1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

[barrynfla]

Took the 13' jon boat out for the first time with a friend this AM in Tampa Bay. No problem starting it......3 or 4 pulls and it started. My buddy, who has a boat, took the tiller. Shifted into forward no problem, opened it up and it got up on plane and ran really well. We fished for a couple of hours with the trolling motor only. I went to restart the Johnson and it was kinda hard to shift into neutral. Once in neutral, the first couple of pulls only went out about halfway and it sounded and felt like something was stopping the pull start. On the third try, it started and the motor revved out about to the limit. I hit the kill button REAL QUICK! The tiller is virtually stuck in one position and will only rotate a very little bit. It feels like there's a gear or gears not meshing.

I know absolutely nothing about OB motors. I've seen the exploded diagram of the tiller handle and there are a lot of little parts in there. I don't know whether I should attempt to take the handle apart or take the motor to a qualified mechanic or if there's something else a complete noob like me can do without doing further damage. I will admit to not being the most mechanically minded person out there!

Opinions??

Thanks!

Barry

P. S. Since the motor was run in salt water, obviously I want to solve this asap.

 

[oldcatamount]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

There are gears in the tiller arm where the tiller folds upward. Take a look there. If there's nothing broken, you can re-mesh those gears (with a little trial and error) being sure you are meshing them with the handle set at "stop".

 

[barrynfla]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

Gear in the tiller arm appear to be meshing but there's still almost no rotation of the handle. The worm gears at the inner end of the arm by the idle adjustment screw are barely moving.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

I believe there is a device that locks the pull start if the throttle is advanced too far.
Not sure how it's setup but if the throttle is advanced too far it may make it hard to shift as well.
See if you can get it back into forward. If there is a kill switch activate it because you may have to rotate the flywheel to shift.
Once in forward rotate the throttle and observe the mechanism.

 

[barrynfla]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

Well, steelespike, it shifted easily into forward and the throttle loosened up! It's dark out now so I have to wait until tomorrow AM to take it out and run it in a garbage can. Fingers crossed that it all works okay now!! :joyous:

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

just wondering--what does salt water have to do with it?

 

[barrynfla]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

Started and ran perfectly in the garbage can!!! Didn't try to shift into forward or reverse. Kinda figured that might put a big hole in the plastic can! lol

All I can think of is that the throttle plate was stuck in the wide open position and shifting unstuck it. I just hope this was an anomaly and not something that will happen again.

Thanks again, steelespike.....you saved the day for me!

Barry

 

[barrynfla]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

just wondering--what does salt water have to do with it?

Nothing really except that running it in fresh water as soon as possible cleans out the salt that's in the motor and, hopefully, prevents corrosion.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

By the way when shifting be sure to idle it down well and shift crisply neither jaming it into gear nor dragging in too slowly.

 

[barrynfla]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

Thanks! I'll be sure to remember that.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

at low speed you can probably shift in the garbage can--outside--and just for a second.

Not flushing it won't make a bit of difference, especially if it's just this time. The motor is made for salt water, and since people didn't start flushing motors until recently, yours had decades without it.

 

[barrynfla]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

Thanks, HC, I didn't know about not flushing. I just figured that salt water may corrode the water pump and/or lower unit.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

I don't think HC was saying don't bother to flush; just that one time isn't going to bother.
If your running is salt keep it flushed and wiped down inside and out.
I don't have any salt experience but have read about the horrors of trying to work on fasteners on
carelessly used salt motors not to mention the innards.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

flushing isn't bad and flushing helps some, but it is not essential and certainly not essential each and every time. I have been on salt water and around experienced boaters for over 50 years. There was a time when no one flushed, ever. then I guess in the 1990's the hose muffs came out and people started using them. But before and after, the motors kept running. The motors didn't change.

And my theory is that if you don't flush them at the ramp, it's too late when you get home and the salt water has dried on the hot engine block.

There is really nothing in the "lower unit" that will be materially affected by salt, except the rubber impeller, which should be changed out before the salt damage matters. the actual LU is sealed watertight; it's the foot and its inside will be OK.

external parts can be affected by salt but they don't instantly corrode. And hard hosing pushes salt and sand into parts. The part affected by salt air are not the ones you flush or can get to with a hose, and I question taking a hose to the inside of a motor, its electronics and hot block. Better to maintain with protective grease and leave it alone.

Really, it's like keeping a car in a garage. it will make a difference rather than keeping it on the street. As would hosing off the undercarriage every time you drove it. But not that much.

 

[barrynfla]

Re: 1976 Johnson 25 hp RUNNING WILD!

Thanks, guys. I appreciate your years of experience and knowledge.