1977 Evinrude 55hp Lower unit HELP!

[DoubleB]

Dad finally gave me his own boat and I know there is something wrong in the lower unit. I think it maybe the clutch dog. I'm trying to remove the lower unit. I removed the 4 bolts on the side, the one that holds skeg behind the prop, and one just in front of that. the whole unit dropped about 3 incches then stuck. I can't get it to move any further. what's holdin it on?

 

[NRG]

Did you take the screw out of the shift rod >? The screw is accessible on the side , small plate about 1-2 inches in size has one screw holding it on, there is a gasket behind the plate so you may have to pry it loose with small flat head, after you remove the screw.
Inside the plate is another screw in a small clamp, that holds the shift rod on the top to the lower unit. loose the screw dont remove it , and it should then drop down. If your lucky, with out any trouble!

 

[DoubleB]

I did not... it's my first boat, so I'm playing this by ear. my plan is to get a whole new (rebuilt) lower unit, but thought I might give it looksee first and see if it might be something easy..

 

[NRG]

You could prob buy a whole used engine for what that will cost you, but if your dad gave it to you then go for it.
It wont be easy trust me lol .. you will need a puller to take off the hub that seals the gears, or take it to a shop and have them pull it for you. DO NOT have the gear welded it will not last long doing that , and you will being doing again soon.
Clutch Dog will run in the range of 50 - 200 depending on the motor.

Get you a book for the motor, you will need it if your doing this , and have never done before. don't attempt with out a book.

 

[wrechin2]

Sean,
I beg to differ. I have rebuilt MANY lower units that have had the clutch dog lugs welded and recut with 0 returns or failures. You can not weld and cut the gears teeth but the shifting lugs are fine to weld/cut. Alot of the older parts are getting where you can not find them and to weld/cut the lugs is very cost effective. Usually the gear lugs and the clutch dog lug are both worn and need to be repairs so it would have to have a gear set with clutch dog replaced and that is about 4-5 times more expensive. Let me check. I may have a lower that will fit. Will have to run the numers. Plus it take alot of "SPECIAL" tools to get it apart. The 2 large snap rings directly behind the reverse gear are difficult and I HAVE the tools to take them apart. Ask moonmanbirch, he came over and we took his lower (79 55hp) apart and like to have never got the snap rings out, problem is big pliers and small area to work with. I am putting it back together today. Happy happy joy joy!! Yeah right!!@ Hope this helps.

 

[wrechin2]

Lowers I have are for 3 Cylinders. A new aftermarket clutchdog is $114 and readily available. Look up the forward gear, due to clutch dog wear, and it is a vintagae part and no available through OMC. I don't have a listing in aftermarket. So would have to get a used set of gears/clutch dog or weld and cut. Have did several with alot more HP with no problems. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[NRG]

Ive heard it both ways James, some say its ok some say not, Id rather personally have a new gear than to worry about a weld / cut but if thats all you can get .. well then its either new motor or weld/cut .. I never said I was an expert lol.
My 35hp was pretty easy to get apart , made the puller at the shop, worked great, the snap rings weren't bad to get out of the 35 with long needle nose, Ive not done one other than the 35hp.. so what do I know emoScratch

 

[wrechin2]

Most of the time what happens is that the clutch dog lugs get rounded off due to slow shifting habits. When you weld (TIG) you are simply pulling the metal up, then machining it back to the original angle. You are not weldind on the teeth of the gear, just the corners of the lugs. Have done alot of them on 150's and 200's along with smaller HP engines. The snap rings in the 35 are smaller and thinner than the ones in the 55 and require less tension to remove them. Step up to a V-6 snap ring and I will bet money your needle nose will break. It is everything I can do to squeeze them with a pair of 20" snap ring pliers made for them.
One problem is the gears are not available for this engine any long so it is not a option to replace. Unless you find a NOS somewhere which is probably not going to happen. So it boils down to find the used parts and take a chance to get the same problem you already have or junk a engine over a lower unit. And of course this is just my opinion. I just know What I have done in the past and will do in the future. Just my .02 worth. Later!!

Wanna learn about your engine??? I have a 150 V-6 that came here blown today. Same as yours just with 2 more cylinders. Going to port it to 200hp specs and do some cleaning up on the passages. Should get 215-225 easily with the light modification. Just a thought!

 

[NRG]

yea Id like to see that process , let me know when your gonna start on it. I wish we were lil closer to each other , Id be there absorbing as much info as possible, I keep thinking about going to chat state marine mechanics classes, if I could go and work Id be there, and if I thought I could make a livin doing it after I got out here in Chatt Id be there too.. I just aint sure about the job possibilities in the area

 

[wrechin2]

When my wife goes to work I am going into it full time, I have been offered jobs at several shops, but I would have taken a pay cut to go work for someone when I had my business. I have most of the special tools that I need for OMC and merc engines and lowers. I have thousands tie up in tools. I will tear it down tomorrow night and have a few mercury blocks to modify before I start on this one. Having to make a torque plate for the mercs to bore the cylinders and will have to make one to bore the x-flows now. This one ATE 3 pistons. Will have to make plates to put on the mill to do the port work. Wish mercs were as easy as OMC X-flows to modify.

 

[wrechin2]

DoubleB,
Didn't mean to hijack your thread. Did you get it off? What was the lower doing? Did you drain the oil yet? What did it look like? Keep us updated on what you are doing with it.

 

[shootkrt]

DoubleB - I have I lower unit that came off a 1975 55HP Evinrude. The power head was shot due to not enough oil mix. I kept the lower unit and some other minor parts. If it will fit your motor your welcome to it. PM me

 

[wrechin2]

1976 was the first year of the 55Hp in 1975 would have been a 50Hp but the gear cases will interchange for many years. Looked it up and the part number supersedes to the part number of the 55 lower. Like the 70 and 75hp. Same engine was just able to get 5 more HP out of it by small changes.

 

[Guest]

I'll agree with what was said by wrenchin, IT took more time to get the rings out of the lower unit than the whole disassembly probably. However I will say James knows his engines and what will work and what will not work. I'm getting mine back today, and I feel confident in the job he did because he was straight forward and honest. I didn't have the specialty tools and would have probably buggerd up the whole thing. My suggesgtion and the best money spent is too get the actaul eveinrude maual. The seloc is a waste of money.

 

[DoubleB]

Shootkrt, you have a couple of PMs.. LOL, I got a little excited.

Since Shoot's LU will fit, I'm just going to change the oil and Water Pump impeller while I have it off. As to what it was doing, The propellor would free spin in both forward and reverse with a little clicking noise, unless I adjusted the cable using the adjustments at the top of the motor. If I adjusted it all the way out, it would lock into reverse.

 

[Guest]

Make sure and check the fluid, because water in the lu is not your friend. It will look milky and almost like a cappucino. If you see this then you may have to do a reseal. And depending on how long it sat can cause some bearing trouble.

 

[wrechin2]

Moon,
You know all too well about that don't you!!! Just let me know when you get some hours on it. We will change fluid and make sure everythinhg is ok. If you have any questions you have my number.

DoubleB,
Usually if it is a clutch dog it will only be effected in forward. You shift more in forward than anything else. May be a broke pin on the pivot for the shift mechanism. Which would be a very inexpensive repair. I probably have 5 pins. Just did moons, it had water in it and had settled to the botom and rusted the bearings only in spots due to not being ran, gears were fine. Hope it works out for you!! Later