Topic: 1959 Evinrude 18hp Electric Start – Antique Outboard Motor Club,Inc

This topic has 16 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 3 years, 9 months ago by phil.

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September 22, 2018 at 2:46 pm #11302
shane-r13
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I have a 1959 Evinrude 18hp with eletric start. This motor was setup for controls at one point but when I purchased it was a tiller. I’d like to use the eletric start with the tiller. I can not for the life of me find the female connector so i can wire up a switch for the starter. I cant even seem to find a part number. I can find the part for the internal motor side but nothing for the external part. I don’t need a whole control system just the plug portion and i will wire it up my self from there. Anyone know what the part # is or where to source it?

Thanks,
Shane

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September 22, 2018 at 3:01 pm #83359
nj-boatbuilder57
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I believe the electric start was an option, so the pieces & parts are most likely listed in an accessories catalog, not the actual engine parts catalog. Either way, though, the connector had the wires molded into it, and even if you could find one, chances are better-than-not that the insulation is all broken down, rendering the whole thing NG.

From my perspective (feel free to discard), there are 2 options: 1.) abandon the connector on the engine & re-do everything with modern Deutsch connectors, or 2.) get your checkbook ready: There’s a guy in Canada who has tooled up aftermarket replacements. Not cheap, though: http://www.nymarine.ca/wiringharness.htm
September 22, 2018 at 4:36 pm #83365
frankr
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US Member
In your search, you need to be aware that early plugs had two large pins and one small pin. Later (1958-up????) ones like yours has three small pins, the added two are for an ignition switch that the previous ones did not have.
September 22, 2018 at 4:42 pm #83366
h20lew
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US Member
I’d agree unless you can find the original female connector (and that’s hard to do), the better and cheaper bet is to rewire it and use a modern connector. For the motors that didn’t have the electric start as original – there is a kill switch where the wiring harness connector goes. If you are running it as a tiller setup, that having the kill switch on the motor might be better anyway. I added a starter to my 63′ fastwin and drilled hole in the lower cowling to route the wires out and that left me with the original kill switch.
September 22, 2018 at 4:52 pm #83367
frankr
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US Member
1959 Version
September 22, 2018 at 8:27 pm #83373
shane-r13
Participant
Thanks Guys, I figured it would be near impossible to find. I’m ok without the electric start but my elderly father I’m afraid will keel over if he had to pull start it often.
I had already looked at the guy here in Canada’s site. No way I’m paying $250 for some wires. At this point I don’t even have a factory kill switch, I turn it off by having the idle so low that when I turn the tiller it dies out. I’m afraid I’ll likely have to scrap the factory harness and make my own ignition system with a key or switch right on the motor. They question now is how…

Thanks,
Shane
September 22, 2018 at 9:11 pm #83376
shane-r13
Participant
Slightly off topic her guys, but can a rectifier be added to this era of motors at all?

Also if i buy a 6 pin push to choke keyed ignition can I hook it up right to the starter? Or do I need a solenoid? I’m trying to get it simple and originalish looking but not screw things up.

Thank,
Shane
September 22, 2018 at 9:39 pm #83381
phil-b
Participant
Need a solenoid. The starter draws a lot of current. And if you want to be able to do remote kill, you’ll need a switch with two M (magneto) terminals.

I built my own harness for my 1959, but definitely a labor of obsessive-compulsiveness:
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN … NkSk83V0RB

I would have considered a modern connector, but could never find one rated for the amps.
In later years they moved the start solenoid under the hood, and the connectors got one more pin (to energize the start solenoid).
September 23, 2018 at 2:13 am #83393
shane-r13
Participant
Thanks for sharing the photos. I knew about the 2 M’s to ground out the ignition. There is a lot of room in the cowling i wonder if i can mount a solenoid inside somewhere. I was hoping to be able to make a system self contained on the motor as this Motor isn’t left on a single boat all year. I leave my boat in the bush at my camp and bring my motors in and out with me, so having a whole system i have to setup in the middle of the bush every time isn’t ideal.
September 25, 2018 at 3:39 pm #83518
fisherman6
Participant
US Member - 2 Years
I made a self contained battery-solenoid starting box using a Li-ion motorcycle battery, a marine tilt-trim solenoid, and a starter button inside a small plastic tackle box. I had to get creative with mounting things in place and making right terminal posts but it works. With that you can remove the factory harness from under the cowl and replace with a pair of battery cables to the starter leading out the hole where the plug was. No need to hook up the choke solenoid on a tiller motor. If you wanted to add a kill button or even a lanyard safety switch that could be done too. With the start box you don’t have to carry anything more than you would with any other electric start option. The Li-ion battery only weighs a couple pounds and will start a Big Twin without hesitation. It cranks an 18 over like nothing. That may be a worthy consideration. I have a Golden Jubilee Fastwin and a 62 Johnson FD in electric start and luckily have the correct harness. If I didn’t, this is how I would get around it. My 0.02.
-Ben

OldJohnnyRude on YouTube
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