Retro Crestliner Discussion Forum

lvflyncrest · Joined: 20 Jul 2009 Posts: 34 Location: Dubuque, Iowa

Well, I finally got the motor I've been after since I restored my Flying Crest, it currently has a 1961 Mercury 50 hp motor on it, runs great,.... but it is sooooooooooooooo loud you can't have conversation with anyone in the boat when it's wide open... so I got a 1966 Evinrude 60 h.p. motor, it looks like it's in good shape.. I need a wiring harness for it though, I'll rebuild the carbs, and the fuel pump, and some other basics... this one should be alot more quiet.. if anyone know where I can get a wiring harness for this I would greatly appreciate it!! Or if you can give me any other insight as to how reliable this motor will be also.... Thanks, Pat
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pj

'59 Flying Crest

OutBdNut · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 593 Location: Minnesota

You need ear plugs for all those big old Mercs!
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The 1966 60 HP 'Rude will be much quieter. They are very reliable motors. The same basic engine block, with cylinders bored out, was used for Johnson/Evinrude V4s on up past 90 HP, so 60 HP doesn't put much stress on it. but.... as with any motor that's nearly 50 years old, reliability depends on how it was treated and maintained. Unless you know the history, I'd start with a compression check to be sure the basic engine block is OK. Then rebuild or replace all the common stuff - water pump impeller, carb kit, fuel pump diaphram, gas lines, spark plugs - clean up or replace the points and replace the condensor and maybe the coil. Then you should have reliability. If there is ethanol in your gas, be sure to replace/rebuild carb, fuel pump and gas lines with ethanol- resistant materials - better yet - buy ethanol-free gas if you can get it.
Also be sure the lower unit doesn't leak grease - seal kits are readily available. NAPA/Sierra # 18-2689 is a good aftermarket seal kit. (at NAPA auto stores or online at places like boatfix.com or iboats.com).

If it has Evinrude's push-button shift, be sure you use the proper spec Evinrude gear oil - I don't think those 60s came with the push button shift.

If it doesn't have the push button shift, it may not have a generator, as they were optional on that model, but you will get hundreds of starts on one charge of a good battery, and the recoil is there if the battery goes down too low. Your oil/gas mix is 50 to 1.

The wiring harness also includes a box that mounts near the motor containing the starter solonoid. If you post a wanted ad at antique outboard club's site [url]www.aomci.org [/url]on their Webtervise board, someone will likely have the harness and solonoid box at a reasonable price. If you want to open your wallet a bit more, go to [url]www.twincityoutboard.com [/url]- and call them on their 800 number - they will surely have it. You can also get a wiring diagram from someone at aomci by posting on their message board, and if you don't mind a bit of work and are a bit handy with wires, you can build your own harness. Watch to be sure the wires that carry starter current are big enoiugh - you can cut up jumper cables for that wire. A solonoid is available at NAPA auto stores, or most marine dealers as part NAPA or Sierra part #18-5807. Here's another place to get the solonoid: http://www.iboats.com/mall/partfinder/?cart_id=661755779&gd_grid_id=1729&gd_poid=111828&gd_row=30&session_id=900459519
There are aftermarket key- ignition switches out there that will work too.... and choke buttons for the dashboard.
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Dad bought a 1966 V4 60HP Johnson new (same motor under the hood as your Evinrude) and we ran well over 200 gallons of gas per summer through it for almost 20 years - mostly pulling skiers. It was running fine when he traded it. Besides spark plugs, all we put in it in that time was one 89 cent fuel pump diaphram, one distributer rotor, and a water pump impeller. We also just used SAE-30 non-detergent oil, instead of outboard oil (because we used os much), but mixed it at 40 to 1 instead of 50 to 1 because it was convenient to dump a pint of oil into a 5 gallon can of gas before dumping it to the 6 gallon can that stayed in the boat. Had to clean spark plugs every 50 or 60 gallons of gas or so. I wish I still had that motor and the Crestliner Voyager14 we ran it on!

Did you get the mounting brackets you need to attach the motor to the transom?
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Dave
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57 Commander 12 Custom Deluxe 550
58 Commodore 14 Speedster (modified)
58 Cadillac Riviera 14 split deck
Dozens of old outboards

lvflyncrest · Joined: 20 Jul 2009 Posts: 34 Location: Dubuque, Iowa

Thanks for the great info Dave!! Also, good to hear from you again!! Yes, I got the mounting brackets for the motor, the guy also threw in an older Evinrude wiring harness.. I just was going to order the rebuild kit for the fuel pump, carb kit, new condensor, plugs, impeller, change the lower unit oil.........a good winter project!! I'll keep you updated.. Thanks, Pat
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pj

'59 Flying Crest

OutBdNut · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 593 Location: Minnesota

Pat,
You can look forward to running that 60 next spring! Check what prop is on it. They came in 9-1/4, 10, 11, and 12 inch pitch. (propco still sells all these pitches for about $80 each) On the 60 HP I had, changing one inch of pitch was like driving in a different gear! Same can be said for one notch change in the trim pin angle. I've got a 12 inch prop around here yet that is like new that I will sell cheap, but that is probably too much pitch for your FLying Crest. Most 12 inchers were used in dual motor setups. The 12 inch prop on our 60 made the old lightweight, Voyager 14 hit 41 MPH with one person in it and the trim pin all the way up, but struggled pulling up skiers. We used an 11 inch on the Voyager14 99% of the time. With the 11 inch prop and the trim pin all the way up, it struggled to get me up on one ski, and cavitated on corners, but gave me barely enough speed to drop the ski and go barefoot behind it (I was younger and lighter then)! Dropping the pin one notch easily pulled my up on one ski with the 11 inch prop. With the trim pin on 2nd or 3rd notch, pulling 2 skiers was easy and could get 4 skiers up with it down on 1st notch. I think your Flying Crest is a bit heavier so the 10 inch may be optimum, but as you know, it depends a lot on how you use and load the boat.
Have a great thanksgiving!
Dave
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57 Commander 12 Custom Deluxe 550
58 Commodore 14 Speedster (modified)
58 Cadillac Riviera 14 split deck
Dozens of old outboards