1956 5.5 hp johnson

baconbiscut

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jul 11, 2006
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356
I have a 1956 5.5hp johnson that i just got from my uncle in the mail today. i have no idea how to mix fuel and gas thats something usualy my dad dose beacause i was 3-4 when we had our boat now i,m 12 and have my own little v-hulled fishing boat and i have no clue on how to get on the water. nothing needs to be fixed so all i need to do is mix the fuel wich i don't now how to do please explain thanks
 

coleman kayak1

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Aug 8, 2005
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Re: 1956 5.5 hp johnson

Glad to be of assistance.
Well first you'll need some two stroke oil. Make sure it says on the container somewhere TC-W3. This is basically a rating of oil that says it meets minimum requirements.
Then you'll have to mix it with gas. There should be a chart on the back of the bottle that says ratios and amount of oil to be added. The ratio for your motor is 24:1.

So then,following the chart, get the gas (regular should be fine) and pour the amount of oil in there. Next shake the tank (make sure caps tight) so it will mix. Should be good to go. Let me know if u need any more help.
 

Xcusme

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Apr 21, 2003
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Re: 1956 5.5 hp johnson

And NEVER start your motor out of water. Run it on the boat at the lake OR in a barrel filled with water half way up the leg. The water is needed to cool the motor as it's running. Without the water, the motor will overheat and be destroyed.

Because the motor hasn't been run in many years, it would be best to change the water pump in your motor. It's not a hard job to fix the water pump but you should have a service manual to show you how to do it. Perhaps your local library will have a service manual for your motor. The manual has pictures and shows you step by step, how to change the pump.
 

baconbiscut

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jul 11, 2006
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Re: 1956 5.5 hp johnson

well thanks for the help.I found out from my uncle they ran the motor 10 years on a trip to his cottage and he said it ran great.and 46 years defore that it spent alot of its life in the basement.and after the trip they put it right back into the basement.Any way the carb is in fine condition . The seals and tubes are looking great. Now heres the next problem. can you guys explain to me how to use a pressure from past expierience
 

Paul Moir

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Nov 5, 2002
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6,847
Re: 1956 5.5 hp johnson

It's pretty simple. First, unlike a modern outboard, you must close the tank so no air can escape by screwing down the gas cap. Then pump the little primer knob on the tank until it's firm - this feeds fuel into the carburetor so you can start the motor. Then set the choke so the choke plate is closed, and pull the pull starter. If it starts and dies, open the choke and pull a couple more times.

Once the engine is running, pressure from the crankcase is fed into the tank, which in turn pushes fuel up into the carburetor. When you're done for the day you should release the pressure from the tank by cracking open the gas cap slightly.

Allow me to re-inforce what Xcusme said, the water pump needs to be serviced at least every few seasons just like any other outboard. This is critical to the survival of the engine, since overheating will very quickly destroy an engine. Once you've seen it start, it should be the very next service you perform on it before pressing it into service.

Have a look at PROCEDURE here:
Tom Travis' 5.5hp website
Tom is very concerned about pressure tanks, but I don't see them as a problem as long as they're maintained in good condition. Check the hose for signs of cracks, and the tank shouldn't be allowed to go rusty.
 

tmcalavy

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 29, 2001
Messages
4,005
Re: 1956 5.5 hp johnson

You can get a fuel mix bottle at Wally world and elsewhere for about $4 that shows u exactly how much oil to use for many different oil:gas ratios. Handy to have.
 

baconbiscut

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jul 11, 2006
Messages
356
Re: 1956 5.5 hp johnson

coleman said:
Glad to be of assistance.
Well first you'll need some two stroke oil. Make sure it says on the container somewhere TC-W3. This is basically a rating of oil that says it meets minimum requirements.
Then you'll have to mix it with gas. There should be a chart on the back of the bottle that says ratios and amount of oil to be added. The ratio for your motor is 24:1.

So then,following the chart, get the gas (regular should be fine) and pour the amount of oil in there. Next shake the tank (make sure caps tight) so it will mix. Should be good to go. Let me know if u need any more help.[/quot I need help. I bought a bottle of the oil you recomended and i looked on the back of the bottle and it said 1:16 1:32 ect.but no 24:1. Or could 24:1 be wrong. please please help
 

baconbiscut

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jul 11, 2006
Messages
356
Re: 1956 5.5 hp johnson

I'm sorry the motor is a CD-12 model it was maid in 1955
 

Paul Moir

Admiral
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Nov 5, 2002
Messages
6,847
Re: 1956 5.5 hp johnson

24:1 is correct for that engine. Some engines - including yours I believe - used to run 16:1 but they changed them all to 24:1 in the early 60s as oil got better.

24:1 is 1 quart of oil for 6 gallons of gas. If you're outside the US, we normally go by 40ml of oil for each litre of gas since gas is sold by the litre.

At 24:1 you would put in 5.3 oz for each gallon of gas. Or simply rounding:

1 gallon gas = 5 oz oil
2 gallon = 11 oz oil
3 gallon = 16 oz
4 gallon = 21 oz
5 gallon = 27 oz
6 gallon = 32 oz (or one quart)

Some TC-W3 oil bottles have a stripe on the side so you can see through to the oil. They let you accurately measure the amount of oil you're taking out of them since the stripe is marked in oz. I always get them for my smaller motors.
 
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