1960 Johnson stuck choke

[sheboyganjohn]

I have been lurking on here for quite a few years and a couple different boats. I have picked up a project (boat, motor, and trailer) for $175 and have started to work on the motor (boat will be the project for next year). I have read just about everything on the old big twins on here and have a problem that I could not find discussed anywhere else. I was test starting the motor for the first time today and could not get the choke to close. It has the automatic choke on it with the manual switch on the other side. The choke is open and I cannot get the butterfly to budge with the manual switch. Before I start taking things apart, what should I look for that might be obvious that I am overlooking like just spraying the whole thing up with carb cleaner, or is it something in the auto choke assembly?

Before the standard qustions are asked, the compression is 120/120, I have a different lower unit to replaced the cracked one on the boat. Full lower seal kit, new impeller, and thermostats on order. Still working on the factory manual on E-bay and going off of an old Glenns Evenrude manual I got from the library. The motor will go through a full teardown and rebuild / repaint over the winter as my winter project. Just getting it up and running for a few summer fishing trips with the kids. I got it to fire a few times with some gas put in manually, so we have the spark.

On edit: It is a 40hp RDS-22

 

[Scaaty]

Re: 1960 Johnson stuck choke

No auto choke that I know of on a 60's motor..probably frozen open..shoot some PB Blaster on the shaft..

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1960 Johnson stuck choke

the RDS -22 has a choke solenoid, that actives from the control, choke button push all the way in deactives the choke altogether, 1/2 way out, it is in the mode for the control switch to operate. all the way out is manual choke. if the butterfly will not move at all, then i totally agree with Scatty.

 

[sheboyganjohn]

Re: 1960 Johnson stuck choke

I will try hitting it with some PB blaster and see what happens. I will have to look closer and see how this whole thing is set up. It has a tilt lever on the right side of the carb that has an off, auto, on selction on it. On the dash of the boat there is a push button for the choke, and I beleive that there was a temp sensing tube on the side of the auto choke assembly. I will let you know what I find after I try it.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1960 Johnson stuck choke

same principle your has the lever instead of the push pull rod. button on dash activates the solenoid, but in the off position the linkage doesn't allow solenoid to move choke.

 

[Evinrude Boater]

Re: 1960 Johnson stuck choke

The manual choke lever on the carb will move the butterfly if it's free. I think you got the idea that with the lever all the way down the butterfly should be closed, all the way up keeps the butterfly open and in the middle it lets the automatic choke adjust it accordingly. I assume you have a battery hooked up to the motor.

 

[sheboyganjohn]

Re: 1960 Johnson stuck choke

I took a look at it again today, briefly since I am working 12hr shifts this weekend, not much time for the boat. Anyhow the automatic side has a control unit with a hose in the top an the bottom. The side of the unit has a recessed area that has a small lever like thing in it that has two stops located about 1:00 and 5:00. The lever appears to be on the piviot pin for the choke butterfly. I can get it to move from about 1:00 to 3:00 and that is it. I looked inside the carb and as I moved the lever (I also moved it from the auto/on/off selector side) I could get the butterfly to move but only about 1/8 of the way. So it seems the butterfly itself is free, but something inside the auto choke control is holding it up.

On the comment about the battery, it has the battery that came with the boat, but it is dead. I will try giving it a charge tomorrow. I did not think that would have an affect on the manual operation of the choke, but at least I would be able to try the auto operation.

 

[F_R]

Re: 1960 Johnson stuck choke

The 1960 has a hot water heated automatic choke. Hot water flows through the red housing to heat the bi-metal coil inside. A vacuum diaphragm puts it in partial choke mode for warmup. There is no electrical anything about it. Take the 3 screws out of the automatic side and the cover with the bi-metal spring will come off. By then you should be able to see what is keeping the butterfly from working.

Most of those chokes did not work worth a hoot even when new. Most people flipped them to manual choke on to start, then flipped it back to choke off to run.

 

[sheboyganjohn]

Re: 1960 Johnson stuck choke

Thank-you for your help. I will pull the whole thing apart if I get a chance tomorrow and see what I find. I was looking through the book I had (and in the internet) and could not find a picture that matched my choke, which explains why now.

 

[sheboyganjohn]

Re: 1960 Johnson stuck choke

Thanks again for the help. I opened it up and the spring inside was broken and causing the butterfly to stick a bit, along with some misaligned parts on the choke arm side. Works good now and was able to start up the motor. Ran it for a few minutes, shut it down and restarted it on the 2nd pull. Hopefully I can get it out on the lake next week.

One more question. Is there a way I can convert it to eletric choke with either new parts or a kit?