Evinrude vs. Sea king

[tmcalavy]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

Biggest difference between your mid-to-late 60's motors and ones from the 50s and early 60's is the innards. Your motors were engineered and built to run on a 50:1 mix using common auto motor oil. No doubt that today's modern synthetics are superior, as you stated. The other difference is that older motors were made with friction bearings or bushings...which rely on a good film of lubricant to separate wearing surfaces. They weren't engineered with true ball or needle bearings because the cost of the materials needed to make true ball and needle bearings. Also, for several years after WWII the cost of true bearings, or the materials to make them, was beyond many manufacturers budgets...if they wanted to make/sell a price-competitive product. Also, the friction bearings and bushings perform well as long as you respect their need for a heavier/richer fuelil mix. So I guess the reason was...it ain't broke, so don't fix it, as much as anything else. That's my take on it, given my knowledge of older outboards and my experiences restoring them and reading this and other similar forums.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

But, if you look at a parts explosion for the mid sixties, 6hp engines, they don't have roller bearings either. What the diagram shows is a "linder" and a needle (as in "one") on each side of the crank, under the connecting rod and cap. To be frank, I have no idea what a "linder" is.

I am trying to dig into this because I am curious and also because I'd like to give the best advice that I can to others. I actually have a late 50s 5-1/2 that has been sitting in a plastic bin in parts for about ten years. I'm about half tempted to see if the powerhead is still free and, if so, put it together to run it on 50:1 synthetic to see what happens.

 

[F_R]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

Without taking time to research it, I don't remember the exact year that the 6hp started using needle bearing rods. However, the needle bearing pictures in the parts book show a "liner", a hard steel shell inside the aluminum rod. The shell or "liner" gives a hard surface for the needle bearings to roll on. They only show one needle for clarity sake. It really takes a bunch of them. Liners and needles come as a set. "Linder"?? Must be a typo, it's "liner"

Motors previous to the needle bearings had aluminum connecting rods with silver plating. The silver plating is the bearing. Good, but not nearly as good as needle bearings.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

I'd be surprised if the 6's did not have needle bearings. My '61 Evinrude 5.5 did when I re did it.

 

[F_R]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

I don't have all of the parts books, but I just checked the '61 5.5hp and sure enough, it has needle bearings. The '59 5.5 has the silver plated aluminum rods. (I don't have the 1960 book). So it stands to reason that all 6hps would have them also.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

OK, that explains it and, of course, makes a lot of difference.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

Yes, I forgot to mention, my '59 had no bearings when I took it apart. So somewhere around '60 they changed... In the 5.5's that is... Other sizes differed. I believe the bigger hp's had needle bearings earlier...

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

I see you live in Oregon, so if you plan on using it in the salt, then definitly go with the Evinrude. I had a 6 HP Sea king of about the same age, it ran OK and was light, but the salt ate it up pretty fast, I saw a bubble in the paint one day and when I poked it, I went right through into the water jacket. I started to work on it and every bolt either rounded the head or broke off. I still have older J/Es that I use frequently in fresh and salt water and have had very little problem with corrosion. The Sea King lasted about three years in the salt, the J/Es are still going strong (69 6HP, 79 9.9, 75 50HP). I had a some 1950s motors at the same time as the Sea King also, a 5, 10, 18 and 35, I don't have these any more, but they were used in salt water for many many years. The 18 and 35 were still going strong when I sold them in the mid 90's, I don't know what my dad did with the other two.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

I think the most critcal factor is the silver plated connecting rods. If the older motors had bearing halves like an automotive engine, I would probably still go with the 50:1 mix just because of the superior film characteristics of the synthetic oils. In such a case, you would have an easily replaceable wear surface and a lubrication scenario that would be likely to provide a reasonable service life. Given that excessive wear on the rod and cap in these older motors would destroy the part, however, the picture begins to look very different.

 

[Todd j]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

I read under the engine cover and found the oil to fuel ratio. It was not expressed a numerical ratio, but it was 1/2 pint of 30 wt. oil to 1 gal gas. Thats if I remember right. What ever it was I will try that!

I removed the power head to get into the water pump. I didnt like what I saw!
The impellar housing is pretty rough. I cleaned all the corrosion off and it is very pitted. I dont think it is even salvageable. A new impeller will not last long in there. Is a new housing for the impeller still available?
I was surprised there were no gaskets in there? I dont really know how it works


I also need a new pump base too, there is a bronze bushing in it, and the bottom of the area around the bushing is all cracked out and broke.

Can I make my own gasket to seal where the power head goes back on?

Where is the seal that keeps water out of the gear case?

Todd

 

[steelespike]

Re: Evinrude vs. Sea king

I don't have all of the parts books, but I just checked the '61 5.5hp and sure enough, it has needle bearings. The '59 5.5 has the silver plated aluminum rods. (I don't have the 1960 book). So it stands to reason that all 6hps would have them also.

According to my manual needle bearings appeared on 5.5 in 62 on original and replacement powerheads.On the 6 hp 65-70 only needlebearings are in crankpin.yet are 50:1.Same for 69-79.and of course are also 50:1.