Ted Williams all air cooled?

[rangedog]

I just bought a 7hp Sears Ted Williams "solid state" boat motor. Guy told it was a collector, a 50s model....whatever I just want to use it.

Looks like it has an air cooled Techumseh powerhead. It also has a few holes in the lower unit, so I'm hoping someone can tell me if I can run this thing out of the water to see how it runs.

Any input greatly appreciated.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

First off, give us the Sears model number of the engine. It should be 217.#####

It's impossible to tell you much without that. If the tag showing the model number is gone, then we'll have to work from a description.

If it has a Tecumseh powerhead, it's not from the 50s.

Also, please describe what you mean by holes in the lower unit. You shouldn't run this outboard out of the water.

But, let's start with the model number, and we can go from there.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

One other thing. If it says "Solid State" anywhere on the engine, it's at least a mid-1970s model.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

It also has a water pump impeller to cool the exhaust leg and lower bottom of cylinder...Will not turn in neutral though (turns with the shaft, and has a spring drive for forward)...stick it in water

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

Well, our poster seems not to have returned to get his answers. Oh, well...

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

Well, our poster seems not to have returned to get his answers. Oh, well...

He will eventually with more questions with that motor..

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

He will eventually with more questions with that motor..

Oh, no doubt, especially since it's one of the ones with the solid state ignition. My 9.9 Eska is lying on the floor of my garage, thanks to that solid state NLA ignition.

I've given up on it, for now. I'll wait until I can find an earlier one with a magneto. From what I can gather, I should be able to replace the flywheel and magneto plate from the older one onto my powerhead.

Not a good design was that ignition system. Not a good design at all. Almost all of the ones I have seen are broken. The rest soon will be.

I understand that they're over 30 years old, but...

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

Oh, no doubt, especially since it's one of the ones with the solid state ignition. My 9.9 Eska is lying on the floor of my garage, thanks to that solid state NLA ignition.

I've given up on it, for now. I'll wait until I can find an earlier one with a magneto. From what I can gather, I should be able to replace the flywheel and magneto plate from the older one onto my powerhead.

Not a good design was that ignition system. Not a good design at all. Almost all of the ones I have seen are broken. The rest soon will be.

I understand that they're over 30 years old, but...

I had a Solid State 7.5...not a TW, but same motor (can't think of what brand it was, but same motor). Ran fine after a carb clean, but sold it cheap to some kid to get him on the water. I have 2 Johnson Weedless, and after those SMOOTH motors, the rest pale in comparison. The noisy aircooled have thrills only for kids that don't know better..

 

[superflydudebike]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

I notice that someone mentioned having an Eska 9.9. I have a 1975 model and am also having ignition problems. Would this year also have the solid state igntion that you are referring to? It ran intermittenly and I finally gave up on it and bought a small Evinrude. I told sometone about my Eska problems and they thought it was the ignition coils. Mine is water cooled and was still very loud. Are Eskas poor motors in general? It seemed like the water pump outlet kept clogging on mine as well. Poor design?

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

I notice that someone mentioned having an Eska 9.9. I have a 1975 model and am also having ignition problems. Would this year also have the solid state igntion that you are referring to? It ran intermittenly and I finally gave up on it and bought a small Evinrude. I told sometone about my Eska problems and they thought it was the ignition coils. Mine is water cooled and was still very loud. Are Eskas poor motors in general? It seemed like the water pump outlet kept clogging on mine as well. Poor design?

That's me. Yup, same system, although they did have two versions of it. It has trigger coils under the flywheel, along with some sort of electronic modules. These feed the "transformers" that are mounted on the head and have the wire going to the spark plug.

The transformers are more or less available. New, they're very expensive. The stuff under the flywheel is virtually impossible to find.

Aside from the ignition system, which appears not to last past 30 years, they seem to be solidly-built two-cylinder water-cooled outboards. But, an outboard that doesn't run and can't be fixed is just an anchor.

I'm using a crappy 5hp Clinton-based Sea King on my 12' tinny right now, but I'm looking for an older johnnyrude of at least 7.5hp to replace it. I'm going to dump the others, since I know I can keep a johnnyrude running.

A 9.9 would be ideal, but folks are getting obscene amounts for 30 year old ones around here.

 

[superflydudebike]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

I miss the HP of the Eska as I now have a 6 HP Evinrude. Paid $325 for a 1972, but it starts easily and runs very well. I also have a 12' aluminum boat but the 6 HP is not big enough if I have passengers. It seems like good motors in the 6 to 15 HP range are hard to come by as they are in demand. I will use my Rude until I can find a larger one.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Ted Williams all air cooled?

I remember now the Solid State motor I sold now.."Golden Jet'..one cylinder 7.5