1967 100HP Johnson

exodave

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Considering picking up what appears to be a Thunderbird Iroquois (need to go see to be sure) with a 1967 100HP Johnson motor. Seller swears it needs a pulse pack... I think I'd be doing some diagnostics myself to be sure before I start throwing money at it, but it sounds like it's changed hands a couple times without being touched so info is going to be hard to come by. Would this be the correct manual for it?

1967 Evinrude Outboard Service Manual Starflite 100 HP Models Johnson OMC | eBay

If anyone would be kind enough to give me some tips on what to look for on this engine while I'm standing in the dude's driveway to get as good an idea of what I'm looking at project-wise as possible, I'll send you a nice big internet high-five. This seems like a possible nice next project to follow the 1957 Evinrude Big Twin I cut my teeth on a couple years ago.
 

Joe Reeves

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

Battery Capacitance Discharge Coils - Continunity Test)
(Joe Reeves)
Remove the primary wire the screw type terminal. Remove the coil and unscrew the HT wire from the distributor cap.

Connect the black lead of a ohm meter to the HT wire, then with the red ohm meter lead, touch the ground wire of the coil.

Then touch (still with the red lead) the wire that normally attaches to the powerpack output lead. You should get a reading on both touches (contacts). If not, check the HT wire by unscrewing it from the coil. After removing the wire, the check can be repeated using the internal threaded prong within the coil instead of the HT wire. Poor or no continuity of a coil is one reason for erratic or no ignition and/or s/plug fouling.

(Battery Capacitance Dischage Powerpack Test)
Various OMC Engines
(J. Reeves)

Purchase a small 12v bulb at your local automotive parts store (the 12v bulb is to look like a flashlight bulb, not a headlight bulb). Solder two wires to that bulb, one to the side of the bulb (ground), and the other to the positive point. You might use a bulb of a somewhat lower voltage to obtain a brighter glow... just a suggestion.

Remove the spark plugs. With the key in the on position, make sure that you have 12v going to the pack at the terminal block (purple wire). Now, connect the ground wire from the bulb to any powerhead ground. Connect the wire from the positive point of that bulb to the powerpack wire that is connected to the coil wire on the terminal board (blue wire).

Crank the engine and observe that bulb closely (CLOSELY!). If that bulb glows even the slightest bit, the powerpack is okay. It may be a very dim glow... just so it glows! If it doesn't glow, the pack has failed.

Keep in mind, that type powerpack (Battery Capacitance Discharge) demands a top notch battery of at least 70 amp hours. Any less will, in time, cause powerpack failure.
 

exodave

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

HIGH FIVE Thanks, Joe. That test is exactly what I was hoping to find!
 

boobie

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

IMHO. I'd stay away from it as that was the first year of battery CD and if you do find parts for it they can get expensive. I've taken a lot of them and converted the ignition to the 1966 model yr which had breaker points and condensers. Much eaiser and cheaper to work on.
 

WA-Newb

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May 27, 2012
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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

That motor is similar to my very first motor...mine was a '68 though.
If you do get it I will look for my manual but it may be gone by now.

Other than that I won't be of much help if you decide to get it since I have exactly one year of outboard experience now...lol

Here is a video of my old one running though:

Also there is a couple of threads I started back then (a year ago) that may or may not help if you do get it and have any issues.
I know my lower unit was full of milky oil and I at the time had no idea to check that..and didn't know anything about the electric shift.

Good luck.

p.s. I ended up selling this soon after I got it running...doubled my money on my first boat...yay!...and have since been trying to upgrade my boat every chance I get...on my 4th now and have two other parts boats....that's six in exactly year...yikes! lol
 

exodave

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

IMHO. I'd stay away from it as that was the first year of battery CD and if you do find parts for it they can get expensive. I've taken a lot of them and converted the ignition to the 1966 model yr which had breaker points and condensers. Much eaiser and cheaper to work on.

Boob, I've read this on many threads about this motor. I like the idea, but from my point of view this motor/boat/trailer combo is still a steal even if I have to replace the power pack. Plus, I drive a Mazda with 200K and a banged up door so I'm used to dissappointment. It only needs to last me a couple years until I'm ready to upgrade again.

That motor is similar to my very first motor...mine was a '68 though.
If you do get it I will look for my manual but it may be gone by now.

Other than that I won't be of much help if you decide to get it since I have exactly one year of outboard experience now...lol

Here is a video of my old one running though:

Also there is a couple of threads I started back then (a year ago) that may or may not help if you do get it and have any issues.
I know my lower unit was full of milky oil and I at the time had no idea to check that..and didn't know anything about the electric shift.

Good luck.

p.s. I ended up selling this soon after I got it running...doubled my money on my first boat...yay!...and have since been trying to upgrade my boat every chance I get...on my 4th now and have two other parts boats....that's six in exactly year...yikes! lol

Do we know how similar the 67 and 68 are? Anyone? Yeah, I'm stuck with outboards as long as I keep renting docks in the same inlet with the weeds and drains out when the wind blows. Again, affordable!
 

boobie

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

I guess affordable is the bottom line. Good Luck.
 

Joe Reeves

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

Dave... What Boobie has to say holds a lot of weight (conversion) but I understand where you're coming from (restore to original).

Yes the transformer would be the coil in this case. Hopefully that's okay as the going price (if one is found) is outrageous.

Check the transformer on a dark night. Stand in back of the engine (hood off) and have someone crank the engine over. If there are microscopic cracks in it, you'll see a regular fireworks show.... sparks flying all over the place.
 

exodave

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

Dave... What Boobie has to say holds a lot of weight (conversion) but I understand where you're coming from (restore to original).

Yes the transformer would be the coil in this case. Hopefully that's okay as the going price (if one is found) is outrageous.

Check the transformer on a dark night. Stand in back of the engine (hood off) and have someone crank the engine over. If there are microscopic cracks in it, you'll see a regular fireworks show.... sparks flying all over the place.

Point taken. If it turns out a previous owner is correct and it needs most of the ignition system replaced, I guess it's as good or better an option to swap it out for (I'm hoping) less money, more work?

I'll report what I find when I see it. Thanks a ton, guys.
 

exodave

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

Ok the Thunderbird has landed.

Spark plugs look new from the outside, some frayed wires in there, flywheel turns but the shifter doesn't seem to put it in gear as-is without a battery attached (because electronic shifting or something?) I think I'll need a fuel line to the tank unless I can splice the random strange parts laying in the boat together. Weird, there's a large fuel tank in the front of the boat that doesn't seem to be attached to anything. I guess I'll start with the test given above once I get a new battery in there.

IMG_0240.jpgIMG_0241.jpgIMG_0242.jpgIMG_0243.jpgIMG_0244.jpg
 

Joe Reeves

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

Yes, that electric shift setup demands that the battery be installed.
 

exodave

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

Getting ready to start putting the beast back together and hook it up to the new battery. So, this may be a dumb question, but are these two connectors meant to be joined before I start cranking it? (service manual arrives tomorrow)

plugs.jpg
 

mtangler

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Mar 25, 2012
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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

Does anyone here no how to convert the ignition system away from the power pack/belt driven distributor?

THank you!
 

exodave

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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

mtangler, I just followed the instructions above, and found the pack to be bad, and replaced the coil also. Then, when I was putting it back together I found that maybe the sensor in the distributor was set too far from the rotor, and also the lead from the coil to the distributor had no tip, just bare wire. So, I fixed both of those things while I was putting it together, and now it's got spark. On to the carb problems.
 

mtangler

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Mar 25, 2012
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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

My motor doesn't have that red coil...It's got a big one on top. Also the "pack" is not even close to what yours looks like. This is too weird...I will have to post pics and see if you guys can help.

MTA
 

nolanb

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Jul 16, 2013
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Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

Anyone have any knowledge of how to go about dropping the lower unit on the 67 golden meteor? I got a good deal on a 72 glastron with this motor and I'm wanting to drop the lower unit to have a look see. Any advice or how to's is greatly appreciated. Thanks
 

jimmbo

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May 24, 2004
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13,656
Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

disconnect shift wires under cowl near thermostat, remove rear bottom cowl and rear exhaust housing cover. The should be a rounded diamond shaped cover with 2 screws on the port side of the engines front exhaust housing cover. Remove and you should be seeing the shift wires entering the exhaust housing thru a fiitting. 2 screws hold fitting, remove, and it and the wires should be able to manuvered into exhaust housing. There are 6 nuts on the gearcase and 2 bolts, 5 inches higher, on the gearcase extenstion. These need to be removed and the case should come off. If the shift wires and the fitting will not fit into housing, then you will need to remove the wire from the fitting by lubing it with liquid dish soap and gently pulling
 
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exodave

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Jun 8, 2010
Messages
107
Re: 1967 100HP Johnson

disconnect shift wires under cowl near thermostat, remove rear bottom cowl and rear exhaust housing cover. The should be a rounded diamond shaped cover with 2 screws on the port side of the engines front exhaust housing cover. Remove and you should be seeing the shift wires entering the exhaust housing thru a fiitting. 2 screws hold fitting, remove, and it and the wires should be able to manuvered into exhaust housing. There are 6 nuts on the gearcase and 2 bolts, 5 inches higher, on the gearcase extenstion. These need to be removed and the case should come off. If the shift wires and the fitting will not fit into housing, then you will need to remove the wire from the fitting by lubing it with liquid dish soap and gently pulling

The old gaskets held mine on pretty well when I had all the nuts off, so I ended up having to carefully work a pry bar around it. The gaskets were destroyed so I replaced them with new ones from ebay when I reassembled, along with a new O ring on the top of the crank shaft and the rubber piece that fits between the end of the water intake pipe and the intake/exhaust cover on the bottom since that also fell apart when I took everything apart. And even though the impeller looked OK I had already bought a new one so I replaced it too.

It felt kind of dumb at first taking it all apart to inspect it, just to end up breaking all this stuff and having to replace it in the process, but in the end I wouldn't have been comfortable operating it without having inspected the cooling system. Good luck!
 
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