1960 Johnson 40HP

[the teacher]

Hello everyone, I have been using your forum for a few months now and have found a lot of help by just searching and reading but now I have to ask for help!

I have a RDS 22 and it has been giving headaches, first time out I bought a new gas tank and that was faulty, so out it went and back to the old, back out we went, ran good for the 15 - 20 minutes we ran it full throttle, ran it again for about the same amount of time yesterday, ran good,put another new tank in it < I KNOW THIS ONE IS GOOD > took it out today and opened it up and after a few minutes she started bogging down and surging, I switched tanks and it was doing the same thing. It runs great in no wake zone and at half throttle but not when it's open.

PLEASE HELP and thanks

 

[F_R]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

Hello everyone, I have been using your forum for a few months now and have found a lot of help by just searching and reading but now I have to ask for help!

I have a RDS 22 and it has been giving headaches, first time out I bought a new gas tank and that was faulty, so out it went and back to the old, back out we went, ran good for the 15 - 20 minutes we ran it full throttle, ran it again for about the same amount of time yesterday, ran good,put another new tank in it < I KNOW THIS ONE IS GOOD > took it out today and opened it up and after a few minutes she started bogging down and surging, I switched tanks and it was doing the same thing. It runs great in no wake zone and at half throttle but not when it's open.

PLEASE HELP and thanks

I guess you have figured out by now that it isn't a tank problem. When it is surging, can you make it take off and run better by squeezing the primer bulb? If it does, could be a bad fuel pump.

Could also be an ignition problem and not related to the fuel at all. Start with the simple stuff-----spark plugs! Not so simple----bad coils. Extremely common on motors that age. Unless they have already been replaced.

 

[the teacher]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

Thanks FR,

ok I'm a idiot when it comes to outboards and here is some proof, what does the ignition have to do with the running process ? I want to say that I did try to prime it but I truly do not remember if I did or just thought about it, I know I checked the plugs, and I don't know why I didn't just replace them but I will now.

I forgot to mention that the motor had been sitting for at least 4 / 5 years, I don't know if that makes any difference or has any bearing on it at all.

 

[F_R]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

Thanks FR,

ok I'm a idiot when it comes to outboards and here is some proof, what does the ignition have to do with the running process ? I want to say that I did try to prime it but I truly do not remember if I did or just thought about it, I know I checked the plugs, and I don't know why I didn't just replace them but I will now.

I forgot to mention that the motor had been sitting for at least 4 / 5 years, I don't know if that makes any difference or has any bearing on it at all.

See, the words "bogging and surging" are so commonly used and vague that it really doesn't tell us much. It COULD indicate lack of fuel or dirty carburetor, especially since it has been sitting so long.

However, It is my experience and firm belief that most carburetor trouble....isn't. That, coupled with the knowledge of the infamous cracked coils of the era, instantly makes me consider the ignition possibility. 90% of novices with cracked coils will tear into the carburetor in an effort to fix it. Of course it does no good, and often makes the situation worse when they screw it up.

To answer your question, ignition problems will make it misfire on one or both cylinders. When just one, it loses the horsepower provided by that cylinder ("bogs down"). There is much more to the ignition system than just coils. Breaker points, condensers, spark plugs, spark plug wires, kill wires, contaminated with grease,.........

 

[the teacher]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

FR

Ok my bogging and surging is as if you are in and out of the throttle,
give it full throttle then almost kill it, then full open to half, back and forth, runs hard for a few seconds then back down.

 

[lindy46]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

Time for a tune-up - new coils, points, condensers, wires and plugs. Then clean/rebuild carbs. Also probably needs a new water pump impeller. And change the gear oil in the lower unit. These things should be done on a motor that hasn't been run for 4-5 years.

 

[the teacher]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

Time for a tune-up - new coils, points, condensers, wires and plugs. Then clean/rebuild carbs. Also probably needs a new water pump impeller. And change the gear oil in the lower unit. These things should be done on a motor that hasn't been run for 4-5 years.

Lindy,

Are you trying to give me a heart attack, stop saying these things to me
I was hoping to get through one year doing the minimum because I want to upgrade next year......... thanks for your un-liked advice lol.

 

[lindy46]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

Lindy,

Are you trying to give me a heart attack, stop saying these things to me
I was hoping to get through one year doing the minimum because I want to upgrade next year......... thanks for your un-liked advice lol.

Not trying to scare you, but you have an almost 40 year old motor. That is a great motor and if maintained properly it will last another 40 years. I'd put the money into getting it in top-notch shape and then there will be no need for an upgrade (which will probably cost a lot more than fixing this one up). These are simple motors and there is a lot less to go wrong than on the newer motors with all the expensive electronic components. I run my 1957 Evinrude Lark almost daily during the summer and it never has stranded me or caused me any grief. These old motors are keepers

 

[the teacher]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

If I take this to a shop and have all of this work done to it, do you have a rough guess what kind of money we are looking at ?

 

[the teacher]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

Wanted to update and thank you guys for your help on my issue, pulled the boat from dock and it's sitting at the broken motor hospital, I will let you know the out come if you are interested. thanks again !

 

[lindy46]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

If I take this to a shop and have all of this work done to it, do you have a rough guess what kind of money we are looking at ?

Most stuff can be done yourself with the instructions on this site. Parts:
Coils: $50-60
Tune-up kit: $25
Spark Plug wires: $5
Carb kit with float: $25-30
Lower unit oil: $10
Impeller $15-20

So at most $150 for these parts.

 

[the teacher]

Re: 1960 Johnson 40HP

Most stuff can be done yourself with the instructions on this site. Parts:
Coils: $50-60
Tune-up kit: $25
Spark Plug wires: $5
Carb kit with float: $25-30
Lower unit oil: $10
Impeller $15-20

So at most $150 for these parts.

So to thank everyone again and to close this up, the mechanic, said first of all it was running hot so, new impeller, trailer tire blew on the way so, used tire, heavier motor made the transom sink a little lower and caused the mount bumpers to leak so had them resealed, along with a carb rebuild, $310.00 taking it back out in the morning to either run the hell out of it or shoot it, stand tall, salute it and watch it sink !