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Phil,
You are correct. The Gales (Viking, Sea King, Wards, Elto, See Bee, Brooklure ETC) were always single wall.
In ’58 te regular RDs were single wall and the Lark/Susper Sea Horse had the double wall.
Johnyrude,
1955 was the last year for the tiller coming standard on all models. For ’56, they only put the tiller on manual models.
THere is a diffence in the top seals also. I learned teh hard way that if you getthe wrong bearing in the top of the motor, the seal sits too high and the flywheel won’t sit down right. I would have to go back and find my notes, but there was a thread on the old forum and we chased that issue for weeks.
I have built a lot of RD17s. I have torn down many powerheads and it is most likely that something in those motors is worn. Either the top or bottow wrist pin bushing, Bores etc. I have had much better luc finding good usable ’56 powerheads.