As a master marine tech for 46 years: Start & warm the engine. In a test tank or on the water run at high speed & adjust for peak rpm & then richen 1/16 - 1/8 turn. Bring it down to an idle (550) & adjust for smoothest idle while still being able to accelerate quickly without hesitation. That's it. Readjust high speed & then low speed once again. None of this matters if your points don't open EXACTLY 180* off & you have synchronized the throttle opening to the correct ignition advance. My Johnson 5hp will idle @ 475 rpm all day without loading up &/or stalling. These units have a heavy flywheel which enables them to do this. Also noticed you have the new coils (#580416) make sure they are correctly spaced away from the flywheel. Any competent dealer should have the tools & knowledge to do this with precision.
This episode brings back many memories. Thanks for doing this 😊 I was in the business as a young tech in the 1960's at a Johnson dealership. We'd see a lot of these motors through the shop as they were pretty well used by that time. So worked on a lot of these old Johnsons. Piston port technology is what this system is called vs reed valves. They both work. Ring seal is important, but so is crankcase sealing. Those bronze bearings on the crank do two things. They support the crank and they seal the crankcase. Absolutely critical that they fit correctly. Especially the one between the cylinders. You do not want any pulse transfer between cylinders. If that happens you will get hard starting and erratic low speed running. Also, replace any plated bolts like the head bolts with SS ones and a dab of copper free anti-sieze when you install them. That way you can take them out next time. The crud in cooling system is because no-one flushed the motor after use in salt water or mineralized pond water or whatever. Flushing helps a lot. just remember these old engines were designed to run on 24:1 fuel oil ratio. Yeah you can lean the oil a bit, but those plain bearings love oil, not starvation ... And Vaseline is your re-assembly friend. Use liberally 😁 The old style gaskets like Hylomar (RR Aviation Engine gasket prep). Lite spray on both sides, let dry, assemble. Easy peasy and works great.
Worked in a marine workshop first job I had. Use a smear of grease on the head gasket - sealant is for when you are re-using any fiber gasket... Now I'd use TefGel or similar as an anti seize, previously we used the silver non copper type. The old piston port engines don't really develop huge compression, and they won't ever develop full pressure with an automotive tester because they are such small displacement - like any small engine really. Any of the plain bearing engines are relying on a reasonable oil film to provide cushioning between the bearing surfaces, so that's why 25:1 is needed. Something about the sound of those old 3 hp Johnsons, instantly familiar and full of memories. My first outboard was a '65 Johnson seahorse 3 identical apart from being white. I used to have to keep altering the mixture constantly as we would go along, just how those old carbies work I guess. They only have about six moving parts and one of them is the operator so you were expected to understand how to tune the engine depending on what you were doing - nothing like the more modern engines. I guess nobody though dripping fuel into the boat or the water was much of a drama 70 years ago... I reckon I spent 20% of the time pulling the damn thing over, 30% of the time with it in bits and 50% of the time thinking it was the greatest thing a kid could ever have. By the time I was 13 I could fit a new pull rope in about five minutes, reset the points in not much more and service the carby blindfolded and behind my back... Can't imagine any kid today thinking that is a fun thing, but for me - just seemed normal I guess. One day I should pull that thing out of Dad's shed, evict the spiders and get it going again. Think I've still got the bucket of J6J spark plugs with it too...
Beautiful project, excellent production values. Enjoyed very much. I restored a 1957 Johnson Seahorse 10hp and your series brought back fond memories. Unfortunately, I did not attempt to video document the job. The quality you did must have increased your time ba a factor of 10. Great job.
When my Dad passed, he left behind a 20 hp Mercury (which my son and I rebuilt, yes broken bolts and all....) and an early 1950's Johnson. I remember as a young kid going fishing with the Johnson outboard motor on rental boats at Virginia Beach. My son still has the Mercury outboard. The "Johnson" hangs in my garage as a memorial to my Dad. What great times we had with the "Johnson"....LOL
I’m not in the habit of watching a guy work over his Johnson for any length of time, let alone for hours. However, I was fascinated by your performance. I hope you have an even longer Johnson exhibition coming for us.
First time I have watched your videos. You had me cracking up on the Johnson puns. Really a fun video to watch. As a Mercury mechanic I wish that the Mercury certification videos were half as much fun to watch as yours. As a mechanic you will not see me commenting on how you do things. We all learned somewhere and somehow. You have good mechanical intuition and really that’s all it takes. I learned from my failures way better than my successes and there are many different ways about it all. I have found that yes there are times I have to do it the way Mercury states due to design characteristics but most times it’s just a matter of getting it back together without screwing stuff up and however you get there is the right way!!!😉
Tapping on bolts and nuts to shock them helps break loose fasteners. Also, tighten just a bit first. Both are tricks I learned as a kid growing up on a small dairy farm. My cousin was a mechanic for years. He told me impact tools help to break loose fasteners because of their hammering effect. I also learned online a "machinist's " trick for dissimilar metals. Use heat and melt candle wax into the threads as you heat area around the bolt. The paraffin soaks in to lubricate instead of burning off like other penetrating oils do. So far, this has worked great for me.
Mind-blowing on so many levels. The 1950's engineering was simple and elegant. And how you remember where are those damn parts go on reassembly is beyond me. You really know your Johnson well.
That's why while recording everything takes time with the setup and all, overall it can be very beneficial since you can rewatch the video to find out what went where and how.
I have this same motor, made in 1952. I need to get her back up and running. Way back in the day, almost 30 years ago, I got it from my grandfather. Had to replace the ignition components. Ran her for a couple of years and gaskets in lower unit went out. Back then you pretty much had to make your own gaskets, not these smears. I need to get her back up and running
You must be a relative of Musti, a small engine wonder. That doubleentendre that you both have keeps me in tears! We’ll keep polishing your shaft until the crank is totally rid of burrs!
I love the Johnson series. But my comment is about the chainsaw series. I taught my husband how to "properly" cut 2 posts. I taught him about getting the bar stuck. And all of the stuff I learned from your videos. I was so darn excited! I remembered all the important stuff. And now my husband knows too!
Holy Cow, I wish I had stumbled onto your video of this a couple weeks ago!!! I am trying to get my Dad's 1940 Johnson LT-10 (5hp) motor running again, after being put away around 1963. My Dad took my brother and me fishing often when we were little kids back in the 50's and early 60's, renting a boat and putting that motor on it. After he passed in 93, I got the motor and stored it ever since. Being retired now, I decided to make it a project to get it running again, but the pistons are frozen in. I am learning how it works by just disassembling it, without a service guide, or even a user's guide. One of the piston crowns is damaged trying to get it unfrozen. I had "assumed" the crank had journals pushing the pistons the same direction (like my old 1958 Norton Nomad twin cylinder motorcycle engine), as the pistons are frozen in exactly the same positions in the cylinders. Now I realize my catastrophic mistake was that assumption, and tried pushing both pistons out at the same time..... pitting them against each other. So, I am hoping to find a source for a replacement piston, or possibly try welding the crack up in the one I damaged. Had I been able to watch your video, I would have realized the crank had the pistons going opposite directions. Interestingly, this engine I have looks exactly like yours, its disassembly is the same, and even the piston crowns look identical. I also am posting my efforts on my little TH-cam channel. Might you know of any sources for parts (even used) for these old motors?? Thank you for this video! I am watching it now taking notes for my rebuild efforts, and as I search to source some parts.
I enjoyed watching the tear down of your outboard motor. Most people would love to have a two-stroke Johnson, but not a two-stroke Johnson that gives you all kinds of trouble. At least your Johnson isn't dead.
My Johnson hasn't worked in years. My mechanic gave me a miracle gas to make it run but it ran for over 4 hours and nothing I didn't would turn it off. That definitely can't be good for my Johnson. Jokes aside nice vid, always nice to see a mechanic, amateur or professional, work on their own stuff.
You can use zip ties to snug the rings in on small pistons instead of ring compressors to help ease them in. Cheap, readily available and non scratching.
@@Mad.Man.Marine There is no way. I been assembling engines for many years, as soon as it come out of the zip tie it will expand to much to go into the culinder. I feel like he made what a "Good idea" and didn't think it through to well... I will try your idea next time i need to install pistons and see how it works to give you guys the benifit of the doubt.
I remember years ago a mechanic told me that most of the old engines were made to run on a greater amount of oil in the mix. The newer oils that are a learner ratio put pressure on the bearing surfaces which causes galling of the metals. The lines in the bores are proof of a lean oil mix. Also, when an engine has sat for some time taking out the spark plugs and spraying oil into the cylinders prevents a lot of issues. This is what makes sense and old mechanics know from experience and school of hard knocks. Hope old man snyder rests in peace and my God bless his soul, Amen. Peace to you fella, vf
It's just like us old buggers. Takes a lot of pulling and pumping to get us started. Usually a lot of backfiring too. And sometimes we leak a bit, but it's ok. We still work just fine, even after all these years. :-)
I think the fact that a 70+ year old 5 h.p. outboard motor is still running is pretty awesome. As others who know more than I do regarding these types of engines have said, points and spark plugs aren’t new and neither are the ignition wires. I’m impressed either way. A working Johnson at that age is definitely a bonus.😳🙄🤔🤓👍👍
I enjoy your humour. It is a bit warped but need that from time to time. I used to make screws and rivets and is a lost art. We made rivets for brake pads. I haven't done that work in 40 years a d still have my hearing. I've changed my work a few times to include glazing and electronics repair. I switched my hobbies to include Amateur Radio and fishing. I learned long ago when your job closes to find other work and learn another trade. I have some rivets I used to manufacture 24x5 mm. It's an lost art. Keep up all your repair videos and humour.
If you though there were valves you probably use gas without two stroke oil. So you scratched the cilinder. If you continue using gas without oil you will blow your engine.
@@markgriz 2 stroke has more power at high rpm so i bet his wife would be quite happy with it, she might feel like the johnson is running in centrifugal mode
My dad bought this exact model Johnson from "the junk shop" (what he used to call it). He loved going into that place. He paid $25 for it and it ran great. In 1969, he let me and my younger brothers play with it (I was 15) out in a lake (Lake Susan in Florida) while mounted to a row boat. We were on a family vacation and renting a little cottage, Mom, Dad and the three boys. Dad could now go fishing in his 15' Alumicraft while us kids played. Well, the motor got a little loose on the transom, off she came and into the drink while running full speed. We dragged the lake using a grappling hook pulled behind the Alumicraft for many hours but never found or got it back. I still have the rubber handle that came off as I held onto it tightly. A childhood memory I'll always cherish. As for removing those head blots; I broke one off on my Yamaha 115 horse, (water jacket cover) the same way you did- with a ratchet wrench and socket. The mechanic at the marina said to always use a 3/8 drive air (impact) wrench on them, otherwise you will twist the bolts off. That went against my thinking... I always thought using the impact wrench would twist them off, but he said no, it's the impact affect (the rapid hammering) that breaks them loose. Thanks for making the videos- I've watched them all and that engine brought back fond memories of both joy and sorrow.
I'm sure all the Johnson references, jokes, and innuendo's are lost on a lot of people who perhaps are from other countries, or have led sheltered lives, but I found all of them humorous. Rebuilding of the engine was good too.
I love those old OMC outboards (Johnson, evinrude etc). When used properly, they are very reliable, easy starting and smooth running outboards. I have had many 3...10hp models. Having sleeve bearings, it requires much more oil (something like 1:20) compared to newer engines which are good with 1:50...1:100. Good work you have done!
Congrats on getting your Johnson working again! More power! Having fiddly carburetion may mean you have a worn throttle shaft causing air leak(s), or other air leaks where any two pieces join around the crankcase. Use an oil can to place drops around various junctions with the engine running; if RPM changes, you've found a leak.
@@jakem5339 True, that'll work, but brakleen could rinse lubrication from bearings/cylinders, and oil won't hurt things - particularly if using 2-Cycle oil, which will burn clean.
I grew up living on Greenwood Lake at the Jersey end and recovered two engines that had fallen off of the transom due to clamp failure (happens more than not) as a consequence I've learned to tie a rope behind the outboard engine so that if the clamps fail or come loose from vibration the fail-safe is the rope around the back of the engine. Great video thumbs up.
Say thank you so much, when I took the crank shaft cover I noticed a fine paper gasket. After getting it all cleaned up, I was getting ready to order my gaskets for my Johnson 9.5 and looking through my service manual I could not see any gasket for the crank cover (no matter where I looked; none.) I thought that's odd, it had been about 10 years the last time I over haled one of these outboard motors and had forgotten all about no gasket on crank cover, so I started looking a TH-cam videos and got lucky running into your video. You saved my a ton of headaches; Gracias, very helpful.
ALL I CAN SAY IS YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST PATIENT MEN I HAVE EVER SEEN.....I WOULD HAVE BEEN CUSSING AND THROWING THINGS WHEN THINGS DON'T WORK OUT ,,JUST SAYIN
I'm gettin old, and my Johnson could use a rebuid also... It's getting tired. It's a big bore, long stroke series, and has NEVER failed me. It still gets up and goes for long periods of time, it's just not as stong as it once was. The thing has been used and abused, ridden hard and put away wet, but it has served me well for a half a century.... 👌
I’ve watched a lot of vintage outboard videos and this was my #1 most enjoyed, informative. I like that it was thorough on specs and how too’s. Video showed virtually every step.. I’d like to see a heck of alot more on vintage outboard if that day comes great! If not excellent job, great sense of humour, clear to understand just greatly appreciated this video sir . Rare to see this thoroughness, I hope someone helped with tuneup for starting to running.. love to see more! THX!!
as someone with no experience in working on motors or mechanical work in general, this trilogy has been very informative on how to handle our Johnsons!
It's hard to say without re-watching some of the earlier videos when you had it out on the pond, but I think it sounds better than it did. Lots of memories. My family was still using one of these at our cottage in the mid 70's when I was a kid, and I have recollections of my dad or uncle needing to tighten/loosen the high and low speed screws a lot to keep the engine running or to restart it especially at low speeds or at idle.
My hat is off to you sir. I have rebuilt many ,many snowmobile engines and personally, I hated working on boat engines. They are a different animal all together and required specialized equipment that I hate to fabricate. I hated having boats sitting around my yard waiting for me to fix the damn things. Eventually I just said no more. I know there is monety in boat engine repairs but I decided after a year of screwing with them, I had enough. The guy that instructed me on small engines got into PWC's or jet ski repair and decided to run with it. He let me work on the lawn equipment and snowmobiles while he concentrated on the PWC's. I have quit working on snowmobiles and limit what I repair any more.
I do have to say I am very proud of you working on your Johnson by hand like a real man and you got'er done I can't stop being watching your videos hopefully more innuendos on the way
Awesome... takes me back a number of years... My father had one like it when I was a kid... Did you open up the gas cap vent when you run it? (the small silver screw at the center) You close it for storage/transport so it doesn't leak, but you open it so the tank can get air for the fuel to flow to the carb. If you don't it will keep changing the mixture on you as it takes fuel out of the tank. You cleaned the carb I know, but maybe the needle valves/seats need a slight polish so they meter consistently.
Definitely loved your video! I collect these outboards just for wall hangers. Now I feel allot more confident to work on them once I've watch this. ( another 15 times) great how you explain everything you do during the process. Thanks again.
Had a matching pair of 1960 Johnson "Big Twin" 40hp outboards that I rebuilt.. more than once. It's amazing how little difference there is between this little guy and the larger brethren. The moment I saw that keyed taper for the flywheel and coils underneath.. I felt sick to my stomach. I also learned a valuable lesson- Do NOT lean those out very much to get more rpm/power out of them, you'll spew needle bearings and they'll end up embedded in the heads ...... ask me how I know.
Since you used the air hammer.. I'm about to make you buy a tool you didn't know existed. It's from the airplane world. It's an air hammer bit with a square drive for a socket, and a big hex (or handle, depending on brand). You put the airhammer bit in, right sized socket, wrench on the airhammer bit, then zap it. The impacts from the air hammer rattle the bolt (like you did), but allows you to put tension to remove the bolt as it gets airhammered! They have a few names 'air hammer bolt breaker', or "air hammer shake n' break", "air hammer bolt buster" etc. They are worth their weight in GOLD, especially on things that are rusty! They're available in 3/8" and 1/2" drive, some have a big hex machined onto them so you can use your own open/closed end wrench, or some have a handle built in. I have the hex style and think it's better IMO. You just rattle the bolt with the air hammer while putting some weight on the wrench, and it just backs it right out. Works amazingly well for corrosion, paint, thread locker, thread sealant, etc. It's pretty much magic! IMO it works better with thicker sockets than thinner ones, but I haven't broke even a thin wall 3/8" chrome before, but it will ding it up some. It's worth it though!
Thank you crew for all the Johnson jokes. Back to work, I would recheck the float or get a replacement and then check the float level. Check high & low speed the needle valves for a ridge or groove from being tightened too hard in the past. Also as suggested below check for any air leakage around the throttle shaft. It is likely the magnets in the flywheel have lost strength in 70 years so a very close air gap is essential.
Modern gaskets that have a shiny black appearance or brown shiney are precoated with sealant. Yours absolutely should have the aviation form a gasket just as you did. Great Job.
Just came upon this series. Absolutely Fantastic! Thank you so damn much for doing this! So so informative and filmed and edited perfect 👍. I have 2 of these I’m ready to tear into and this was the motivation I needed. This video series is gonna help a lot of people! Thanks again. Subscribed!
believe it or not, I had a similar 50 something year model Evinrude that ran just like your Johnson, all the spitting and the like...very much the same as yours, dual points and all....When I heard yours the first time you ran it, it brought back some old memories....I used to put it on a 14' aluminum boat and fish the Chattahoochie River and Lake Seminole on the Alabama / Georgia/ Florida border. Good times catching big bluegills, shellcrackers and crappies
Typically when there are reed valves in a 2 stroke it’s because the intake is located in the crank case but in your case it’s on the cylinder and so the piston works as a valve there
75 year old ex Donnington GT championship winner .. modified and serviced my own race engines .. Flexhones are brilliant. I have used them on brake cylinder bores plain bearings . and aluminium camshaft bearings . valve tappet buckets . .
I remember an episode of McGiver. He was being chased and ran to a pier with a shed and small boat. But the motor was apart. Now I was believing he could dodge all the bullets. He could make a spark plug by welding a nail to the spark plug tip with a battery and a set of jumper cables. I could believe he could put it all together under fire from the bad guys. But when the two stroke started on the first pull , I yelled BS.
Thanks for the excellent video. I have a 10 HP Johnson that I suspect is well over 50 years old. I'm planning to overhaul it this summer. Right now it is seized. It has been in storage for at least 30 years so I suspect gaskets, rings etc will have to replaced.
Great series . That last shot of you coming in to the dock at sunset , reminded me of sitting on the dock as a kid waiting for my Grandfather to come in from fishing . It even sounded the same. I made a recent perches , I bet my Johnson is older then yours ........................... I was born in 1960. Cheers
fun fact: the reason the rings have the locating nub is actually so they don't catch an end edge on the transfer ports. their orientation to each other, unless perfectly aligned, doesn't actually make much of a difference.
In 4-strokes the rings tend to spin around as the engine runs. People fuss about putting the gaps on opposite sides, but they're unlikely to stay there...
Get the fuel mix wrong and it gets nasty quickly. If you ever loan someone a two stroke buzz saw or anything else make five gallons of fuel mix and tell them if they put there own fuel in the own it. Because it will kill the engine.
Interesting project and a lovely old Johnson outboard. Nice to see it's life extended. Regarding reed valves, they came into general use later so I would be surprised to see them on a 2 stroke from 1952. I first came across them in the 1970's, I think 🤔. I rebuilt a few 2 strokes in the 1960's and none used reeds, including the iconic BSA Bantam engines and Villiers motorcycle engines. If anyone knows of earlier use of reed valves I would love to hear about it.
Clinton and Lawnboy mower engines were using reeds back in the 1950~60's I believe that my 1937 Elgin outboard was also reed inducted. Homelite's little APU generator engines frequently used in American WWII bombers were rotary valve, so piston ported engines weren't some time honored old design, there were many equally old 2 cycle engines running reeds and disc/rotary valves.
My wife asked me the other day what I was doing out in the shed, i told her I was just working on my Johnson, she said ok that’s nice dear. About an hour later she said, but isn’t your engine a Yamaha 😉cheers from Australia 🇦🇺👍
Galvanic corrosion is always such a problem when aluminum and steel come together. Had this problem with some aluminum wheel adapters that were on for what looked like decades.
That was my first outboard when I was six years old. I have had it apart but not to the point you took it. Mine ran great and I even learned to water ski behind it when nine. YOu do a wonderful job with the video
Honestly, would have been much better for the machine if you had oiled the pistons a bit on reentry, but this was a very informative video. Thanks for showing us how you handle your johnson.
I think it's hard to start due to compression being a bit low, would have thought over 100psi at least. Whether this is normal for this engine maybe the service manual might give a spec? With the idle trouble perhaps there is a small air leak in the crankcase, there doesn't seem to be any seals except the brass, if that's a bit worn air/fuel mix could be leaking between cylinders or external. Likely only a pressure and vacuum test will confirm but you could try the method many chainsaw builders use and spray brake cleaner around the crankshaft ends while its running but that might be difficult given the way it mounts
I’m glad to see that contrary to your usual references to seals, no pictures have been added regarding your johnson here! I do have to thank you for this. Much appreciated. 😂
Hey Jon. Wow I never new there was such debate on witch end to add or fill lower unit oil to the Johnson or any outboard motor. I was a Marine mechanic in Miami. The reason we I was fill from the bottom is it's quick and easy. Oil would come in a tube or bulk. We would squeeze the tube or bulk under light pressure until it came out the top. Put your finger over the top hole. Vacuum will hold it in wile you plug the bottom hole then of course put the top plug in. Done. The bottle you were using would require top fill which is fine. Oil in the gearbox top or bottom. Great Videos. Thanks.
Well, this video made me realise that when you can tell the missus you've just spent nearly an hour online watching a man fiddling with his johnson, and she doesn't bat an eyelid, you've probably done too much crazy sh*t over the years, and she's reached the point where nothing surprises her anymore.
I worked for Johnson motors-Outboard marine corporation, OMC,in Waukegan Illinois in the 1970s early 80s and probably honed 10000 plus of the small engine block cylinders running a factory honing machine that honed 2 cylinders at once. Your motor looks like a 6 horse as I remember it. It was fun to to see one again.
To paraphrase: There's an unshielded exhaust port just above the main port. A detonation, delivered by a small thermal charge, will start a chain reaction that should destroy the entire engine. So beware of microscopic enemy fighters entering your Johnson.
I've owned several of those motors, provided they have good compression, and both cylinders are pretty much equal, a few things can be a big help in how fast they start and how strong they idle. First off, be sure the choke plate is fully closing when starting it, second make sure there is no intake or carb base gasket leaks, (I've had to flatten a few carb flanges in the past due to them being warped). Make sure the carb is spot clean, do a proper cleaning and overhaul, and a fresh set of coils, and new points and condensers which will increase magneto voltage and spark. I found that my 1954 Johnson would fire up on the second pull nearly every time once I got the right choke, throttle procedure down with new ignition parts. Original parts are rarely still good. Your engine looks to be in amazing condition overall, those I find here are always salt eaten, seized, broken, or flat out blown up. Compression wise, a good, well lubed cylinder in new condition with seated rings usually gives me 95-110 psi on a Snap On small engine compression gauge with 5 pulls of the rope. When they're at this point they're actually quite hard to pull start. Most I find that run well have between 70 and 90 psi. Yours is just fine that way so no concerns there at all. Worn crank bearings can cause issues in way of a vacuum leak into the crankcase, this too can make for a hard or no start or an engine that refuses to idle. Yours looks pretty good from what I can see. Pressure fuel systems can also be finicky to start, if you find you constantly need to pump up the tank, you may need to deal with rebuilding the tank pump and checking for leaks. On mine, I generally convert over to a pulse pump but my '54 was still running its original fuel system when I sold it last fall.
Awesome again... There must be thousands of those Johnsons out there, just waiting to get back on the water. I heard some overseas company bought out Johnsons years ago....
When in doubt I replaced the plugs. I had a five horse Evinrude as my kicker on my stern drive offshore boat. It did not have to bring my butt in to often but when I needed it, it did. I had it on a mount on the transom that allowed me to raise and lower it into the water. It was a mid ‘50’s Evinrude.
Always enjoy your videos. Reminds me of when I grew up as a kid. My dad and neighbor was always working on engines and rebuilding them. I learned some great tips from you and thank you.
I like this channel. In this video you get your small Johnson working again, in another video you were lubing your gland in front of the camera. I love your humor, Buddy! Tom 😎
As a master marine tech for 46 years: Start & warm the engine. In a test tank or on the water run at high speed & adjust for peak rpm & then richen 1/16 - 1/8 turn. Bring it down to an idle (550) & adjust for smoothest idle while still being able to accelerate quickly without hesitation. That's it. Readjust high speed & then low speed once again. None of this matters if your points don't open EXACTLY 180* off & you have synchronized the throttle opening to the correct ignition advance. My Johnson 5hp will idle @ 475 rpm all day without loading up &/or stalling. These units have a heavy flywheel which enables them to do this. Also noticed you have the new coils (#580416) make sure they are correctly spaced away from the flywheel. Any competent dealer should have the tools & knowledge to do this with precision.
This needs to be bumped up. My grandfather had tge same type of Johnson and from what I remember it ran very well in the 90s
What type of crank seals did this use?
😳 wow I really wish I knew what you just said I recently inherited a motor from my father exactly like this one would love to see it run
Your low speed idle adjustment is on the bottom of the crankcase facing towards you . Of course the high speed is on the top
So I'm a master does that mean I have to call myself a master I've been a master for 50 years what makes you God
This episode brings back many memories. Thanks for doing this 😊
I was in the business as a young tech in the 1960's at a Johnson dealership. We'd see a lot of these motors through the shop as they were pretty well used by that time. So worked on a lot of these old Johnsons. Piston port technology is what this system is called vs reed valves. They both work.
Ring seal is important, but so is crankcase sealing. Those bronze bearings on the crank do two things. They support the crank and they seal the crankcase. Absolutely critical that they fit correctly. Especially the one between the cylinders. You do not want any pulse transfer between cylinders. If that happens you will get hard starting and erratic low speed running.
Also, replace any plated bolts like the head bolts with SS ones and a dab of copper free anti-sieze when you install them. That way you can take them out next time.
The crud in cooling system is because no-one flushed the motor after use in salt water or mineralized pond water or whatever. Flushing helps a lot.
just remember these old engines were designed to run on 24:1 fuel oil ratio. Yeah you can lean the oil a bit, but those plain bearings love oil, not starvation ... And Vaseline is your re-assembly friend. Use liberally 😁
The old style gaskets like Hylomar (RR Aviation Engine gasket prep). Lite spray on both sides, let dry, assemble. Easy peasy and works great.
Great facts & advice!
Nothing like a guy who knows his Johnson, inside & out, and what lube works best on his old unit. Love the Johnson humor!
Worked in a marine workshop first job I had. Use a smear of grease on the head gasket - sealant is for when you are re-using any fiber gasket... Now I'd use TefGel or similar as an anti seize, previously we used the silver non copper type. The old piston port engines don't really develop huge compression, and they won't ever develop full pressure with an automotive tester because they are such small displacement - like any small engine really. Any of the plain bearing engines are relying on a reasonable oil film to provide cushioning between the bearing surfaces, so that's why 25:1 is needed. Something about the sound of those old 3 hp Johnsons, instantly familiar and full of memories. My first outboard was a '65 Johnson seahorse 3 identical apart from being white. I used to have to keep altering the mixture constantly as we would go along, just how those old carbies work I guess. They only have about six moving parts and one of them is the operator so you were expected to understand how to tune the engine depending on what you were doing - nothing like the more modern engines. I guess nobody though dripping fuel into the boat or the water was much of a drama 70 years ago... I reckon I spent 20% of the time pulling the damn thing over, 30% of the time with it in bits and 50% of the time thinking it was the greatest thing a kid could ever have. By the time I was 13 I could fit a new pull rope in about five minutes, reset the points in not much more and service the carby blindfolded and behind my back... Can't imagine any kid today thinking that is a fun thing, but for me - just seemed normal I guess. One day I should pull that thing out of Dad's shed, evict the spiders and get it going again. Think I've still got the bucket of J6J spark plugs with it too...
That engine likely requires 16:1 to provide enough oil to provide the cushion.
Thanks!
Beautiful project, excellent production values. Enjoyed very much.
I restored a 1957 Johnson Seahorse 10hp and your series brought back fond memories.
Unfortunately, I did not attempt to video document the job. The quality you did must have increased your time ba a factor of 10.
Great job.
When my Dad passed, he left behind a 20 hp Mercury (which my son and I rebuilt, yes broken bolts and all....) and an early 1950's Johnson. I remember as a young kid going fishing with the Johnson outboard motor on rental boats at Virginia Beach. My son still has the Mercury outboard. The "Johnson" hangs in my garage as a memorial to my Dad. What great times we had with the "Johnson"....LOL
Glad you added that last word to the title. I wouldn't want people to think you had a two stroke Johnson.
I’m not in the habit of watching a guy work over his Johnson for any length of time, let alone for hours. However, I was fascinated by your performance. I hope you have an even longer Johnson exhibition coming for us.
First time I have watched your videos. You had me cracking up on the Johnson puns. Really a fun video to watch. As a Mercury mechanic I wish that the Mercury certification videos were half as much fun to watch as yours. As a mechanic you will not see me commenting on how you do things. We all learned somewhere and somehow. You have good mechanical intuition and really that’s all it takes. I learned from my failures way better than my successes and there are many different ways about it all. I have found that yes there are times I have to do it the way Mercury states due to design characteristics but most times it’s just a matter of getting it back together without screwing stuff up and however you get there is the right way!!!😉
"Keep your Johnson in a vise." Well played. Well played.
A nice nod to a certain AvE Canadian.
His Johnson has nipples!
That advice sounds questionable. That being said your Johnson is green and mine is not
I'm waiting for someone to say their Johnson has way more than two strokes 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Tapping on bolts and nuts to shock them helps break loose fasteners. Also, tighten just a bit first. Both are tricks I learned as a kid growing up on a small dairy farm. My cousin was a mechanic for years. He told me impact tools help to break loose fasteners because of their hammering effect. I also learned online a "machinist's " trick for dissimilar metals. Use heat and melt candle wax into the threads as you heat area around the bolt. The paraffin soaks in to lubricate instead of burning off like other penetrating oils do. So far, this has worked great for me.
I've used the heating and candle wax trick on removing broken exhaust manifold studs and bolts. Works like charm
Mind-blowing on so many levels. The 1950's engineering was simple and elegant. And how you remember where are those damn parts go on reassembly is beyond me. You really know your Johnson well.
I'm blown away because it has even less parts than a land mower
Any competent mechanic can work on his Johnson in the dark
That's why while recording everything takes time with the setup and all, overall it can be very beneficial since you can rewatch the video to find out what went where and how.
@@webmasaleOMC made those seahorses into mowers: Lawnboy was also their brand and were great machines.
I have this same motor, made in 1952. I need to get her back up and running. Way back in the day, almost 30 years ago, I got it from my grandfather. Had to replace the ignition components. Ran her for a couple of years and gaskets in lower unit went out. Back then you pretty much had to make your own gaskets, not these smears. I need to get her back up and running
You must be a relative of Musti, a small engine wonder. That doubleentendre that you both have keeps me in tears! We’ll keep polishing your shaft until the crank is totally rid of burrs!
Mustie
I love the Johnson series. But my comment is about the chainsaw series. I taught my husband how to "properly" cut 2 posts. I taught him about getting the bar stuck. And all of the stuff I learned from your videos. I was so darn excited! I remembered all the important stuff. And now my husband knows too!
Dang it, you hooked me again! That was 50 minutes of pure fix-it bliss. Thanks for producing such great videos!
I don't think I've ever enjoyed watching a man put rings on his Johnson so much in my life! Fantastic videos, loved them all!
Well, some folks prefer to have a good set of rings on their preferred Johnson.
New rings on your Johnson will help especially if the walls are worn
Holy Cow, I wish I had stumbled onto your video of this a couple weeks ago!!! I am trying to get my Dad's 1940 Johnson LT-10 (5hp) motor running again, after being put away around 1963. My Dad took my brother and me fishing often when we were little kids back in the 50's and early 60's, renting a boat and putting that motor on it. After he passed in 93, I got the motor and stored it ever since. Being retired now, I decided to make it a project to get it running again, but the pistons are frozen in. I am learning how it works by just disassembling it, without a service guide, or even a user's guide. One of the piston crowns is damaged trying to get it unfrozen. I had "assumed" the crank had journals pushing the pistons the same direction (like my old 1958 Norton Nomad twin cylinder motorcycle engine), as the pistons are frozen in exactly the same positions in the cylinders. Now I realize my catastrophic mistake was that assumption, and tried pushing both pistons out at the same time..... pitting them against each other. So, I am hoping to find a source for a replacement piston, or possibly try welding the crack up in the one I damaged. Had I been able to watch your video, I would have realized the crank had the pistons going opposite directions. Interestingly, this engine I have looks exactly like yours, its disassembly is the same, and even the piston crowns look identical. I also am posting my efforts on my little TH-cam channel. Might you know of any sources for parts (even used) for these old motors?? Thank you for this video! I am watching it now taking notes for my rebuild efforts, and as I search to source some parts.
those of us that watch at 2x have been only watching you work on your Johnson for half an hour, but twice as vigorously.
When are you boys going to realize that we want you to take your time when working with your Johnson.
What's the hurry?
Ha! Work on yer Johnson! Vigorously!😂😅
What about us that watch at 1/4 speed?
I enjoyed watching the tear down of your outboard motor. Most people would love to have a two-stroke Johnson, but not a two-stroke Johnson that gives you all kinds of trouble. At least your Johnson isn't dead.
My Johnson hasn't worked in years. My mechanic gave me a miracle gas to make it run but it ran for over 4 hours and nothing I didn't would turn it off. That definitely can't be good for my Johnson.
Jokes aside nice vid, always nice to see a mechanic, amateur or professional, work on their own stuff.
My Johnson still works at 70 years old had me rolling on the floor and got my subscription 😁 literally started watching the whole Johnson series lol
You can use zip ties to snug the rings in on small pistons instead of ring compressors to help ease them in. Cheap, readily available and non scratching.
That is a top tip
That will not work
@@trxtech3010 it most certainly does!! Have you ever tried it? I have done it dozens of times.
@@Mad.Man.Marine There is no way. I been assembling engines for many years, as soon as it come out of the zip tie it will expand to much to go into the culinder. I feel like he made what a "Good idea" and didn't think it through to well... I will try your idea next time i need to install pistons and see how it works to give you guys the benifit of the doubt.
I used a hose clamp to achieve this, worked a treat!
I remember years ago a mechanic told me that most of the old engines were made to run on a greater amount of oil in the mix. The newer oils that are a learner ratio put pressure on the bearing surfaces which causes galling of the metals. The lines in the bores are proof of a lean oil mix. Also, when an engine has sat for some time taking out the spark plugs and spraying oil into the cylinders prevents a lot of issues. This is what makes sense and old mechanics know from experience and school of hard knocks. Hope old man snyder rests in peace and my God bless his soul, Amen. Peace to you fella, vf
It's just like us old buggers. Takes a lot of pulling and pumping to get us started. Usually a lot of backfiring too. And sometimes we leak a bit, but it's ok. We still work just fine, even after all these years. :-)
I wish my Johnson still worked. I had a lot of fun putting it through it''s paces when it did work.
I think the fact that a 70+ year old 5 h.p. outboard motor is still running is pretty awesome. As others who know more than I do regarding these types of engines have said, points and spark plugs aren’t new and neither are the ignition wires. I’m impressed either way. A working Johnson at that age is definitely a bonus.😳🙄🤔🤓👍👍
That’s the most detailed video I’ve ever watched about another man’s Johnson!
I enjoy your humour.
It is a bit warped but need that from time to time. I used to make screws and rivets and is a lost art. We made rivets for brake pads. I haven't done that work in 40 years a d still have my hearing.
I've changed my work a few times to include glazing and electronics repair.
I switched my hobbies to include Amateur Radio and fishing.
I learned long ago when your job closes to find other work and learn another trade.
I have some rivets I used to manufacture 24x5 mm. It's an lost art.
Keep up all your repair videos and humour.
You may only have a small Johnson but I'm so glad to see you got it working again. I'm sure your wife is happy too.
It's only a 2 stroke, so not sure how happy the wife would be
If you though there were valves you probably use gas without two stroke oil. So you scratched the cilinder. If you continue using gas without oil you will blow your engine.
@@markgriz 2 stroke has more power at high rpm so i bet his wife would be quite happy with it, she might feel like the johnson is running in centrifugal mode
Some two strokes have reed valves in the crankcase.
My dad bought this exact model Johnson from "the junk shop" (what he used to call it). He loved going into that place. He paid $25 for it and it ran great. In 1969, he let me and my younger brothers play with it (I was 15) out in a lake (Lake Susan in Florida) while mounted to a row boat. We were on a family vacation and renting a little cottage, Mom, Dad and the three boys. Dad could now go fishing in his 15' Alumicraft while us kids played. Well, the motor got a little loose on the transom, off she came and into the drink while running full speed. We dragged the lake using a grappling hook pulled behind the Alumicraft for many hours but never found or got it back. I still have the rubber handle that came off as I held onto it tightly. A childhood memory I'll always cherish.
As for removing those head blots; I broke one off on my Yamaha 115 horse, (water jacket cover) the same way you did- with a ratchet wrench and socket. The mechanic at the marina said to always use a 3/8 drive air (impact) wrench on them, otherwise you will twist the bolts off. That went against my thinking... I always thought using the impact wrench would twist them off, but he said no, it's the impact affect (the rapid hammering) that breaks them loose. Thanks for making the videos- I've watched them all and that engine brought back fond memories of both joy and sorrow.
I just have to say that all this talk about your Johnson is very EvinRUDE! Great video as always. Keep up the good work.
I'm sure all the Johnson references, jokes, and innuendo's are lost on a lot of people who perhaps are from other countries, or have led sheltered lives, but I found all of them humorous. Rebuilding of the engine was good too.
It has to feel great to succesfully diagnose problems, fix them and have a good running result ! Very fun to watch this series.
I love those old OMC outboards (Johnson, evinrude etc). When used properly, they are very reliable, easy starting and smooth running outboards. I have had many 3...10hp models. Having sleeve bearings, it requires much more oil (something like 1:20) compared to newer engines which are good with 1:50...1:100. Good work you have done!
Congrats on getting your Johnson working again! More power! Having fiddly carburetion may mean you have a worn throttle shaft causing air leak(s), or other air leaks where any two pieces join around the crankcase. Use an oil can to place drops around various junctions with the engine running; if RPM changes, you've found a leak.
Oil works, but I find any type of burnable liquid works as well. We always have cans of brake clean around our shop, so it gets the most use.
@@jakem5339 True, that'll work, but brakleen could rinse lubrication from bearings/cylinders, and oil won't hurt things - particularly if using 2-Cycle oil, which will burn clean.
and if you do find that an issue you could try to fit O rings to both ends of throttle shaft to seal them up
A broken Johnson is no good to man or beast. 😉
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I grew up living on Greenwood Lake at the Jersey end and recovered two engines that had fallen off of the transom due to clamp failure (happens more than not) as a consequence I've learned to tie a rope behind the outboard engine so that if the clamps fail or come loose from vibration the fail-safe is the rope around the back of the engine. Great video thumbs up.
It's always a good idea to keep your Johnson well lubricated!
Lol
This video is a gift that keeps on giving in terms of Johnson jokes
Indeed.
And of course his Johnson has nipples. lol
Tru dat... tru dat...!
Pumping! grinding! Johnson! lubricating shafts! this show should be X rated. Its been great, cheers FarmCraft.
This is the only channel which I'll watch some dude work on his Johnson, not gonna lie.
Say thank you so much, when I took the crank shaft cover I noticed a fine paper gasket. After getting it all cleaned up, I was getting ready to order my gaskets for my Johnson 9.5 and looking through my service manual I could not see any gasket for the crank cover (no matter where I looked; none.)
I thought that's odd, it had been about 10 years the last time I over haled one of these outboard motors and had forgotten all about no gasket on crank cover, so I started looking a TH-cam videos and got lucky running into your video. You saved my a ton of headaches; Gracias, very helpful.
I have no intention on working on a Johnson, but I couldn't help watching all the videos of you doing so. Well done sir!
ALL I CAN SAY IS YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST PATIENT MEN I HAVE EVER SEEN.....I WOULD HAVE BEEN CUSSING AND THROWING THINGS WHEN THINGS DON'T WORK OUT ,,JUST SAYIN
Piston ported, same as all modern chainsaws and outdoor power equipment. Some Bikes and snow mobiles use reed valves, some much older chainsaws
I'm gettin old, and my Johnson could use a rebuid also... It's getting tired.
It's a big bore, long stroke series, and has NEVER failed me. It still gets up and goes for long periods of time, it's just not as stong as it once was.
The thing has been used and abused, ridden hard and put away wet, but it has served me well for a half a century.... 👌
I’ve watched a lot of vintage outboard videos and this was my #1 most enjoyed, informative. I like that it was thorough on specs and how too’s. Video showed virtually every step.. I’d like to see a heck of alot more on vintage outboard if that day comes great! If not excellent job, great sense of humour, clear to understand just greatly appreciated this video sir . Rare to see this thoroughness, I hope someone helped with tuneup for starting to running.. love to see more!
THX!!
as someone with no experience in working on motors or mechanical work in general, this trilogy has been very informative on how to handle our Johnsons!
It's hard to say without re-watching some of the earlier videos when you had it out on the pond, but I think it sounds better than it did. Lots of memories. My family was still using one of these at our cottage in the mid 70's when I was a kid, and I have recollections of my dad or uncle needing to tighten/loosen the high and low speed screws a lot to keep the engine running or to restart it especially at low speeds or at idle.
I am not the type of guy to talk about another man’s Johnson but, yours is pretty nice! Really nice condition for it’s age.
Glad to see you and your Johnson™ are back to motorboating!
My hat is off to you sir. I have rebuilt many ,many snowmobile engines and personally, I hated working on boat engines. They are a different animal all together and required specialized equipment that I hate to fabricate. I hated having boats sitting around my yard waiting for me to fix the damn things. Eventually I just said no more. I know there is monety in boat engine repairs but I decided after a year of screwing with them, I had enough. The guy that instructed me on small engines got into PWC's or jet ski repair and decided to run with it. He let me work on the lawn equipment and snowmobiles while he concentrated on the PWC's. I have quit working on snowmobiles and limit what I repair any more.
Wow, that's a beautiful engine. Thanks for sharing your Johnson with all of us.
I do have to say I am very proud of you working on your Johnson by hand like a real man and you got'er done I can't stop being watching your videos hopefully more innuendos on the way
I always enjoy seeing your Johnson. Thanks for showing us and thanks for the great content!
When checking compression always open the throttle to wide open to get an accurate reading. Great video on this old girl.
Awesome... takes me back a number of years... My father had one like it when I was a kid... Did you open up the gas cap vent when you run it? (the small silver screw at the center) You close it for storage/transport so it doesn't leak, but you open it so the tank can get air for the fuel to flow to the carb. If you don't it will keep changing the mixture on you as it takes fuel out of the tank. You cleaned the carb I know, but maybe the needle valves/seats need a slight polish so they meter consistently.
without turning it open it starves itself
My dad bought a Johnson 7.5hp in 1956 and it ran great without any problems until it was sold in 2010. They are great motors.
Definitely loved your video! I collect these outboards just for wall hangers. Now I feel allot more confident to work on them once I've watch this. ( another 15 times) great how you explain everything you do during the process. Thanks again.
Had a matching pair of 1960 Johnson "Big Twin" 40hp outboards that I rebuilt.. more than once. It's amazing how little difference there is between this little guy and the larger brethren. The moment I saw that keyed taper for the flywheel and coils underneath.. I felt sick to my stomach.
I also learned a valuable lesson- Do NOT lean those out very much to get more rpm/power out of them, you'll spew needle bearings and they'll end up embedded in the heads ...... ask me how I know.
Always seal the head of your johnson, You don't want it leaking when you're thrusting your way through a swamp
Since you used the air hammer.. I'm about to make you buy a tool you didn't know existed. It's from the airplane world. It's an air hammer bit with a square drive for a socket, and a big hex (or handle, depending on brand). You put the airhammer bit in, right sized socket, wrench on the airhammer bit, then zap it. The impacts from the air hammer rattle the bolt (like you did), but allows you to put tension to remove the bolt as it gets airhammered! They have a few names 'air hammer bolt breaker', or "air hammer shake n' break", "air hammer bolt buster" etc. They are worth their weight in GOLD, especially on things that are rusty! They're available in 3/8" and 1/2" drive, some have a big hex machined onto them so you can use your own open/closed end wrench, or some have a handle built in. I have the hex style and think it's better IMO. You just rattle the bolt with the air hammer while putting some weight on the wrench, and it just backs it right out. Works amazingly well for corrosion, paint, thread locker, thread sealant, etc. It's pretty much magic! IMO it works better with thicker sockets than thinner ones, but I haven't broke even a thin wall 3/8" chrome before, but it will ding it up some. It's worth it though!
this has been an entertaining series. I have learned quite a lot.
Marvellous mini series. I know nothing about engines or mechanics, but this was so educational. Thanks for all your efforts, it's appreciated.
Thank you crew for all the Johnson jokes. Back to work, I would recheck the float or get a replacement and then check the float level. Check high & low speed the needle valves for a ridge or groove from being tightened too hard in the past. Also as suggested below check for any air leakage around the throttle shaft. It is likely the magnets in the flywheel have lost strength in 70 years so a very close air gap is essential.
I've been reading all the comments and finally found the advice one that sounds good lol
Modern gaskets that have a shiny black appearance or brown shiney are precoated with sealant. Yours absolutely should have the aviation form a gasket just as you did. Great Job.
Just came upon this series. Absolutely Fantastic! Thank you so damn much for doing this! So so informative and filmed and edited perfect 👍. I have 2 of these I’m ready to tear into and this was the motivation I needed. This video series is gonna help a lot of people! Thanks again. Subscribed!
I'm glad you got your Johnson all polished up and ready for some fun on the water! Two stokes four strokes they are all great when they're running.
What a great project! I have enjoyed it and re-learned a lot of basic mechanic's principles. Thank you for a great series.
believe it or not, I had a similar 50 something year model Evinrude that ran just like your Johnson, all the spitting and the like...very much the same as yours, dual points and all....When I heard yours the first time you ran it, it brought back some old memories....I used to put it on a 14' aluminum boat and fish the Chattahoochie River and Lake Seminole on the Alabama / Georgia/ Florida border. Good times catching big bluegills, shellcrackers and crappies
Typically when there are reed valves in a 2 stroke it’s because the intake is located in the crank case but in your case it’s on the cylinder and so the piston works as a valve there
75 year old ex Donnington GT championship winner .. modified and serviced my own race engines .. Flexhones are brilliant. I have used them on brake cylinder bores plain bearings . and aluminium camshaft bearings . valve tappet buckets . .
I remember an episode of McGiver. He was being chased and ran to a pier with a shed and small boat. But the motor was apart.
Now I was believing he could dodge all the bullets. He could make a spark plug by welding a nail to the spark plug tip with a battery and a set of jumper cables.
I could believe he could put it all together under fire from the bad guys. But when the two stroke started on the first pull , I yelled BS.
Thanks for the excellent video. I have a 10 HP Johnson that I suspect is well over 50 years old. I'm planning to overhaul it this summer. Right now it is seized. It has been in storage for at least 30 years so I suspect gaskets, rings etc will have to replaced.
I couldn't hope for a better way to end this miserable week, thank you!
Great series . That last shot of you coming in to the dock at sunset , reminded me of sitting on the dock as a kid waiting for my Grandfather to come in from fishing . It even sounded the same. I made a recent perches , I bet my Johnson is older then yours ........................... I was born in 1960. Cheers
fun fact: the reason the rings have the locating nub is actually so they don't catch an end edge on the transfer ports. their orientation to each other, unless perfectly aligned, doesn't actually make much of a difference.
another fun fact the rings are known as pinned
In 4-strokes the rings tend to spin around as the engine runs. People fuss about putting the gaps on opposite sides, but they're unlikely to stay there...
@@nerd1000ify That's why God invented Total Seal gapless rings.
Saved me typing that fun fact.
Get the fuel mix wrong and it gets nasty quickly. If you ever loan someone a two stroke buzz saw or anything else make five gallons of fuel mix and tell them if they put there own fuel in the own it. Because it will kill the engine.
Thanks for this Johnson series….. Very interesting piston crown design for separation and management of the intake and exhaust gasses.
Interesting project and a lovely old Johnson outboard. Nice to see it's life extended.
Regarding reed valves, they came into general use later so I would be surprised to see them on a 2 stroke from 1952. I first came across them in the 1970's, I think 🤔. I rebuilt a few 2 strokes in the 1960's and none used reeds, including the iconic BSA Bantam engines and Villiers motorcycle engines.
If anyone knows of earlier use of reed valves I would love to hear about it.
yes bagpipes and as said zero on the old villiers and similar British 2strokes they knew how r to build them
Clinton and Lawnboy mower engines were using reeds back in the 1950~60's I believe that my 1937 Elgin outboard was also reed inducted. Homelite's little APU generator engines frequently used in American WWII bombers were rotary valve, so piston ported engines weren't some time honored old design, there were many equally old 2 cycle engines running reeds and disc/rotary valves.
My wife asked me the other day what I was doing out in the shed, i told her I was just working on my Johnson, she said ok that’s nice dear. About an hour later she said, but isn’t your engine a Yamaha 😉cheers from Australia 🇦🇺👍
Galvanic corrosion is always such a problem when aluminum and steel come together. Had this problem with some aluminum wheel adapters that were on for what looked like decades.
That was my first outboard when I was six years old. I have had it apart but not to the point you took it. Mine ran great and I even learned to water ski behind it when nine. YOu do a wonderful job with the video
Honestly, would have been much better for the machine if you had oiled the pistons a bit on reentry, but this was a very informative video. Thanks for showing us how you handle your johnson.
best 1hr I've spent = very interested & informative with great content . Bravo
I think it's hard to start due to compression being a bit low, would have thought over 100psi at least. Whether this is normal for this engine maybe the service manual might give a spec?
With the idle trouble perhaps there is a small air leak in the crankcase, there doesn't seem to be any seals except the brass, if that's a bit worn air/fuel mix could be leaking between cylinders or external. Likely only a pressure and vacuum test will confirm but you could try the method many chainsaw builders use and spray brake cleaner around the crankshaft ends while its running but that might be difficult given the way it mounts
90 is good for these 50s 3 hps. Mines running great on 60psi
I must say your expertise in playing with your Johnson astonishs me. 😀
I was beginning to think you were sick but then at 1:36 “playing with your johnson”
finally appeared and balance was restored in the world again!😆
I’m glad to see that contrary to your usual references to seals, no pictures have been added regarding your johnson here!
I do have to thank you for this. Much appreciated. 😂
Fantastic job! It’s been fun watching this whole series!
Hey Jon. Wow I never new there was such debate on witch end to add or fill lower unit oil to the Johnson or any outboard motor.
I was a Marine mechanic in Miami.
The reason we I was fill from the bottom is it's quick and easy. Oil would come in a tube or bulk. We would squeeze the tube or bulk under light pressure until it came out the top. Put your finger over the top hole. Vacuum will hold it in wile you plug the bottom hole then of course put the top plug in. Done. The bottle you were using would require top fill which is fine. Oil in the gearbox top or bottom.
Great Videos.
Thanks.
Well, this video made me realise that when you can tell the missus you've just spent nearly an hour online watching a man fiddling with his johnson, and she doesn't bat an eyelid, you've probably done too much crazy sh*t over the years, and she's reached the point where nothing surprises her anymore.
Excellent
I worked for Johnson motors-Outboard marine corporation, OMC,in Waukegan Illinois in the 1970s early 80s and probably honed 10000 plus of the small engine block cylinders running a factory honing machine that honed 2 cylinders at once. Your motor looks like a 6 horse as I remember it. It was fun to to see one again.
To paraphrase: There's an unshielded exhaust port just above the main port. A detonation, delivered by a small thermal charge, will start a chain reaction that should destroy the entire engine. So beware of microscopic enemy fighters entering your Johnson.
'This is not the Johnson you are looking for'
I've owned several of those motors, provided they have good compression, and both cylinders are pretty much equal, a few things can be a big help in how fast they start and how strong they idle. First off, be sure the choke plate is fully closing when starting it, second make sure there is no intake or carb base gasket leaks, (I've had to flatten a few carb flanges in the past due to them being warped).
Make sure the carb is spot clean, do a proper cleaning and overhaul, and a fresh set of coils, and new points and condensers which will increase magneto voltage and spark.
I found that my 1954 Johnson would fire up on the second pull nearly every time once I got the right choke, throttle procedure down with new ignition parts. Original parts are rarely still good.
Your engine looks to be in amazing condition overall, those I find here are always salt eaten, seized, broken, or flat out blown up. Compression wise, a good, well lubed cylinder in new condition with seated rings usually gives me 95-110 psi on a Snap On small engine compression gauge with 5 pulls of the rope. When they're at this point they're actually quite hard to pull start. Most I find that run well have between 70 and 90 psi. Yours is just fine that way so no concerns there at all.
Worn crank bearings can cause issues in way of a vacuum leak into the crankcase, this too can make for a hard or no start or an engine that refuses to idle. Yours looks pretty good from what I can see.
Pressure fuel systems can also be finicky to start, if you find you constantly need to pump up the tank, you may need to deal with rebuilding the tank pump and checking for leaks.
On mine, I generally convert over to a pulse pump but my '54 was still running its original fuel system when I sold it last fall.
My johnson doesn't want to play anymore :(
This isn't even a joke, I think I have an actual problem. Guess I should take the final upload about the Johnson project as a sign to go to the doctor
update, johnson is up and running again
@@punktkomma9489❤
Ok. You're officially in Beavis and Butthead territory in this video. Glad you've gotten your Johnson fix.
He really is a do it himself kinda guy
Only two stroke- hee hee haw! Laugh my self crazy.
I enjoy watching you putz with your Johnson, I know it may be hard at times but please keep it up! And the jokes too
Ya dont need a bigger boat, ya need a bigger Johnson.
Awesome again... There must be thousands of those Johnsons out there, just waiting to get back on the water. I heard some overseas company bought out Johnsons years ago....
Was one Johnson joke short of demonetization lol
Had some great memories using a 3 horse seahorse!! Loved seeing one again
When in doubt I replaced the plugs. I had a five horse Evinrude as my kicker on my stern drive offshore boat. It did not have to bring my butt in to often but when I needed it, it did. I had it on a mount on the transom that allowed me to raise and lower it into the water. It was a mid ‘50’s Evinrude.
Always enjoy your videos. Reminds me of when I grew up as a kid. My dad and neighbor was always working on engines and rebuilding them. I learned some great tips from you and thank you.
I like this channel.
In this video you get your small Johnson working again,
in another video you were lubing your gland in front of the camera.
I love your humor, Buddy!
Tom 😎