[ngatyeu87]

Evinrude has produced outboard motors for small watercraft since 1930. Although Evinrude recommends that you visit your local dealer and have him look up the outboard year of manufacture from the current Evinrude reference manual, there are ways to determine the year on your own. Each Evinrude outboard has an eight or nine character model number composed of letters and numbers located on the motor or the mounting bracket. This code can tell you the model, style, horsepower, shaft length, model run, design features and year of manufacture.

[schlow22]

Determine the year of an Evinrude outboard with a nine-character model number by locating the seventh and eighth character of the number. Nine-character model numbers indicate outboards made between 1980 and 1998. The two letters occupying the seventh and eighth spots in the model number indicate the specific year of manufacture. Evinrude's code is such that each letter corresponds to a single digit; I corresponds to 1, N to 2, T to 3, R to 4, O to 5, D to 6, U to 7, C to 8, E to 9 and S to 0. For example, a code containing the letters CE in the seventh and eighth spaces would correspond to a manufacturing year of 1989. more

[bitwaffle]

Find the year of manufacture for your Evinrude motor with an eight-character model number by looking for the sixth and seventh character of the number. An eight-character model number indicates an engine made between 1999 and the present. Evinrude corresponds a number with each letter, such that I corresponds to 1, N is 2, T is 3, R is 4, O is 5, D is 6, U is 7, C is 8, E is 9 and S is 0; a code of SS, for example, would indicate an engine made in 2000.

[L29Ah]

Although later models discontinued the use of the phrase 400 or 800 series, the terminology is still used by some OMC mechanics to identify a small gearcase from a large gearcase on both the stringer and Cobra sterndrives.

[just a man]

Both the 400 and 800 series gearcases evolved from the Johnson/Evinrude outboard line (a division of OMC). The 4-cylinder/400 gearcase is similar to the V4 outboard gearcase and the V6/V8/800 series gearcase is similar to the V6 outboard gearcase. Other than the addition of a water pump, different drive shaft and shift mechanisms the stringer and Cobra gearcases will interchange with some of the outboard gearcases! [links]

[eyu100]

Introduced for the 1986 model year was the Cobra. OMC built an all-new, modern sterndrive factory in Lexington, Tennessee and started producing a traditional style sterndrive. Drawing heavily on the Mercruiser and Volvo sterndrive designs, the new Cobra had a transom mounted drive utilizing U-joints and trim rams. The engine was mounted solidly to the stringers in front and to a transom mounted plate in the rear. To entice the boat manufacturers who had installed only Mercruiser drives in the past, the OMC Cobra was designed to fit in the same size cut-out hole (in the transom) as the Mercruiser. This way a boat could be manufactured, the transom hole cut, and either the Mercruiser or the Cobra sterndrive package could be installed per market demand. Rigging the boat with a Cobra sterndrive was as easy as rigging with a Mercruiser sterndrive. Even the steering cables could be interchanged! here

[stevesaxon]

While most people will admit that the OMC stringers were poorly engineered, the OMC Cobra had some pretty innovative features. The new modern factory and the Cobra engineering attracted the attention of Volvo and in 1993 OMC and Volvo entered into a joint venture and began producing a hybrid sterndrive with the OMC Cobra transom plate assembly and the excellent Volvo cone clutch outdrive. Sold as the Cobra by OMC and the SX Drive by Volvo, this drive had the best of both manufacturers. Because the new hybrid sterndrive used the same transom plate as the Cobra, Volvo now had a drive that would bolt into the same size transom cutout hole as the Mercruiser.

[michelles]

Although the ball gears and the stringer mounting system was a radical departure from the Mercruiser and Volvo, perhaps the most unusual difference between the early sterndrives was the method of shifting the drive from forward to neutral to reverse. While Mercruiser and Volvo used a very traditional, mechanical form of shifting actuated by a shift cable, the early OMC “stringers” used electric magnets to engage the forward and reverse gears. Because the newer model “stringers” utilized the traditional mechanical shifting (similar to the Mercruisers and Volvos) the OMC stringer sterndrives can be divided into two distinct groups; the 1977 and earlier models are called the electric shift OMC stringers and the 1978 to 1985 models are called the mechanical shift OMC stringers. more

[kaja]

While OMC’s sterndrive competitors Mercruiser and Volvo mounted the rear of the engine to the inside of the transom and mounted the front of the drive to the outside of the transom, OMC took a completely different approach. They mounted the engine and sterndrive on the stringers of the boat; the drive was sealed to the transom with a large rubber diaphragm. The OMC stern drive was then referred to as the stringer mount drive or “stringer”.

[ThomasV]

Remove the top cover of "Waterwitch" motors and locate the tag on the right side of the power head. If the model number on the tag begins with "550," it was built by Johnson Outboard Motors between 1932 and 1940. [links]

[pnnac]

Sears had outboard motors built for sale under its name from 1914 -- three years after Ole Evinrude first patented his outboard design -- until 1996. The motors were built by 10 different manufacturers under a variety of brands, sometimes with more than one manufacturer using the same model numbers, but different model names. Sometimes when model names were the same, the model number prefixes were different. As long as you have the model name and the model number, you can generally figure out when your motor was built.

[annedubois]

Search for the prefix "M" on the model number of outboards labeled "Motorgo" or "Sears Motorgo." The model number is found on a tag attached to the right side of the powerhead. It may also be stamped below the Motorgo name on the front of the motor. If the Motorgo outboard has no model number, it was built by Lockwood-Ash from 1914 to 1927. If it has the "M" prefix before the model number, it was built between 1928 and 1932 by Motorgo or Caille.

[torservers]

Lift the top cowling of the motor. Look inside the cowling for a plate with the model number. The manufacturer's name will be included on the plate. Model numbers that begin with a 571 prefix were built by Muncie Gear Works date from between 1932 and 1936. If the manufacturer is Kissel Industries, the motor dates from between 1936 and 1945.

[mestar]

Look at the motor's product name: if the motor is an "Elgin," it was built between 1946 and 1960 by West Bend. If the motor is identified as an "Eldin," "Sears" or "Ted Williams," it's model number prefix is 574, and it was built by McCulloch between 1959 and 1968. If the model number of a Sears or Ted Williams outboard begins with 217, it was built by Eska Outboards -- which purchased Tecumseh's designs before Tecumseh built any motors -- between 1968 and 1986. Eska also built the Sears "Gamefisher," also with the 217 model number prefix, during the same period. Gamefisher motors with a model number prefix of 225 were built by Force Outboards -- the Force logo is found on the powerhead -- from 1987 to 1996.

[merrydaily]

Gear oil is checked at the two big straight slot screws in the lower unit. Should be full to the top one, and no water in it. Takes 80-90 weight outboard gear oil. DO NOT. remove the small screw, usually Phillips head.

[qqvfredc]

Hello again Gus. If it has needle bearings you can run 50:1, but I would highly suggest you err on the side of caution and run 24:1 with Champion J6C plugs. A little extra oil never hurts these old 2-strokes and you can add straight gas to it in a pinch and in still be within a safe fuel/oil mix range. Modern TCW-3 marine, 2-stroke outboard oils burn much cleaner than they did in the past, so smoke won't be an issue. Good luck.

[rydiamage]

Re: 18 HP Evinrude, how to determine Model/Year?

[ColdHardMetal]

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[Need2Revolt]

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[bittard]

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