GO-DEVIL SURFACE DRIVE FNR Operation And Service Manual

― INSTRUCTIONS ―

Operation and

Service Manual

May 2018

GO-DEVIL® Manufacturing Company of Louisiana LLC

[phone] • Toll Free 1-888-490-3254 • Fax [phone]

18649 Womack Road • Baton Rouge, LA 70817

Please visit our website at www.godevil.com

SURFACE DRIVE SAFETY

• GASOLINE IS EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE! Always handle in properly approved containers.
Spilled fuel could ignite if it comes in contact with a hot engine or sparks!

• DO NOT LEAVE ANY FUEL TANK CONNECTED WHEN THE BOAT IS NOT IN USE.
TANKS SOLD AFTER JULY 2011 DO NOT HAVE A STANDARD VENT! Heat from the

suns radiation will build pressure inside the fuel tank and will force fuel through the carburetor
and into the crankcase. At this point the crankcase will become over full and will blow oil into
the air cleaner from the breather. After the air cleaner becomes saturated with oil, the fuel
mixture will become too rich and will foul the spark plugs.

• KEEP HANDS, FEET, HAIR, AND CLOTHING AWAY FROM ANY MOVING PARTS to
prevent accidents while engine is running both in the water and, most importantly, while on
land!

• WARNING!! – The trim knob is angled outward and away from a pinch point between the
engine and transom bracket. DO NOT PLACE HANDS BETWEEN ENGINE AND
TRANSOM BRACKET WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING!!! If the skeg or prop strikes an
obstruction while underway, the engine may tilt violently and cause injury.

• NEVER TOUCH ENGINE COMPONENTS DURING OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER
OPERATION. Components can become extremely hot which could result in severe burns!

• NEVER RUN YOUR SURFACE DRIVE IN AN ENCLOSED AREA! Exhaust gases contain
poisonous carbon monoxide! Always test run in a well-ventilated area.

• ALWAYS OPERATE YOUR SURFACE DRIVE WITH THE SAFETY KILL SWITCH
LANYARD ATTACHED TO YOUR WRIST OR BELT LOOP! After warm up, always test your

safety kill switch to make sure it is operating properly!

• OPERATE YOUR SURFACE DRIVE FROM A SITTING POSITION, unless you install a grab
bar in your boat to operate while standing!

• BE ALERT FOR HAZARDS AT ALL TIMES! Shallow water areas in particular can present
a variety of challenges. Continually read the terrain for unexpected obstructions, turns, or
changes in water depth.

• KEEP YOUR SURFACE DRIVE IN A SAFE CONDITION. It is important to keep your engine
properly maintained. Having a breakdown can be difficult, especially if you are far away from
help or land. To help avoid problems, inspect your engine before each use and perform all
recommended maintenance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SURFACE DRIVE SAFETY

ASSEMBLY AND BOAT SETUP................................................................................. 1-4

• Crate Removal.................................................................................................... 1-2

• Boat Setup....................................................................................................... 3-4

• Bolting Engine to Transom................................................................................. 3

OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS.................................................................................... 5-9

• Surface Drive Features........................................................................................ 5

• Launching, Engine Starting.................................................................................. 6

• Low Speed Operation.......................................................................................... 7

• High Speed Operation, Trim Adjustment........................................................... 7-8

• Reverse Operation on Go-Devil Surface Drive FNR…………………………….... 9

LUBRICATION......................................................................................................... 10-12

• Engine Lubrication............................................................................................. 10

• External Grease Fittings.................................................................................... 10

• Pressure Lubrication.......................................................................................... 11

• Internal Drive Lubrication................................................................................... 12

BELT TENSION AND INSTALLATION.................................................................... 13-15

• Tension Tester...How it Works!.......................................................................... 13

• Checking Belt Tension....................................................................................... 14

• Adjusting Belt Tension, Replacing belt................................................................ 15

SPECIAL TOOLS TO SERVICE SURFACE DRIVES………………………………….... 16

CHANGING TRANSMISSION OIL……………….…………………………………….…… 17

CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION REMOVAL………………………………………..… 18-19
CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION INSTALLATION………………………………...….. 19-21

LOWER SEAL REPLACEMENT…………………………………………………………… 22
INSTALLING THE LOWER SEAL HOUSING……………………………………………. 23
PROPELLER REMOVAL/INSTALLATION……………………………………………….. 23
SHAFT REMOVAL/INSTALLATION………………………………………………………. 24
BUSHING REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION…………………………………………….. 25
SURFACE DRIVE FNR LOWER DRIVE ASSEMBLY…………………………………... 26
SERVICE MEMOS………………………….………………………………………………... 21

WARRANTY

1

TO THE NEW OWNER

Dear Customer,
You have just purchased one of the toughest pieces of marine equipment ever built. The

GO-DEVIL Surface Drive will give you many years of service with very little maintenance.
Of the few problems that occur, most are due to dirty fuel or not running the engine out of
fuel at the end of the season. We have found that unleaded gasoline will gum the
carburetor in a few months if your engine is not in use. We recommend adding a fuel
stabilizer such as Briggs & Stratton part number 100117(4oz) 100119A(32oz) to the fuel
in your last full tank of the season. Always disconnect the fuel hose from the tank and
run the engine completely out of fuel before storage if your engine has a carburetor!

Fuel injected engines do not need to be run out of gas but add stabilizer and
disconnect the battery and fuel tank. Fuel tanks should also be checked periodically

for water which may appear from condensation. We recommend using a transom
mounted water separating fuel filter (Sierra part # 18-7852-1 or equivalent) to collect water
before it reaches the engine.

ASSEMBLY AND BOAT SETUP

1. Lay the crated engine flat with the engine in a normal upright position.

2. Remove the plywood and 2x4’s surrounding the engine.

3. Locate the metal band holding down the prop end of the Surface Drive frame and

cut it with a pair of tin snips or remove the nails with a claw hammer.

4. Remove the plastic wrapping from the engine.

5. Inspect the engine for freight damage and contact our office immediately if

anything seems damaged. Note that the tail end of the skeg just in front of the
propeller is factory bent. This bend is designed to compensate for torque created
by the surfacing propeller.

6. Loosen the transom clamping studs located under the engine.

7. Locate the lifting eyes on the frame just below the muffler. Using the lifting eyes,

hoist the engine vertically from the crate and place it onto the transom of your boat.

8. Center the engine on the transom measuring from the outside gunnel rails of the

boat to the edges of the transom bracket. Tighten the clamping studs using a
crescent wrench or 1-1/16” wrench or socket (15/16” wrench for galvanized
models).

9. Remove the tiller handle from the frame by cutting all plastic tie-wraps that have

not been trimmed.

2

10. The 3/8”x 2-1/2” pivot bolt indicated by the arrow in (Fig. 1) is the pivot point for

the Adjustable/Floating handle. Remove the bolt and insert the handle into the
engine-mounted handle bracket. Reinstall the bolt into the bracket, passing it
through the hole at the end of the handle. Be sure to include the wire loom to
secure the cables as it was shipped. Install the washer and nut and tighten the nut
firmly or until a slight amount of drag can be felt while pivoting the handle up and
down from the grip.

37 hp Vanguard Shown

Check to ensure that the throttle linkage on the engine moves throughout its full
range when the throttle lever is depressed and that it returns to the idle position
when released.

Fig. 1

Pivot Bolt

3

For added safety, a stainless-steel throttle return spring has been installed on
engines with a carburetor during factory assembly. This spring returns the throttle
linkage to idle position when the squeeze lever is released. To ensure that the
throttle operates smoothly on engines with a carburetor, periodically lubricate the
throttle linkages with a WD-40 type spray lubricant. This is not necessary for an
EFI engine. For freezing temperatures, stand the handle in a vertical position and
inject antifreeze into the throttle cable with a hypodermic needle and work the
throttle back and forth. This will keep any moisture from freezing your throttle.

12. Bolt the engine to the transom as described below.

Looking from the rear of the engine, notice that the transom clamp has two
horizontal rows of holes. Either the two upper or two lower holes need to be used
to secure the engine to the transom. Four holes are provided to accommodate
various transom designs.

Using a 3/8” drill bit, drill through the lowest hole pattern on the bracket which

would allow the bolts to pass through a structural cross-member of the transom.
Install the two supplied 3/8” x 3” bolts, washers and nylon insert nuts. For Go­Devil boats, the engine should be bolted to the transom using the two top holes.

ATTENTION: The Go-Devil Surface Drive

engine MUST BE BOLTED TO THE

TRANSOM!!!!! Failing to do so will cause
the transom clamp to loosen while

trailering, allowing the engine to possibly
fall off of the transom!!!!
BOLTS MUST PASS THROUGH A
STRUCTURAL CROSS-MEMBER OF THE
TRANSOM!!! (channel, tube, rib, etc.)

4

13. Tie a rope to the rib in your boat under the loop

welded on the underside of the Surface Drive
handle. Attach the clip provided with the engine to
the rope and use it to hold the Surface Drive
handle as shown in the picture to the right. This
clip should be used for launching your boat or any
time you need to hold the prop out of the water.

(It MUST not be used when the boat is being
trailered.)

14. Connect the battery cables to the battery. Attach

the red cable to the positive (+) side of the battery
and attach the black cable to the negative (-) side
of the battery. Make sure to tighten the battery
cables with a wrench and not just hand tight.

The battery should be kept in a covered battery

box secured to the floor of the boat and away from
gasoline vapors.

15. We recommend using a good nylon

rope to tie your boat instead of a boat
strap. Tie the rope to the trailer frame
on one side of the boat even with the
hand grip. Bring the rope over the
boat, then tie a loop in the rope before
the rope comes down the side of the
boat. Bring the rope around the trailer
frame and back up to the loop, cinch
the rope tight and tie it off.

This procedure will hold your boat as
tight as any boat strap so it will not
bounce when trailering. We also
recommend that you tie a red flag or
the Go-Devil Flag included with your purchase to the tail end of the Surface Drive
when towing your boat down the highway.

16. To tie down the engine for trailering use a ratchet strap attached to one boat handle

then make a wrap around the frame as shown above making sure not to wrap the
strap on top of the cover bolts and then attach the strap to the other boat handle
on the other side of the boat. Do not tie the Surface Drive FNR engine handle
down for any reason while trailering!

5

Surface Drive Features

SURFACE DRIVE FNR

OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS

ENGINE OIL

Fill the engine crankcase with the recommended amount and type of oil. With the engine
held perfectly level, check the oil level with the dip stick. Use a high detergent motor oil
of the same viscosity you are using in your car or truck for that time of the year. In warm
temperatures we recommend to use straight 30 weight oil. This will reduce oil
consumption.

Notice: For 23 Vanguard models it is important that the crankcase is not over filled with oil. Over
filling the crankcase will cause a decrease in vacuum at high speed, preventing the carburetor from
supplying an adequate amount of fuel to the engine. When this happens, the engine will starve for
fuel and temporarily lose performance. Ensure that the engine oil level does not exceed the full
level line on the dipstick.

6

FUEL

Fill the fuel tank with clean, fresh gasoline from a clean fuel can. Connect the fuel line
from the engine to the fuel tank and squeeze the primer bulb until firm. If the tank has a
vent (tanks sold before July 2011), the vent must stay open during operation. If you
purchased your tank July 2011 or after, disconnect your tank anytime it is not in use
because the tank does not have an open vent.

BASIC OPERATION

Launching

When launching your boat always leave the handle rope clipped with the shaft in a
horizontal position.

Before starting the engine on the water, always put on your life vest as you would in any
boat with any engine.

Attach the safety kill switch lanyard to your belt loop or wrist.

Starting the Engine

ALWAYS check engine oil level before starting!!

WARNING!!
Never run the engine in an enclosed area! Exhaust contains poisonous carbon
monoxide gas that may cause a loss of consciousness and/or death!

To Start the engine, FNR switch must be in the neutral (center position) to start. Pull the
choke rod to the choke position if your engine is a carbureted model. If you have an EFI
engine wait 5 seconds before starting. You will hear the fuel pump stop priming. Turn the
key to the start position. It may be necessary to run the engine on choke for a few seconds
until the engine warms up. You should run the engine for a few minutes to ensure that it
runs properly. If the engine runs rough after warm up, the carburetor may need
adjustment. (Refer to the engine Manual.)

To Stop the engine, release the throttle and allow the engine to idle for a few seconds.
Turn the key switch to the OFF position.

EMERGENCY STOP! The engine may be stopped at any time by pulling and detaching
the emergency kill switch lanyard from the kill switch. Note: It is the operator’s

responsibility to ensure that the kill switch operates properly before each use.

7

CAUTION! – Lowering the propeller into the water or shifting into forward at a high engine
rpm may cause a standing operator or passenger to lose balance or be ejected from the
boat. ALWAYS ALLOW THE ENGINE TO COME TO IDLE OR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL

BEFORE LOWERING THE PROPELLER INTO THE WATER!
NOTE: AFTER YOUR FIRST TEST RUN ON THE WATER IT IS NECESSARY TO

REMOVE THE DRAIN PLUG (SHOWN ON PAGE 10) AT THE REAR OF THE DRIVE
HOUSING TO CHECK FOR WATER LEAKING IN. THIS BOX MUST RUN
COMPLETELY DRY. IF WATER COMES OUT OF THE DRAIN PLUG THE COVER
PLATES MUST BE REMOVED AND RE-SEALED WITH A GOOD GRADE SILICONE.
PERFORM THIS CHECK ANY TIME THE COVERS ARE REMOVED AND REPLACED.

Low Speed Operation

As described before, let the engine warm up for a few minutes. Holding the handle
carefully, remove the handle rope and get a feel for the balance of the engine.

For the first time operating your new Surface Drive engine, turn the trim adjustment knob
counterclockwise until the prop and cavitation plate can be fully submerged while the boat
is floating at rest. Under normal conditions the trim can be adjusted for high speed
performance and does not need to be changed while idling or getting back up on plane.

Steer the engine slowly to avoid getting water into or overturning the boat. The
Go-Devil Surface Drive engine is better suited for wider bottomed boats (48” or wider).
Use extreme caution- even while idling -when making sharp turns on narrow boats.

To turn the boat around in a tight situation, allow the boat to nearly come to a complete
stop. While the engine is idling and in neutral, turn the engine all the way to one side and
shift into forward. Most boats will turn in their own length when this is done.

TIP! - Turning left at low speed requires less reach due to the handle being on the left
side of the engine. When reversing direction from rest or idle speed, set up to turn left
whenever possible. This will become instinctive with time.

High Speed Operation

As its name implies, the Go-Devil “Surface Drive”, uses a surface piercing propeller. The
surface propeller is designed to be run primarily with a fraction of each blade breaking the
surface of the water with each revolution. To get maximum performance from the engine,
propeller depth can be fine tuned using the manual trim.

The manual trim mechanism is a standard feature on all SD models. The trim is simply
a bottom stop on the tilt axis of the engine which allows the engine to tilt upward freely
when an underwater obstacle is struck.