Interpreting Evinrude Outboard Serial Numbers

Have you ever wondered what the serial numbers on your outboard engine represent? Let’s start with the first digit. Most likely you see an E or a J. These stand for Evinrude and Johnson, respectively. If you see a different letter, it may mean that your engine was not built for the American market.

The next group of digits will be a series of two or three numbers; these indicate horsepower. Two or three letters will come next and identify the motor’s trim. Next comes a single letter either L, Y, X or Z, each of which corresponds to a driveshaft length. Finally you’ll see two letters indicating the year a model was built. There may be one more letter, but this only has significance to the manufacturer and not the consumer. Pair this with the knowledge you learned yesterday about Evinrude XD50 oil and you’ll know far more than a lot of recreational boaters.

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Checking an Evinrude Outboard Motor

Checking your Evinrude outboard motor’s oil level should be part of your maintenance routine. It takes only a moment and can help prevent expensive problems down the line. Start by pressing down on the handle at the rear of the engine cover. This will loosen the cover so you can remove it and set it aside.

Look on the starboard side of the engine block for a large ring, aka the dipstick. Pull the ring to remove the dipstick, and then wipe the dipstick clean with a rag. Insert the dipstick back into the tube, withdraw it, and examine the level of the oil. If the oil is below acceptable limits, add Evinrude 2 cycle oil XD100.

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