Evinrude Lightwin 4 weedless questions

[ulav8r]

Looked at a 4 horse Evinrude at a flea market yesterday priced at $175. Age is unknown but I think it is more likely late 60’s or early 70’s. The upper cowling had small radius corners, The front end was about 1 inch deep and the rear end of the upper cowling was about 5 inches deep. A lever on one side was labeled start and forward. Is that a clutch? Is the weedless model slower than the right angle drive?

The tank and hose were missing, are the fittings (double hose) the same as Johnson? Pull rope and handle were also missing and the mixture knob was broken.

My Dad’s 56-58 5.5 Johnson is still in the garage and the tank should be there also. It would probably take 2-3 hours to get to it but I intend to get it running in the next year or 2. It has not been used in the last 35-40 years and weighs a ton. The Johnson was slow at top end but was easy to start and idled very slow and smoothly. If that tank would work with the Evinrude, I would keep looking for a good buy.

[fleetwin]

Well, the 4hp lightwin was introduced in 1969. They were dark blue in color, with a white fiberglass hood.
The lever on the right side of the engine is the throttle control, there is no clutch, or gearshift. The weedless model is probably a little faster on a light boat that it can plane easily, than the right angle drive, which is meant for heavier loads. This engine has a fuel pump and uses a single line tank, not the same tank as your 5.5hp. You should be able to find a plastic fuel tank for a reasonable price.
$175 isn’t unreasonable for this engine if it is indeed in good mechanical and cosmetic condition. The weak link on these engines is the pesky side mount recoil which can be easily damaged and a challenge to repair. Many of these engines got worn prematurely due to higher RPMs and the leaner 50:1 mix, these engines still use rods with plan bushings.
So, check it out thoroughly, look for signs of overheat, spark plug lead damage due to cover latch interference, and damaged gearcase castings.
You may want to inspect the driveshaft splines if the engine has been used in salt water as well.
I guess you would never know that I actually like these engines, in spite of trouble areas.

[frankr]

ula, you are mistaken concerning the fuel connector. It is not double hose. That is the hose + the stud that holds the connector clipped on.

Lots of people dislike the recoil starter, but I don’t. It isn’t that bad, once you accept that it is "different". Drive shaft splines were mentioned and rightfully so. But the problem is people leave the o-ring out or knock it off when reinstalling the gearcase. After that, water gets into the splines and rusts them away. Moral: Always make sure that o-ring is there and in good condition and smear a dab of grease on it.

[fleetwin]

Yeah, the rewind is surely an "acquired taste", I am used to working on them also. People wreck them buy pulling the cord too hard before the pinion engages, then letting go of the little starter handle allowing the spring to bend backwards on itself.

[crosbyman]

that washer on the recoil plate assembly drove me crazy… till a Wise man told me about its importance.
mine was missing

Joining AOMCI has priviledges 🙂

[chinewalker]

With the issues you described, I would say the motor is more worth $75 than $175. Tuned up, running, with tank, I have a hard time getting $250 in my area for one of those.

[ulav8r]

Thanks for all the replies. I will keep looking.

[ulav8r]

Another question, where can I find a synopsis of models and features of the better motors that might be available. My limited experience is that Johnson, Evinrude, and Mercury are the choices that I should be looking for but I have no idea if there are particular models to be avoided because of parts availability or mechanical weaknesses. Currently I would like a 2-4 hp suitable for canoes or light plywood skiffs. For skiffs and larger I will try to get that 5.5 Johnson running.

[fleetwin]

I am sorry for making it seem like a 4hp weedless is an ureliable/undesirable engine. Like I said, I really do like them. Like anything else, the price range for an engine like this can be cheap or expensive, depending on its condition. $175 is not unreasonable IF the engine is a fresh water engine, has never been overheated, in nice cosmetic condition, and runs reasonably well. It’s kind of hard for us to put a price on the engine without seeing it (pictures) or knowing more about it. The 4hp would be great for a light plywood skiff, but probably a little big for a canoe, especially with its auxiliary fuel tank.
The OMC single cylinder 2hps are a much better bet for a canoe, only weigh 20 pounds, integral fuel tank, and plenty of power for a canoe. Unfortunately, these engines seem to command big bucks these days, sure don’t know why. I would give most of the same advisories for the 2hp as I did for the 4hp. The only mechanical advantage to the 2hp is it has needle bearings on the connecting rod, so rod wear is not an issue.

[Mumbles]

quote fleetwin:

I am sorry for making it seem like a 4hp weedless is an ureliable/undesirable engine. Like I said, I really do like them. Like anything else, the price range for an engine like this can be cheap or expensive, depending on its condition. $175 is not unreasonable IF the engine is a fresh water engine, has never been overheated, in nice cosmetic condition, and runs reasonably well. It’s kind of hard for us to put a price on the engine without seeing it (pictures) or knowing more about it. The 4hp would be great for a light plywood skiff, but probably a little big for a canoe, especially with its auxiliary fuel tank.
The OMC single cylinder 2hps are a much better bet for a canoe, only weigh 20 pounds, integral fuel tank, and plenty of power for a canoe. Unfortunately, these engines seem to command big bucks these days, sure don’t know why. I would give most of the same advisories for the 2hp as I did for the 4hp. The only mechanical advantage to the 2hp is it has needle bearings on the connecting rod, so rod wear is not an issue.

Big bucks is right! Check this piece of stuff out!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-JOHNSON … 22&vxp=mtr

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