Evinrude scheduled maintenance.

[David Mellon]

My 60hp was installed by my local Evinrude dealer without any issue. It weighs the same as the 50 and weight is more of an issue for me. I have had my ETEC serviced on schedule. Impellers take some abuse in the ocean and I prefer them to be changed out. The lower end will last longer with fresh gear oil. Just as in a car, oil gets gummy with age or use. Both shear and cotter pins will suffer with age or use as well, a corroded or stressed shear pin can end your fun and the admiral...well we just don't want to know how she will react do we!
I have the 2 12 gallon tanks and am very happy with them. I have no fear of a spark passing from the pump through to the earth because when my boat is on the trailer it is insulated by the 6 rubber tires, not grounded. I have a theory about the 24 gallon capacity, it is enough to get from the Costa Mesa area (Newport Harbor) to Avalon with ample spare range. So, from the plant to the nearest destination with a fuel station and a bar. From Long Beach to the rest of Catalina is also a nice round trip with plenty to spare without refueling.

[WASP18]

Kittiwake:

Thanks for the websites. Interesting reading, however; I'll continue filling my tanks on the ground where any gas vapors will dissipate in the open air and not settle or find a way into the lower regions of the boat.

[kadet]

a corroded or stressed shear pin can end your fun and the admiral...well we just don't want to know how she will react do we!

At least you don't have to worry about that with and ETEC

[David Mellon]

I've been in an and cannot see any way for vapors to rise up into the cabin. I know they cannot in an . As with any vessel, refueling is done with the battery switches off and the hatches closed. I would worry more about dropping a fuel tank and causing a fuel spill or, worse, hurting myself lifting the tank over my head to get it into the cockpit. Clearly lifting a 12 gallon tank is not going to happen, 6 pounds times 12 gallons plus the weight of the tank...over 80 pounds. But judging risks and benefits is best left up to the master of the vessel.

[mastreb]

As of 2008, there have been a total of 150 gasoline fires attributed to static electricity--all time. That's in total--all cars, boats, aircraft, everything.

Now lets calculate the number of fuel tank fillings that have occurred, and to make it easy, we'll just use just one year's worth of data (2008) and only include highway vehicles:
(Data from http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformati ... 08/vm1.cfm)

Total fuel consumed, 2008, all highway vehicles: 170,765,303,000
Average size of a fuel tank (estimated): 20 gallons.
Number of fueling incidents, 2008: 8538265150
Odds of a static fuel fire occurring per filling (if 150 gasoline fires had happened in 2008 alone, rather than all time):
1 in 57 million.
Odds of you being run over by another driver at the gas station while filling your fuel tank:
1 in 44 million
(Using the 1:5000 statistic for odds of death in a car accident per year, multiplied by 365 days, multiplied by 24 fuel filling periods in a day assuming a 15 minute period).

Odds you dropping a gas can full of gas trying to wrestle it into the cockpit: 1 in 10 (bald faced guess).

Draw your own conclusions as to risk.

[WASP18]

I've been in an and cannot see any way for vapors to rise up into the cabin. I know they cannot in an . As with any vessel, refueling is done with the battery switches off and the hatches closed. I would worry more about dropping a fuel tank and causing a fuel spill or, worse, hurting myself lifting the tank over my head to get it into the cockpit. Clearly lifting a 12 gallon tank is not going to happen, 6 pounds times 12 gallons plus the weight of the tank...over 80 pounds. But judging risks and benefits is best left up to the master of the vessel.

Gasoline vapors settle, they don't rise up. Regarding tank size, I chose 6.5 gallon tanks because they are manageable.

[Catigale]

As of 2008, there have been a total of 150 gasoline fires attributed to static electricity--all time. That's in total--all cars, boats, aircraft, everything.

Now lets calculate the number of fuel tank fillings that have occurred, and to make it easy, we'll just use just one year's worth of data (2008) and only include highway vehicles:
(Data from http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformati ... 08/vm1.cfm)

Total fuel consumed, 2008, all highway vehicles: 170,765,303,000
Average size of a fuel tank (estimated): 20 gallons.
Number of fueling incidents, 2008: 8538265150
Odds of a static fuel fire occurring per filling (if 150 gasoline fires had happened in 2008 alone, rather than all time):
1 in 57 million.
Odds of you being run over by another driver at the gas station while filling your fuel tank:
1 in 44 million
(Using the 1:5000 statistic for odds of death in a car accident per year, multiplied by 365 days, multiplied by 24 fuel filling periods in a day assuming a 15 minute period).

Odds you dropping a gas can full of gas trying to wrestle it into the cockpit: 1 in 10 (bald faced guess).

Draw your own conclusions as to risk.

D**** safety engineers killing a perfect good FUD with facts.. The audacity.

[dxg4848]

Well, it costs on average $600.00 to do 3-years maintenance – a lot of money! But I found a way how to still have it done and pay a LOT less – do it yourself. I am not a mechanic (not even close) and I believe I did better or as good of a job as many experienced mechanics.

One important thing to note. You can buy literally EVERY single part for your engine directly from Evinrude website. You can quickly get to your year/HP/model, and then to nice diagrams for the entire engine with part numbers and ‘add to cart’ links.

1) Replaced gear case oil. Bought this kit for $28.49 http://shop.evinrude.com/product/343541 ... t_Lube_Kit
and two new nylon seals for $0.87 cents each.
Just follow this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVlBtOzLYRE
Nice and easy process - no problem whatsoever.

2) Removed prop, clean and greased shaft. Bought Evinrude ‘triple guard grease’ for $6.50 and new cotter pin along with all other service parts from Evinrude website. Again easy process.

3) Replaced fuel filter. New fuel filter is $8.99 and two new Oetiker hose clamps are $1.69 each. As before easy process. Remove two old hose clamps, replace filter and hose clamps – done.

4) Replaced spark plugs. Follow this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSngWQoWrF4
Important! Spark plugs must be indexed correctly. Bought 2 spark plugs for about $17.00 each. Was a little nervous as not all spark plugs can be indexed. But even if I had to buy a few more it would still be a lot less money than pay for service. Got lucky – both spark plugs worked! Top one was tightened with max allowed 22 ft/lb torque, and bottom only needed 20.

Started the engine, checked for leaks – ran great. Now going to grease 4 grease fitting.

I know that during service visit they connect to engine via software – but don’t really care about it.

Do you guys know of anything else that is normally done during 3 years service?

[mastreb]

So it was tough to start my E-tec 60 yesterday for the first time ever, after having run it just fine the day before and keeping the power off between sailings. It turned over very slowly, like a bad battery, right from power-on. Left it for a few minutes, same problem. Checked voltage: 12.73, which seemed low. Left it for ten minutes, and it started right up, as it normally would.

I ran it to charge the battery for about 30 mins while we sailed, and it started back up after three hours of sailing no problem.

I think I've got a dying battery, but this is the first hint of problems with anything. Everything is three years old. Advice?

[RobertB]

I would definitely start with the simplest explanation - agree that it is likely the battery. How old and what type of battery and do you use a battery charger/maintainer? I had a bunch of battery issues until I installed a ProMariner battery charger. Now I am battery problem free and West Marine is happy.

[Kittiwake]

So it was tough to start my E-tec 60 yesterday for the first time ever, after having run it just fine the day before and keeping the power off between sailings. It turned over very slowly, like a bad battery, ....

Hey it's not every day a guy gets to give advice to mastreb!
Had the same thing happen with our E-tec 60 and (not really expecting much help) asked an experienced mechanic at a marina we happened to be docked at. He immediately responded, "check the ground wire on the battery terminals ...". Sure enough it was loose; and the problem has never recurred. I use 'dielectric grease' on both terminals now and check them regularly.
That's it - shot my bolt - Kittiwake's one piece of knowledge.
Kittiwake

[WASP18]

So it was tough to start my E-tec 60 yesterday for the first time ever, after having run it just fine the day before and keeping the power off between sailings. It turned over very slowly, like a bad battery, right from power-on. Left it for a few minutes, same problem. Checked voltage: 12.73, which seemed low. Left it for ten minutes, and it started right up, as it normally would.

I ran it to charge the battery for about 30 mins while we sailed, and it started back up after three hours of sailing no problem.

I think I've got a dying battery, but this is the first hint of problems with anything. Everything is three years old. Advice?

If you can get a mechanic to look at it with a voltage/amp meter, it will indicate immediately whether you have a dead cell. If the battery is simply low, I suggest you charge it with a "Battery Tender" which charges at two amps. It's a trickle charge which will take about 10 to 15 hours to reach 100%, bearing in mind 80% doesn't take long. It's the last 20% that takes more time. Slow charge is best for the battery whereas a fast charge (for convenience) will shorten the battery's life. I get six years out of my two car batteries by using the Battery Tender and that includes New England winters.
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-02 ... ery+minder

[mastreb]

Had the same thing happen with our E-tec 60 and (not really expecting much help) asked an experienced mechanic at a marina we happened to be docked at. He immediately responded, "check the ground wire on the battery terminals ...". Sure enough it was loose; and the problem has never recurred. I use 'dielectric grease' on both terminals now and check them regularly.
That's it - shot my bolt - Kittiwake's one piece of knowledge.
Kittiwake

Aha! This is explains the really odd fact that it started up with no problem whatsoever >AFTER< I'd checked the battery with my voltmeter. I think probing the terminal with the voltmeter leads probably moved the ground wire just enough to solve the problem. I will tighten everything up and put on some dielectric grease.

As for battery maintainers, it would have to be a solar trickle charger since my boat lives on its trailer at a marina and I don't have access to electrical. I should do exactly that, but I've had no issues with the battery otherwise, and it stays charged perfectly well on our use of the motor.

Thanks!

Matt

[RobertB]

Well, it costs on average $600.00 to do 3-years maintenance – a lot of money! But I found a way how to still have it done and pay a LOT less – do it yourself. I am not a mechanic (not even close) and I believe I did better or as good of a job as many experienced mechanics.
...
4) Replaced spark plugs. Follow this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSngWQoWrF4
Important! Spark plugs must be indexed correctly. Bought 2 spark plugs for about $17.00 each. Was a little nervous as not all spark plugs can be indexed. But even if I had to buy a few more it would still be a lot less money than pay for service. Got lucky – both spark plugs worked! Top one was tightened with max allowed 22 ft/lb torque, and bottom only needed 20.

Looked up Indexing - found the following on the NGK website:
"In any case, engines with indexed spark plugs will typically make only a few more horsepower, typically less than 1% of total engine output. For a 500hp engine, you'd be lucky to get 5hp. While there are exceptions, the bottom line is that without a dyno, gauging success will be difficult."

So, for a 60 hp engine, indexing is expected to yield 6/10 HP. Is this really important? Or is there something really odd about the ETEC that requires this? Face it, the compression stroke should sufficiently mix the fuel air so it is pretty homogeneous in the cylinder.

[RobertB]

On self-servicing, it appears you lubed the prop shaft, changed the oil, spark plugs, and fuel filter. What about greasing the tilt mechanism and throttle linkages, changing the sacrificial zinc, and how long does the water pump impeller last? Is there a way for an owner to reset the service counter?