1956-57 johnson Evinrude parts interchangability

[kgoose52]

Hello all you gurus and thanks in advance for your help. I am new to boating and to outboards. I recently bought a 1959 Richline boat and it has a 1959 Mercury 55E 40hp. (will sell or part out in the near future ) Since i am not a rich man and have found that both availability as well as price for old Merc parts is something to be desired. I decided to switch my choice to the Evinrude/Johnson line. I recently bought a Johnson Javelin RJE-18c that i believe is a 1956 motor. Unfortunately i realized it is seized, the gearcase shifts well and overall the motor is in good shape. The plugs looked decent and even the plug wires are solid and without any cracking or heat damage. I thought i would be able to get a powerhead rebuild kit somewhere but that is not the case.
So here are my questions..
1) i see on ebay a couple powerheads available one evinrude 30 hp and a johnson 30. the model on the johnson is a RDL-18c will either of these fit my motor.
2) there is also a golden javelin powerhead available 35 hp, would this fit the gearcase of a regular javelin.

 

[kgoose52]

I have a service manual coming for this motor is there anyway to un-seize this motor? and if so what should i do to get it solid and running .

 

[Chinewalker]

The Johnson RDL-18 powerhead will bolt right up - same powerhead. Any 1956 Johnson or Evinrude 30hp powerhead will work.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any reason why a completely dressed 1957 35hp powerhead wouldn't work, too. You'd need the entire thing to make it work correctly, though...

Out of curiosity, why don't you want to get the Merc going? Is it rough? If it is basically a healthy motor, it really isn't that hard to get going. A steeper learning curve than the Johnsons & Evinrudes, but well worth the effort.

 

[kgoose52]

Well i have not even tried starting the Merc cause i heard horror stories about frying it due to water pump. The motor has not been started in at least 10 years i would guess. thats the last time the boat was registered here in colorado. Overall i think the motor is in great shape. I rewired everything under the cowel since heat destroyed the wire insulation. It turns freely and i can turn it over by rotating the prop with motor in gear. I think i was scared off by parts cost. i was trying to get a new impeller but understand i need a tool to even change that. ? And when you say the entire powerhead on the golden what do you mean ?

 

[Chinewalker]

A fully dressed powerhead for the Golden Javelin. Carb, magneto, flywheel, cylinder head, the whole shebang.

I like both styles of motors, Mercs and Johnrudes. Both have their quirks you'll have to learn, the Merc just seems to have more of them. Yes, some Merc parts are more expensive than similar OMC parts, but it goes both way. You'll get sticker shock when you go to replace a clutch dog on your Johnson. Waterpumps are too bad to do, either. A spanner wrench with pins is all you really need to get the cover off. Some folks have modified Crescent wrenches to accomplish the same thing. Any motor can fry with a bad water pump.

FYI - NEVER rotate a motor over by the prop! Good way to become known as K-Goose 9 Fingers!

 

[kgoose52]

Lol well I am crazy..But not stupid. When I rotated the prop no plugs ,and wires unattached. But thanks much for your help. I may have a jewel sitting in the garage for all I know. I will send a few pictures of the project in question. I read I should drop the lower case to see if my seized motor is actually a seized gearbox. Is that a good start. The motor would not turn at all at first but it has been soaking in oil and I can get a little wiggle out of the flywheel now. And if the gearbox was seized would it still turn in neutral?

 

[kbait]

Pull lower unit to determine what is actually stuck. Could easily be pinion gear bearings..especially if gearcase is empty or has water.