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Clutch dog. Good dog, Bad dog.

R

RGP

Regular Contributor
I purchased a 1958 Evinrude 18 hp. I am in the process of rebuilding it. Ignition, lower unit, water pump, fuel lines just the usual, nothing out of the ordinary.

I have never had the motor on a boat. When I examine the clutch dog I can see some wear on the dog ears, where they contact forward gear. Clutch dogs are expensive. How can I determine its condition with respect to functionality?

I have heard of flipping it over so that the ears that have been working reverse are now called into the big time of forward gear. Does that work?

I can see that the dog ears are manufactured with a slight groove cut into the face of the forward dog ears, reverse ear face is milled smooth. Why is that?

I am wondering if any of you seasoned veterans could share your hard won expertise on the care and feeding of the dog.

Thanks.
 
The gruve is always to face the forward gear. The dog has slightly different angles machined on them for fwd and rev being there is more pressure put on it when in fwd. Some people have had good luck reversing them but I never have.
 
Thanks gentlemen.

Nothing beats empirical testing. Hang it on a boat and go for a ride. I am just trying to hedge my bet prior to assembly. But I am reluctant to spend over $100 on a dog.

In my limited experience, for what its worth, I have had bad dogs on big twins and super seahorses (30 hp - 40 hp twins). That unmistakable "bang" on acceleration. I have never encountered this on the under 20 hp models.

Thanks.
 
The "Unmistakable "bang" on acceleration" you mention.....are you saying that upon initial acceleration the motor will "jerk" like you hit something under water? That is a sure sign of a "bad dog"???? Just curious as mine does that on initial acceleration and I'm going to do a complete seal and water impeller change and if it's the dog, I will change it out as well.
 
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