Back Again With A 1959 Gale Buccaneer 35HP

[harpua]

Well the last 56 Evinrude turned out great and I a made an elder statesmen one happy guy with it. So I figured it would be ehemm,, fun? to try it again.

this one was sitting for a bit longer but seemed to be well taken care of, as they all seem to have been.

other than the basic procedures of bringing a motor back to life, i was wondering a few things-\

its electric start, but i have no controls, I am jumping the start with some cables etc.,., i dont like the way its working. can i just run wires and make a switch (or no switch, just wires) for now?

this has a fuel pump and single line fuel system. i dont need the glass bowl do i? I can just replace the fuel lines and use a fuel filter i think?

can there ever be too much compression? when i have the plugs out the engine spins so nice and is throwing air, but with the plugs in its very tight. I think thats why i dont like how the starter/flyweel is working.

here are some pics thanks.

[larkbill]

There should be a relay box that mounts on the transom. It plugs in to the gang plug on the side. You can mount a lawn tractor relay/solenoid under the hood if you understand how to wire it. Your slow cranking is probably due to lack of current with your cobbled connections.

Pretty motor, would be nice to save it and that would include proper electrical connections.

[larkbill]

I just noticed the starting fluid in one of your pictures, I hope you haven’t been using that on this motor. Bad juju.

[outbdnut2]

It is basically the same as a 1958 35 Johnson (not the Super Sea Horse Model) with a fuel pump added.
–
You will need a starter solenoid. This comes in a metal box that mounts in the boat, although some guys have cobbled them into the motor. The solenoid is basically a relay that allows low current through the starter switch to control big current to the starter. It looks like an old Ford solenoid, but is wired different inside so don’t buy an automotive one. Sierra or NAPA (same part) #18-5807 is the direct replacement. The factory solenoid comes mounted in am aluminum box that attaches inside the boat near the transom. It has a cable with a big plug that plugs into the side of the motor by the shifter. Another long cable out of that box goes to the helm and has a key-ignition/starter switch and a choke switch on it. If the motor is equipped with a generator (most aren’t) , the voltage regulator is also in the box and it’s bigger. If you are not going to seek out these factory parts (some Johnson and Evinrude ones will interchange) you need a good understanding of ignition and starter wiring and a wiring diagram that someone here canpost for you. If you have no understanding of this stuff, I recommend you get all the right parts.
-Is the glass bowl missing or broken? Yes you can put on an inline filter, but much easier to buy a SIerra NAPA #18-7826 filter and replace it – also need the round gasket #18-2889.
–
You will find it’s difficult to get a good connection with jumper cables to the starter and that will make it look and sound like the starter is working hard. Get the solenoid wired and battery cables with good terminals before you jump to any conclusions. The recoil rope starter mechanically activates compression release valves on the cylinder heads but the electrics start doesn’t. Often the compression release linkage is gone if someone had to remove the recoil or pull the flywheel, some leave it off when re-assembling.
These are nice motors. Use 25 to 1 gas/oil mix.
–
The motor will rope start without an ignition switch if there is no cable plugged into the side. Make sure it runs OK before investing in starter parts.
–
That’s only the 2nd 35 HP Gale I’ve seen with a tiller – I have the other and it’s a 1958 – looks almost identical to yours, but I have removed the tiller..
Dave

[harpua]

wow, thanks everyone. things are starting to make sense. i found a guy that has a bunch of stuff lying around. i bet he has the solenoid and/or a shifter.
so, if you dont have a shifter and you have a tiller like i do, how does the starter work, with a a hard wired button?
the glass bowl isnt broken, but there are what looks to be some kind of disk filters in it? how do i get the metal clasps off the bowl so i can clean it. I think i will follow the above and just use the right fuel filter listed above, but for now i can use the bowl

and thats what i mean. i wonder why it feels so hard to pull with the plugs in and why it feels tight to rope start. I think you are saying the linkage may be out and that may be affecting it. i am going to give it some pulls after i pull the carb and clean and inspect. it. after that i will see what i can come up with for the starter. do johnson solenoids work? what years if so?

thanks again.

[outbdnut2]

You should see a shiny flat piece of metal about 1/2 inch wide coming from a window in the recoil assembly and that rod attaches with two screws to a pivoting rod on the cylinder head that has detail to push on the compression release valves when the rope is pulled.

Yes – Johnson solenoids work from 1957 to 1966, Earlier ones are 6 volts. There are some subtle differences in the big plug that goes in the the side different years and I don’t know offhand which ones will fit. Some have added terminals for generator and some have deleted terminals for automatic choke.

[harpua]

thanks. i see that flat piece and a thin rod that it connects to. it shoots out with a click or slap that you can slightly feel in the rope. but it doesnt move far, just noticeable does that mean the compression linkage is there?

[outbdnut2]

See if it is pressing in on the valves in the cylinder head when you pull the rope.
Dave

[outbdnut2]

Note that even with the compression release – these pullover fairly hard – it may take two hands on the rope handle. The V4 Johnsons, with no compression release pull over easier!

[harpua]

I will check early in the morning. And post. Thanks

[Author]

Posts