Evinrude Sportfour vs Starflite

[Drb007]

In the process of restoring my daughter's boat, we have to rebuild her 60hp Sportfour. I may be able to pick up a 75 hp Starflite. Is one better than the other? HP difference aside...

 

[F_R]

Depending on the year, the Starflite probably has Selectric shift. Nothing really wrong with that, except people don't understand them and are afraid of them. You would want to be darn sure you get the whole thing, including remote control and wiring. That stuff can be worth more than the whole rest of the motor.

Selectric Starflite would have an alternator and automatic choke, not on the Sportfour, except it may have the accessory generator installed.

Expect about 2mph difference between the two, and a lot more fuel consumption in the 75.

In short, the Sportfour is more desirable to most people. I'd stick with it.

 

[Drb007]

So the 15 hp really doesn't do much for speed (I can probably affect top speed with prop more than switching the motors?)
The Starflite will suck more fuel...and has a potentially fussy electric shift system.
My thought was that I could use the Starflite right away as it runs, and then rebuild the Sportfour at leisure?

 

[racerone]

????---------As stated the electric shift is very good and very reliable.----This concept is not well understood at all.---If the 75 hp is ready to run then go for it.

 

[flyingscott]

If the 75 is complete I would not hesitate to buy it. Personally I think it's the best version of the 50/60/75 motor.

 

[Chinewalker]

I agree. The V4s, in general, are solid motors. The electric shift units work well, BUT must be maintained a bit more rigorously. Keep the correct oil in the unit, check it frequently for water intrusion. It's really a simple system.

 

[Drb007]

Sorry I misunderstood. I had read on searching that the electric shift was touchy. I appreciate the clarification. I am waiting to hear back from the seller...hopefully he takes my offer. I am hoping to get the whole thing...boat motor and trailer. My hope is that my daughter could run that boat for a month and learn the basics of boat handling, docking, and trailering before trying it with her newly redone boat!
Then I can put the Starflite on her Steury with more confidence if its been run a bit on the Larson.

The Starflite did smoke a lot when we ran it, thought the gas smelled bad and it hadn't been started in over a month...worry?

 

[flyingscott]

Could be normal if it was fogged or old gas if you get it put a water pump in it and fresh gas

 

[Willyclay]

Keep the correct oil in the unit, ...

I am a fan of the OMC electric shift and never had any trouble with two different V-4's including a 1962 Johnson 75 the PO said "had a bad lower unit". It worked great for the next ten years after I put the correct gear oil in it. Good luck!

 

[TN-25]

The old 50-60-65 horse V4s that were produced from 1958 through 1968 had a 70.7 cubic inch displacement. The 75-horse introduced the era of 89.5 c.i.d. blocks and continued on the 80, 85, 90 & 100-horse motors through 1968.

The Sportfour was always a mechanical shift motor, while Starflites were often electric shift, sometimes mechanical shift (depends on year and horsepower rating). Sometimes Sportfours could be had with a high-thrust gearcase that used different gearing and props designed for use moving heavy and slow-moving hulls (houseboats and such).

The 70.7 block had a convoluted history, being introduced by Johnson / Evinrude for 1958 and continuing through 1959 as the V4 50 horse, then was abandoned for 1960. Gale scooped it for 1960 and it became a 60-horse. Gale passed on after 1963, then Johnson / Evinrude scooped it up from the spoils and kept it as a 60 horse 1964-67. For 1968 they made it a 65 horse after they boosted the compression, switched to breakerless CDI ignition and used surface gap plugs. The 65 V4 was only a one-year motor.

The 89.5 c.i.d. powerhead made its debut for 1960 as a 75 horse. An electric shift version became available for 1962 but the mechanical shift also continued. The 90 was derived from the 75 by using a 4-barrel carb in place of the 2-barrel and was always electric shift. For 1966 the 75 became and 80 and the 90 became a 100, still using the 89.5 powerhead. For 1968 the 80 became an 85 via the same means used to turn the 60 into a 65.

 

[Drb007]

Wow..TN-25, was that all retained knowledge?! Impressive!

So let me throw this one out there...for nearly the same money I can potentially get a complete boat with open bow and in pretty good shape AND
and 85 hp Evinrude (likely early mid 70's) so we lose the 60's flair and style, but, it has power trim and tilt!!

Of the two motors we have been discussing, and now the 85hp with the power t/t, is the t/t worth getting? I would think it would make life much easier for my daughter, especially with the shallow waters around here...thoughts?

 

[F_R]

A little more information on the 85 would be a big help. Year for sure????

 

[Drb007]

Not for sure, but I'd say 1973.

 

[jbcurt00]

To keep everybody in the loop, DRB started a topic about the HP ratings. The boat in question is rated for a 70:
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...0068856-how-much-is-too-much-in-regards-to-hp

 

[F_R]

Not for sure, but I'd say 1973.

1973 was a good year which saw the improved crankcase design, twin two-bbl carburetors, Mag CD ignition, and powershift (NOT electric shift), thru-hub exhaust on greatly improved lower unit. All very successful. I would not hesitate to own one. Much better performance than previous models and with less gas guzzling. But again make sure the remote control comes with it (it should if it is part of a boat package). I am not too fond of the early Tilt&trim design though.

 

[oldboat1]

Holding out for tilt and trim would rule out some good older motors, and original t. and t. units might turn out to be dicey anyway -- just age, or possibly original design like F_R suggests. An aftermarket t. and t. unit would give you a number of options. For a rehabbed hull, it should give you some additional mounting options, with some setback which might improve operation, and of course the ability to effortlessly trim for best operation. Let's see, would be good for skinny water, and it's portable -- doesn't have to stay with that hull. Not cheap, but all in all might give you important flexibility, along with ease of operation. Oh, and it's plug and play, if you have a motor and hull ready to rig.

Hull performance is pretty much an unknown until you try it. Adding the aftermarket tilt and trim unit could be the key in putting together a safe good performing rig. Steurys and Larsons were solid, beefy boats, but a good running 65 or 70 probably would be plenty when mounted and trimmed for best operation (IMO).

(Not to say the 85 would be a bad motor. I ran a '70 version for a number of years with no issues at all, including gearcase. Buddy had a mid-'70s model, with similar results. If you like the one you are considering, price and condition attractive....could be good for future options.)

 

[Drb007]

We did look at the aftermarket option, but they look so goofy sticking way out from the transom. While it isn't all about cosmetics, it IS partly...
I've read about some people using the t/t from a bigger (85hp) motor and modifying it to the 60 or 75, but honestly, if the 85 would bolt on and look decent, perform well, and not break the bank, I don't see a huge downside. I am trying to arrange for my brother (who lives right down the road from the 85hp) to stop by and check it out. This might all be for nothing if its a POS.

 

[oldboat1]

Know what you mean -- compromise between looks and function. Maybe you could come up with a facade to conceal the aftermarket t. and t. unit. Not sure I've seen that attempted, but thinking it could be done. Seem to recall a couple of the old hulls had a molded transom which provided a setback at the motor mount -- something like that, but just a cosmetic cover for the t.and t. unit.

Could always use a Garelick motor tilter as an assist, if needed (used one with the '70 85 I had, and worked well). But sounds like a trim function would be useful where you do your boating. Maybe the 85 will work out. In any case, interesting project.

 

[Drb007]

What do you not like about the trim/tilt?

 

[F_R]

"What do you not like about the trim/tilt?"

Maybe I was too quick to bad-mouth it. It really wasn't terribly bad. But it was a hang-on accessory, not nearly as neat an installation as the integrated units that came later. Early ones with the Calco pump often blew a gasket in the pump. OMC provided us dealers with gasket kits to fix them under warranty, but the kit is not an official part number, and I would guess no longer available. Later ones with Prestolite pumps were better. The trim gauge sender was kind of a funky design and did not work real well. I suppose the early ones were "OK" but the integrated ones made the hang on ones look kind of dumb. Bottom line is Condition Is Everything.