Logo
FULL SITE MENU

1955 Evinrude 25hp model 25920 starter HELP!

S

Sam.doss

New member
Hey guys, I need some help locating a starter or possibly a replacement starter for my 1955 Evinrude 25hp Big Twin.
(Original part number 277311)

I traded some work for the motor from a customer that said the motor had only been used on a one week fishing trip his dad and uncle took every year, then the motor was drained and put in a shop. Honestly I didn’t believe him until I took the hood off and it looks like the day it left the factory, clean as a whistle. After not being started in over 10 years it has exactly 90psi on both cylinders. I’m hoping that after running it maybe the compression will improve some. I’ve dug through the motor inspecting seals and the only once in need of replacement have been in the foot but besides that the water pump and everything else is in pristine shape.

the only thing missing is the starter. I have all the parts diagrams for this motor but I cannot find a starter anywhere. Do you guys have any clue if there is a starter that might work on this motor? I’ve seen some reproduction ones that claim to work on Johnson/Evinrude dating back to 1966 but nothing stating that it will fit my engine specifically.

I have taken allot of measurements to see if maybe I could find a starter that fits and will reach the correct height once engaged but I haven’t laid my hands an another starter to measure yet.

I have dug through several motor graveyards and the closest model I have found to mine is a 1969 33hp.

Here are the measurements I have taken. (Measurements are exact done with calipers)

- distance from the top of the gear teeth on the gear ring to the face plate where the starter mounts; 2.884”

- diameter of the starter mount face plate; 2.750”

- mount bolt hole spacing; 2.750”

any help would be greatly appreciated because starting this ting this bad boy by hand is going to tear my rotator cuff!
 
Your motor came with a 6-Volt starter. That means you are limited as to what will be a drop-in replacement to 1955-1956. Beginning in 1957, they used 12V starters. You can do that, but will need the 12V starter bracket. That bracket was used 1957 and also 1958 Big Twin Electric (not Lark). After that, everything had fiberglass hoods and different brackets.
 
You need to install a new impeller.-----And careful with internet " sellers " who have incorrect listings and the idea that they are all the same.
 
fdrgator said:
Your motor came with a 6-Volt starter. That means you are limited as to what will be a drop-in replacement to 1955-1956. Beginning in 1957, they used 12V starters. You can do that, but will need the 12V starter bracket. That bracket was used 1957 and also 1958 Big Twin Electric (not Lark). After that, everything had fiberglass hoods and different brackets.
Click to expand...


Absolutely, that’s what I would like to do, so to make sure I’m understanding you correctly, I need the starter mount bracket from a 1957 or 1958 model, and that will bolt up replacing my bracket and allow me to install a 12v replacement starter? Of course I’ll need a 12v solenoid etc.

in 1957 and 58 I don’t see a 25hp model, so should it be the bracket from the 18hp or the 35 hp?
 
Last edited:
The Javelin 30 will work. Got one here. If the dam snow stops I might have an electric start 25 too. Got storm last night and 8 inches heavy, wet snow. Can also call Tim's Outboard in Hackensack MN 218 682 2331. Great folks.
 
Last edited:
Tim, if you have a Javelin 30 bracket, it is worth $$. They are hard to find because they have the prong on the front for the Johnson hood. Even rarer are the 12V Johnson brackets, for Flip-up hoods.
 
The Javelin is still a nice original but of course missing the stainless rope starter cover. The 25s....got three of them, are 12 volt I think. Gotta dig them out, they are standing alongside a Case VA model farm tractor covered with tarps and still under a lot of snow. Also got a beautiful original 57 (I think) Evinrude 30 tiller but pull start. Too many to remember.
 
Thanks guys!
i was actually able to find a OEM New Old stock starter bracket on eBay. I will have to drill and tap one hole for my hood mount and paint it to match. Pretty luck find I think.
now I’m going to convert the motor to use a fuel pump. But I’m going to restore the dual line tank. And just let the tank pull air from inside the cowling. Just so I can keep the original look with the consistency of a pump.

Unless someone wants to buy my tank and the fitting off the motor... which is all in great shape and could easily be restored. The only seal problem is where it attaches to the motor the pressure line doesn’t seal very well. But i might be persuaded.

76FF9B00-5E41-4821-8B6A-53540ADECBB0.jpg
 
Sam, just pop in another o ring, the pressure systems are excellent. The o rings are slightly different size than the 1 hose systems. You can still buy the siamese hose too. They probably show you the best procedure to change o rings on you tube. I have my own o ring changing technique but a picture will help you better than me trying to describe the way to change them. Be careful not to scratch the brass parts with your dental tool. Excellent find on that bracket too. I love the power of these 25's 30's 33's 35's and 40's. Don't troll, but that's what kickers are for. Glad to see there are a few fools around like me that still run these old animals. I use 50:1 on Amsoil Saber (100:1) 2 stroke oil, or Amsoil 100:1 pre-mix 2 stroke oil. (With non oxy fuel). Been doing it for over 40 years and haven't damaged a motor yet. Now I will get all the other techs after me again, but so what......I know what works. I never would want to damage something I treasure like my vintage outboards. Also I have some restored mid 50's 5.5, 7.5, 10's, 14, 15......up to 18. The 10's and down I run 64:1 with the Amsoil. Thats just me, I am a mechanic, I can rebuild them if something happens. Still never a problem in all these years. Never burned one up.
 
Last edited:
Sam.doss said:
Thanks guys!
i was actually able to find a OEM New Old stock starter bracket on eBay. I will have to drill and tap one hole for my hood mount and paint it to match. Pretty luck find I think.
now I’m going to convert the motor to use a fuel pump. But I’m going to restore the dual line tank. And just let the tank pull air from inside the cowling. Just so I can keep the original look with the consistency of a pump.


Unless someone wants to buy my tank and the fitting off the motor... which is all in great shape and could easily be restored. The only seal problem is where it attaches to the motor the pressure line doesn’t seal very well. But i might be persuaded.

View attachment 19992
Click to expand...

Why would you restore the pressure tank and install a fuel pump? The pressure tanks work just fine.
 
It would be a waste to use that rare Johnson bracket on an Evinrude. Evinrude (and Gale) brackets are much more common. But to each his own, I guess.
 
The pressure tanks are just as reliable if not more reliable than the fuel pumps.-----Lots of fuel pumps sold on E-bay I believe.-------Since trouble shooting is a lost art , lots of folks will try a new fuel pump hoping for the majik fix.
 
racerone said:
The pressure tanks are just as reliable if not more reliable than the fuel pumps.-----Lots of fuel pumps sold on E-bay I believe.-------Since trouble shooting is a lost art , lots of folks will try a new fuel pump hoping for the majik fix.
Click to expand...

Personally I have mixed advice from multiple sources about the pressurized tank. I agree all it needs is the o-rings replaced in the quick connect. I’m young (28) so my experience is with motors that have fuel pumps. The pressurized tank was a foreign concept to me. The way I planned on doing it (I say planned because I’m now second guessing) was to leave everything the same. Only removing the check, plugging one vent, and connecting the fuel pump to the hose with the original connector so everything would look “original”. Letting the tank draw air from the “pressure line” under the cowling. And could easily be switched off the pump and back to the pressurized tank in a few minutes and a tool box. Now I’m thinking about trying to rebuild the connector and just run it as is and see how it goes.

Mill probably repair the connector, and put the parts to do the fuel pump in my boat tool box, so if I had to do an emergency switch I could.

As for “wasting” a hard to find Johnson bracket on an Evinrude. Those years they are the same part number whether it’s a Johnson or Evinrude. Finding that bracket was very hard. I wasn’t going to pass it up to leave it for some other guy? Not much logic in that.
 
Last edited:
If the snow will melt here, I will look more. You can call Tims Outboard too. Hackensack MN. 218 682 2331 They probably will have one cheap.
 
Johnson bracket is part # 376885
Evinrude / Gale bracket is 203944

Doesn't matter now anyway. At least now you know what you have.
 
racerone said:
The pressure tanks are just as reliable if not more reliable than the fuel pumps.-----Lots of fuel pumps sold on E-bay I believe.-------Since trouble shooting is a lost art , lots of folks will try a new fuel pump hoping for the majik fix.
Click to expand...

through some help from YouTube I was able to get the quick connect disassembled and found a bad O-ring on the pressurized line side. I was able to get a repair kit on the way.

Also ruined the head head of the motor trying to use a spark plug rethreading kit (one spark plug hole was stripped.) but thankfully was able to order a new head for decently cheap. Doesn’t match the color of my motor but I figured I’ll paint it black with high temp engine paint rather than have a green head on a baby blue motor.
 
Sam, I gotta check out that YouTube, can you post the link? A repair kit? I've only just changed the o-rings. Guess I'm gonna learn something here after 54 years of working on these. I often get damaged couplings so maybe this kit includes the brass parts? These closed/pressure systems are really a great system to reliably deliver clean fuel, free of humid outside air.....think about it......its brilliant! The fill caps are nice to grab, a high entrance to refuel into, no cheap crappy primer bulb to fail and leak, high quality rubber fuel/air hose (fexible in the Minnesota/Ontario cold).....and no plastic parts to dissolve and leak from UV. Brilliant......1940's engineering. This is why I embrace technology of old.
 
Last edited:
Here is a video of me running it today. New points and condensers. New plugs. And allot of adjusting on the high and low. Finally got it started and ran it for a good long while.
 
You mean that motor is 65 years old? Beauty. Wonder how a 2019 Yamaha will run in 2084? Dream on, right? We'll be out of gasoline by then.
 
Last edited:
timguy said:
You mean that motor is 65 years old? Beauty. Wonder how a 2019 Yamaha will run in 2084? Dream on, right? We'll be out of gasoline by then.
Click to expand...

Probably wont. I was so happy to hear it run. And I have been pleased to be able to find parts still available. Next up is getting the electric start hooked back up.

i don’t get rid of things, I love the older technology, built to last, more robust and simple.

i still drive my first truck my dad bought me when I was 16.
 
You think and act like me. Still have my first boat, bike, and first car. First wife got another guy......guess you can't hang on to everything. 3 out of 4 ain't bad.
 
Last edited:
I don't still have my first boat, bike, car or house. But I do still have my first wife. 55th anniversary coming up. I think I win.
 
Holy cow, you DO win. You got what really counts. Hard to do in today's world it seems. Didn't think you were in your 70's either. There is many hundreds of years experience here to tap into. Would be interesting to add all experience up here. Joe, Racer, Pappy, Vic, Chris, ......Boobie, Kevin........Chawk, Jim, Aliboy, Burns, Makomark, Hystat, Bondo, Ghost, o2batsea, Bt Doc, Rick, Boscoe, Pvanv, Klink, Jerry, Mechamicman, Daselbee, Brain, Flying Scott......WOW.....I missed many I'm sure.
 
Last edited:
timguy said:
Holy cow, you DO win. You got what really counts. Hard to do in today's world it seems. Didn't think you were in your 70's either. There is many hundreds of years experience here to tap into. Would be interesting to add all experience up here. Joe, Racer, Pappy, Vic, Chris, ......Boobie, Kevin........Chawk, Jim, Aliboy, Burns, Makomark, Hystat, Bondo, Ghost, o2batsea, Bt Doc, Rick, Boscoe, Pvanv, Klink, Jerry, Mechamicman, Daselbee, Brain, Flying Scott......WOW.....I missed

my father-in-law is the one that showed me how to set the points and renovate the ignition system. And thanks to all of you on here I was able to get her running.
I hate to think (I'm only 28) that there is going to be a time that the wisdom that you guys have will be gone. And there are hardly any sources that know how to work on engines like these. For those of us in my generation that love these old machines it’s going to be allot of trial and error once that wisdom has gone. That’s why o try to learn as much as I can now while the pool of wisdom can still be tapped into. I hate to think that there will be a time when these old machines will be discovered in a barn or something but nobody will know how to work on them and willl end up in a scrap yard...
Click to expand...
 
Eat your veggies, Gator.....stay healthy, you are surely one of our very best here. You gotta be a great guy for 55 years with the same gal.....congratulations! Our community here is inspiring.
 
Back
Top