Advice Greatly Accepted

Bobaw · 04 January 2004, 18:23

Okay. Time to bite the bullet.

Not had boat on water last year due to crewing for all and sundry but looking to do so this year.

Now the help bit;

Bearing in mind it hasn't been afloat or run for over a year and is sat ashore on trailer covered -

What should I do with the engine, service, replacements new fluids/seals etc etc? How much for a specialist to do this approx? or could I attempt this myself? (Usually fly a desk so be gentle). (Evinrude 125 v4 - circa 6-10yrs old)

Should I drain the remnants of old fuel from the tank? and if so what do I do with it?

Is it beneficial to replace the old electrics to be on the safe side, (Will be changing battery - nav light bulbs etc)

Currently sat on a break back trailer that is past it's sell by date I think - brakes stuck on, bearings gone (2 inches sideways play in wheels - like it when purchased, never been on road behind my car just sat in marina) is it worth renovating or should I try to buy a new one????

Any comments/advice greatly received - do not want to become a statistic.....
Cheers guys/girls

Michael · 04 January 2004, 23:18

I would have a professional do a complete service on the engine. That will give you enough time to find out what's required if you wish to maintain it yourself (starting with winterising at the end of this season). I usually put any old fuel in the car!

The trailer may be worth salvaging. Do you need brakes? If not cut them off with an angle grinder and replace the bearings. However if rollers etc are kaput you may be better off replacing it.

Mike

Rogue Wave · 04 January 2004, 23:29

If you want to maintain the outbaord yourself Do a night school course and get a manual. You can get some manuals from Amazon but also from Fairweather Marine in Fareham

If You decide to get a proper person to do it (and I would do that) first time then a fellow Kentish Lad recomends somebody in Kent fairly enthusiastically. PM Daniel and ask him who to take it to.

Electrics check them over for obviously signs of fraying or corrosion and replace them if neccasary Other than that take off all contacts and clean em and put them back with a suitable corrosion inhibitor or Vaseline at a push.

Take the whhels off and take a good look at the stub axles the bearings are on, if they are OK then you could replace the bearings and you'd lose your play

jwalker · 04 January 2004, 23:34

Providing it was working fine before you stored it. Take the cover off to make sure nothing is living in it. Same with the engine. If it all looks ok, charge the battery fully, give it some water to work in, prime it up and turn the key.

Daniel · 05 January 2004, 10:37

IMHO, in this order (bearing in mind you have a few months to deal with all this)

1) Fix trailer, you should be able to do this but might need a little help, poss take some pics of various parts you are concerned about and post them here? The problem, if you don't feel you can do it yourself, is that it's stuck where it is! You could maybe find someone at the marina? Or get a friendly mobile mechanic?

2) Don't bother changing battery untill you have tried charging it up and seing if it holds the charge.

3) Personally i would check all the electrics and just change them if they looked corroded or did not work (assuming you are talking instrumentation wiring here)

4) As Mr Humper said/mentioned, tow the outfit to Wayne Maddox Marine in margate, having booked it in first, and leave it with him and insist he does a sea-trial when he has finished the service. He will do this, it'll ensure it all works OK.

5) When you come and collect it let me know and we'll go boating around here, at least if you have a problemm, it's just been serviced and the'll be another boat about. You can then buy me a beer somewhere

Searider · 05 January 2004, 10:44

Quote:

Originally posted by jwalker
Providing it was working fine before you stored it. Take the cover off to make sure nothing is living in it. Same with the engine. If it all looks ok, charge the battery fully, give it some water to work in, prime it up and turn the key.

I imagine that the water pump impeller would be a little unhappy with a year unused - might be worth changing this - although would probably be changed as part of a full service.

jwalker · 05 January 2004, 11:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Searider
I imagine that the water pump impeller would be a little unhappy with a year unused - might be worth changing this - although would probably be changed as part of a full service.

So, what is likely to happen to the rubber and stainless steel?

Be rational. Do the rubber bushes on your can fail each year? Do the seals on your oven door fail each year? etc, etc.

The engine will be nice and oily inside, 2 strokes always are. Judging by discussion on this forum, the fuel could be a problem but it's never been a problem for my engines. Even after being stored for years.

Some of you are too emotional. It's just bits of metal and plastic.

I'm a bit grumpy this morning.

Daniel · 05 January 2004, 11:43

i agree with you Mr Walker, prob. wont be a problem, but this guy does say he is not that technically minded (or that's how i read it) hence our reccomendations.

If it was me i'd grease and check a few things and fill the fuel tank (dilute the older fuel) and off she'd go i suspect - but is this the best advice to give?

jwalker · 05 January 2004, 12:09

Yes Daniel, I agree. I guess it'd just start up and be fine. Far better trying it before paying money unnecessarily.

Daniel · 05 January 2004, 12:23

Quote:

Originally posted by jwalker
I guess it'd just start up and be fine.

It's an envrude! In my limited relationship with them they never 'just started', but other people seam to have more sucess.

I still think giving advise like 'see if it starts' is irresponsiable, what if it does start, this chap goes to sea thinking all is fine and then there is a problem - you and i might be semi-technical and diagnose this or that but that's us.

I still say pay a profesional.

simmons0 · 05 January 2004, 12:31

I am yet to meet an old evenrude that works. Mine was a disaster.

Heard good things about the new ficth's tho

jwalker · 05 January 2004, 12:39

Quote:

Originally posted by Daniel
It's an envrude! In my limited relationship with them they never 'just started', but other people seam to have more sucess.

I still think giving advise like 'see if it starts' is irresponsiable, what if it does start, this chap goes to sea thinking all is fine and then there is a problem - you and i might be semi-technical and diagnose this or that but that's us.

I still say pay a profesional.

It's an envrude!...... Like I said, emotional. And, I think you mean Evinrude.

I still say pay a profesional........So, you think the professional is going to pull it to bits before he/she tries to start it? Naive, or too much money.

you and i might be semi-technical ....... Well, you might be.

I'm finished.

Bilge Rat · 05 January 2004, 13:47

Hi Chaps

Both of you are of course right in different ways, having had first had experience of a 1991 Rude breaking down on me 4 miles out i'd tend to air on the side of caution this time and make sure the engines at least serviced by someone compitent, daniels suggestion of Wayn M was pretty spot and insist he sea trials it, suspect he wont want the embarresment of breaking down at sea so can image he'll do the job properly.
I've had to have my engine rebuilt last year and thankfully everything seems to be running ok at the moment.

Think someone once said here before in a previous thread "treat that engine like your life depends on it"

Oh and if i were you i'd get rid of the VRO oil injecter toot sweet and go over to pre mixed, apparently its a common problem with Evinrudes.

Richard

Paul F · 05 January 2004, 17:47

Being a member of an outboard repair centre my gut feeling is that the odds on that engine starting is very slim as the carbs are more than likely gummed up even if the fuel line was run dry after its last use. I agree with coments of getting it to a repair centre once trailer repaired. You could get it going and the water pump may have perished and a bit of that blocked in the system could end up expensive.

Bilge Rat · 05 January 2004, 19:55

Pauls F is very right, there are a multitude of different things that could need addressing, you may after all end up spending money and everytime the boat goes back in to be repaired or have the engine worked on eats into your boating time, trust me there's nothing worse than going right throught the summer months waiting on repairs to be carried out, now you do have time on your side to get things sorted before the weather turns nice again so if i were you i'd be getting the jobs done and have the engine looked at by someone who knows what they are doing, i know of a few really good marine mechanics and one in particular who now has extensive experience with Evinrudes and as your just in Gillingham they are only down the road from you, drop me a pm and i'll let you have details, lots here will tell you that fixing things are easy and maybe they are if you know what your doing, i'm not mechanicaly minded so have to rely on my mechanic when it goes wrong.

Richard

jwalker · 05 January 2004, 19:55

I ran a Johnson for 3 years. Johnson & Evinrude are the same company. It was one of middle east engines and so it had lain in the crate for 7 years when I got it. It started first time every time, and gave me 3 years of service without a hiccough. It was a nice, quiet, soft running motor and I liked it a lot. The VRO was flawless and when I sold it, it was still running the original water pump impeller. It went off to Papua New Guinea with it's new owner. So forgive me if I choose to disagree.

gavin · 05 January 2004, 19:59

I HAD A YAMAHA AND A MERCURY BREAK DOWN ON ME OR IS THIS THE WRONG THREAD.
I also had a my first engine 20 years old believe it an Evinrude really an Evinrude run for 9.5 hours continously with it on the back of a J24 prop up and down water intakes sucking air and water as the boats stern pitched and rolled for 9.5 hours and I was able to switch it off when it got us from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire before it tryed to break down on me being a Rude,, actually come to think of it that 20 yr old RUDE never broke down.
Run it with ears on and see what it is like

Bilge Rat · 05 January 2004, 20:10

jwalker... I can only go by the limited experience i've had with my particular engine, i've been told by an Evinrude specialist that the RNLI removed the VRO oil injector from there engines when they get them and go straight over to pre mix, my particular engine has been rebuilt twice now, the first time was before i owned it and it looked like the problem was not addressed from the first rebuild, both cylinders were badly burnt and scored from lack of lubrication and it was found that the original linners had already been rebored which left me with a costly re sleeve bill as well as a rebuild, the fuel/oil pump was changed for a straight fuel pump and the engine now runs on pre mixed fuel with no apparent problems, you may have been lucky i wish i had of been, i bought a boat in good faith believing what the previous owner told me and have now spent a fortune making the thing go... but thats boats for you.

Richard

whitingiom · 05 January 2004, 20:36

My old Johnson starts straight off too. VRO was disconnected when I got it. Ran last week - took about 20 secs of cranking before it fired, but was fine on fast idle after that.

My other engine is a Suzuki 4 stroker - hadn't turned over since August - trotted down the garden last week, put the muffs on and it fired up first turn.....ran on idle and up to 2000 revs for 10 minutes.....who says you need fresh petrol etc.?

I'll have them both serviced before Easter - get the old oil out etc.

Never gets cold enough to freeze here.

Regards

Jon

Paul F · 05 January 2004, 21:54

Just to clear a few points for you. The vro units fitted to some makes of obms are prone to giving up the ghost and some do big style, some will go on for ever and some will constantly pump in to much oil. The main reason for ripping them out is because not many internal spares are avail and the whole vro unit has to be changed (very very costly)so nine times out of ten its cheaper to rip it out.

I think you will find that the RNLI used to rip theirs out becuase the remote tank didnt like being upside down in the event of a capsize, and were worried about air locks in the system due to capsize, bearing mind that the engines are supposed to be able to be restarted after full immerse or capsize.

Its mainly petrol that is mixed with 2stroke oil that goes off.
2stroke oil when mixed with petrol actually has a shelf life of 3 months before it starts to break down. So yes if you a 4 stroke then the petrol will last along time before it starts to lose its flash point.