Need help with older Evinrude motor.....

[Shawnny B]

Ok experts out there, I have an older 14 foot tri hull boat I have attempted to find out what year it is or what year the motor is. I have this 3rd or 4th hand and last year the motor took a dump on me. Today however I have found that it was not the motor that crapped out just the lower unit, it has a frozen gear that slides onto the shaft and it appears as if I could use a new impeller for the water pump. I have searched for the model number but it says it does not exist. It is a 40 hp Norseman model 40355d serial j 01655 the boat is a Glastron and that is 147wb serial 1310384. If someone could suggest a place in the north east metro or St. Paul that might have an impeller or the gear/bearing that I need, I would greatly appreciate it. Also, any suggestions on how to get that dang gear out would be good too. Also, when I connect power to the starter it just sits n spins it does not engage with the flywheel, does that mean the starter is bad or did I just have a wire messed up? The previous owner decided since the starter didn’t work that he would just discard the wiring harness for me. Any suggestions on that one would be helpful too.

Shawnny B

[Valv]

I cannot help you on all the parts answers except call Twin City Outboards or Boat Motor Recyclers.

The starter issue will be solved just by spraying some WD40 in the gear shaft, it will free it up and will be able to engage flywheel

[Shawnny B]

Valv,

Thanks for the responce I will try them in the AM, as far as the starter goes, it just wont engage. Im thinking that the starter or the solinoid is bad, Guess Ill just have to pull-her to get it to start. Ohwell....

[Surface Tension]

Like Val said try the WD-40 on the started starters shaft and worm gear. What happening is you have some old grease with dirt mixed in and its not traveling enough to engage.

[stayman79]

Robbinsdale Marine services older Johnson's and Evinrudes. They've helped me and a few friends out quite a bit.

[efgh]

Some of the older starters on lawn mowers and outboard motors will run backwards if you reverse the wires on them, then the starter gear that engages the flywheel will spin down instead of up, try switching the wires on the battery and see what happens. If you can find a whole lower unit used, it would probley be cheaper than buying new parts.

[Valv]

DO NOT SWITCH WIRES ON BATTERY. You electronics and electrical will be destroyed.

Just spray some WD40 as suggested and problem will go away.

[Shawnny B]

Valv and Surface, I have tryed the WD-40 but that didnt work its as if the solinoid is not kicking the gear up to engage with the flywheel, however.... I have found the parts and can get the motor running for about 100 bucks or a whole new (used) lower half of the motor for around 250....Hmm....Hopefully I can get the bearing out and be alllllllllllll good !!!! SOOOO EXCITED!!!

[Valv]

The solenoid doesn't kick the gear up, it's separate from motor, all it does it give juice to it, it's not like a car

Try to lift the gear with a plyer or pry a little under it with a screw driver, the shaft has a twist, so when you turn gear it will twist up at same time.

[Surface Tension]

The initial burst of rotation is all thats needed for the gear to ride up the worm gear on the shaft. Do the WD-40 and as Val said, work the gear up and down while flushing the crud off the shaft.

[eurolarva]

If you are going to pay to repair or rebuild take the starter apart. I have seen a lot that just need a good cleaning and they work like new. Usually the carbon gets all sooted up with moisture and the springs in the brushes wont work correctly. Take it apart and clean it with a can of WD40 or contact cleaner and qtips. When all cleaned tie the brushes in place with some monofiliment and put the cover back on just enough to cover the brushes then cut the mono. Make sure that cover goes back on the way you took it off. If you reverse it starter motor will spin backwards cause poles are backwards. It is pretty simple and only takes about an hour to do.

[Shawnny B]

Well, I have managed to get the gear and bearing out, only took a can of JB Blast and a large metel tube with a 4 lb dead blow hammer. I have found that I only need two new bearings. I am going to be contacting Gopher bearing in the morning to find out what they will charge for it, see if Maybe I can get both of the bearings for under 75, the price of one bearing from a Boat store. I spoke to Boat motor recyclers and I believe that I will be ordering the whole lower unit for about 200 bucks, said that he could get it and overhaul it and get it too me in a week or so.

Ill keep ya posted. HOpefully Thursday I can get the motor put back on the boat and make sure it pull starts. then maybe Ill go after the starter and throw the lower unit on. I hope I can get her out on the water for the fall bite....

Shawnny B,

BTW thanks for all your input, any other suggestions or comments are welcomed. BTW I did buy a can of electrical cleaner today along with the JB Blast and have planned on taking the gear off and cleaning everything off, and if I have to I will take it apart. I think Im doing a pretty good job so far. The guy at the boat shop said his shop charge is 85/hour plus parts. Said it would take around 2 hours or so. SO I figure so far so good!!!!

[Surface Tension]

Good post eurolarva.

If you have the worm gear and color clean and it still doesn't engage then its possible you have a brush thats sticking. First let me note that you have to have the starter mounted in order to tell if its engaging because it needs the flywheel to make contact with, once it dose it stays at full travel till you release the key. Without the starter being mounted, the gear will pop up for a split second and drop back down.

Back to the sticky brush. As I said earlier the initial rotation is what makes the gear ride up the worm gear. The shaft starts to spin and the gear being stationary and the combination of its mass/weight along with the force to put it into motion is what drives it up the shaft. If a brush is sticking then your not getting the full RPMs out of the starter and if your not getting full RPMs out of the starter then theres not enough thrust to move up the worm gear.

Without seeing what starter you have I'm guessing but most I've seen will have 2 long bolts that hold them together. Scratch the cover and housing as a reference for assembly. Remove the bolts and the end cap(opposite of the geared shaft) will come off and thats where the brushes are. You'll see 4 brushes and you'll noticed the wires on two of the brushes are insulated and the bare wires are routed around the bolts.

After the brushs are cleaned you'll need to hold them in as you put cover back on. I use a sheet of 14 gage sheet metal with a slot cut out from the center for the shaft. Careful the brushs are brittle and the wires can pull out from the brushs. Line up the brushs and place the sheet metal on top of them. Set that in place on the starter and line up your scratches then pull the sheet metal out.

[Shawnny B]

Thanks for the reply Euro and Surface. Unfortunatly, the lower unit is a gonner. The good news is that the motor started right up when I got the new plugs in, and gave her a yank, still having issues with the motor. I did however get my service manuel today I guess Ill be in contact with Twin citie outboards on Tuesday to get that new used lower unit. The main drive gear off the vertical shaft had the roller bearing melted to it, guess I should of pulled her apart when I first got it. There were a total of 4 bearings that I found that were gonners. Today I found that the Trottle calbe was junk also, good thing Hovermn is a pro at them. I think Ill have a new one by next week and installed. As far as the starter, I think that will be an extreamly early ice/winter project. The one question I have is that all the lower units I see on hsolist/in stores have the shaft and shifter sticking out of them, on mine, the shaft is still in the motor, do i have another problem? oh man I sure hope not. Untill next week ..

Shawnny B

[Valv]

You can pull shaft out it's inserted in motor through splines.

A good yank will take care of it