Saving Old Seagulls

Love them or hate them! Im looking for a Siba Recoil for my 40+ longshaft. If anyone has one spare.

Much easier to start my auxiliary 40+ while hanging off the back of my boat.

By the way does anyone know if they are a universal fit for any Seagull as I have seen one for sale locally for a Silver Century.

These instructions are from the main sites "nostalgia" page. It appears there are two different kits for the 40's or the 100's/102's.
Good luck with your search.

http://www.saving-old-seagulls.co.uk/no ... talgia.htm

hi DAVEW
these recoil starters are a good thing to have in my view.
however, they are not a universal fit.
all of the 40 motors have 4 bolt holes on the crankcases, whereas the century and 102 motors have 5.
they are very specific as to what they fit.
the framework of these recoil units bolts directly to the crankcase and you need to make sure that its not bent in the tubes before fitting.
the springs inside them can rust quite badly and end up snapping. a bit fiddly to replace but it can be done.
oil and grease all the moving parts to be sure you dont have any "snagging" anywhere and they work quite well.

i have one fitted to a century plus at the moment and it works very nicely.

jon

Hi Jon
Thanks for this info. The ones I have seen on ebay at the moment look as if they are 4 bolt - however even these 2 look slightly different in the configuration of the crankcase bolt holes.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271475392191? ... EBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301170144189? ... 1423.l2649

Dave

271475392191 looks like being for a century and 301170144189 looks like being for a forty. But you better ask before you buy.

It seems to me the totally enclosed one by Siba is a much more substantial starter, why not look for one of them?

dave
try and get a measurement from your motor on the crank case bolt centres.
ask the question to the seller regarding hole centres.
all of the century and 40 recoil units have 4 hole mountings just to make things more confusing.
the all enclosed version of the recoil unit is for electronic ignition.
some earlier versions required a different top crankcase to make these things fit.

stick with the frame type as they're much easier to work on.
a bit ugly, but they work well

jon

I assume you are referring to the enclosed unit for the 40 series as being only for the electronic ignition, as that is not true of the enclosed Siba unit for the Century unit?

Got the measurements from the one on Ebay
Looks a bit tatty but the bolt hole distances line up with my 40+
Are there any other crucial bits needed?

PHIL
the later electronic ignitions (cd type) are a universal fit for all the 40 and 100 motors. the flywheels have 2 positions (keyway slots) that determine use for 40 or 100. clever really. the recoil unit itself that sits on top of the magneto can be a little tricky to get at the spring which often seizes up or breaks because of corrosion.
fairly good units all the same. some might even say that the ignition system of the cd type is far superior to the points type. i like both myself.

the frame type recoil units are so much easier to work on. ugly but work well?
they have basically the same recoil unit as the later "enclosed" type, but access to the return spring is much easier on the frame type.

jon

DAVE
the tatty one is what you need.
just had a look at the ebay pics.
as you look at the top of the recoil unit there is a bolt missing. dont worry its an easy fix.
if/when you get it, check to make sure there are no other bolts missing.
but from what i can see, its all there.
bolt on and go buddy!

jon

OK -
Thanks all for the info
My 40 is an early one with the Villiers points/coil so I assume the enclosed will not fit anyway unless I change the ignition which I would rather avoid.
My dad had (still has) the cage type on a Century and its never let him down
So I'll keep an eye on the Ebay one
Dave

Thanks Jon!

PHIL
i will try and get some photos up so you can see the difference between some of the different CD type ignitions.
both 40 and 100 motors with the much later wipac ignition (non points type) were/are a strange thing.
some had the baseplate/crankcase top half attached as one piece. and others were detachable. (doesn't make sense but that's seagulls for you?)

jon

DAVE.
these recoil units don't mind what "points ignition" type they're fitted to. (villiers/wipac)
the later "electronic" ignitions will also be a straight swap for early and late motors but being totally enclosed and sometimes with the only the recoil unit being "exposed"
having said that i have some engines with electronic ignitions that are the conventional "pull start". the recoil unit was an option that could be fitted to make things easier to start.

jon