F_R]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

OK, I see now....yes it does lock when raised much further up...and releases with the same latch....sorry for the trouble guys, appreciate the information. Just curious, will this hold up when using the motor as a kicker motor, with the bigger motor bouncing the boat around a bit?? Not sure how solid this tilt latch is.

Sorry, you are probably mistaken. A 1961 5.5hp Fisherman does not lock "up" unless you have some sort of aftermarket gizmo on there (which is possible).

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

You could probably put a C clamp or something somewhere to hold it up.

 

[BigB9000]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

Sorry, you are probably mistaken. A 1961 5.5hp Fisherman does not lock "up" unless you have some sort of aftermarket gizmo on there (which is possible).

+1

on my small engine- 1977, 1971, 1969, 1959, and 1947 Johnson/evinrudes, there is no lock on the UP

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

Wow, now I am further confused. Yes, a clamp would do it, and that would do fine unless I needed to use it as a backup I guess, unless I can get to it from topside. Me and the wife both worked with it a bit and set it on a hand cart and then I released to latch and lifted it way up with my left arm. It stayed up and I pushed down...did not budge. When I pulled the release it let me shove it down. I saw a mention of "tilt friction bolt" in the manual...guess I had better read some more and look at the parts diagram. Maybe this sort of tilt is not meant to be the same locking type a big motor would be possibly, or maybe it was updated etc. later?? Anyway it's workable, even if I have to use a clamp. It goes up pretty far. Guess I will know better when I can mount it on the boat again. The good part is the smaller motor will be used most of the time anyway.

 

[TN-25]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

JSGOLD, please make sure that you run that old 5? on a 24:1 gas / oil mix. I could see the temptation to just run it off the same tank as your 55 horse which I assume is much newer. If you run that little kicker on 50:1 you will eventually cause damage to the main bearings (it uses bronze bushed bearings, not roller bearings). Use synthetic injector oil to reduce the smoke if you are concerned about it.

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

No problem on the lube, I have two tanks for the big motor and will buy a third one for this motor. One person suggested I even keep some additional oil in the boat just in case I need to add some to one of the other tanks to make it 24-1. Not being familiar with the usage on these motors I am inlclined to buy a 3 gallon tank for the 5.5, rather than a 6. The other tanks are 6 gallon.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

The 5.5 will use about 1/2 gal per hour at wot(wide open throttle).

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Evinrude 5.5 motor question

Thanks! That helps a LOT!