40HP Johnson Electromatic Questions

[joza]

I bought this motor yesterday to put on to my restoration project. It's a 40hp Johnson Electromatic. I'm not sure on the year, I can't seem to locate a serial/model, but from reading posts here last night, I'm guessing that it's a '68.

Anyway, the PO said that he saw this motor running in July from the guy he bought it from, long story short his wife wants to buy a new boat and stop messing around with old boats, so he wanted/needed to get rid of it.

One of my questions is, what plugs into the plug that I have pictured, is it the controller? The PO told me that his PO had a single handle controller for the motor but was using it for his newer motor so he kept it. Is this correct? Does this motor have a single handle controller? My second question is, does whatever that plugs into this plug also connect to that battery? What do I need to look for to try to get this baby running?

I paid $125 for this motor. I'm no mechanic but to me it looks to be in pretty good shape. I know that many things can be lurking below, but on the surface it looks good. Did I get a good deal?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[ScottinAZ]

Re: 40HP Johnson Electromatic Questions

Looks like a clean motor. Yes, the large connector is for the controls. sorry, cant help as to whether a single handle will work, but I do know that the controls with the "red connector" will connect to any engine with the "red connector". unfortunately yours is black. someone with more info should be along shortly. Sorry I cant be more specific as to what controls exactly will work.

 

[F_R]

Re: 40HP Johnson Electromatic Questions

Looks like a clean motor. Yes, the large connector is for the controls. sorry, cant help as to whether a single handle will work, but I do know that the controls with the "red connector" will connect to any engine with the "red connector". unfortunately yours is black. someone with more info should be along shortly. Sorry I cant be more specific as to what controls exactly will work.

You need the Electramatic control to go with the motor. It is electric shift and the shift switch in in the control. A new switch costs over four times what you paid for the whole rest of the motor...probably why the guy didn't give you one. He had no use for it with a newer motor.

Furthermore, a "Hydro-Electric" control will NOT work and will in fact damage the motor.

Did you get a good deal??? As you said, who knows what lurks. Did you get the voltage regulator? That's another $100+. Does the electric shift work? That is a heartbreaker if it doesn't

EDIT: Ok, on second look, the voltage regulator is there. And the generator. So, those items can bring some cash to offset your losses if the rest turns out for the worst.

 

[Daviet]

Re: 40HP Johnson Electromatic Questions

You are probably going to have to start searching salvage yards. You might check with the previous owner, maybe he doesn't know about matching the colors of the cannon plug. If you are really luckey his new motor will have a red plug and the controller he kept will not work on his new motor.

 

[joza]

Re: 40HP Johnson Electromatic Questions

First of all... thanks for the tips on this motor, it's much appreciated.


UPDATE!
I've found controllers and cables with the black plug on ebay last night... so far so good, I'm the high bidder. HA!

So moving forward, I would like to clean this motor up a little and make it look a little better. The cowling has a good deal of scratches and things going on. I would like to take the trim molding off to do a better paint job. Inside the cowling is yellow foam rubber that I need to get off to get to what's holding on all the trim. It's pretty brittle and I know that if I take it off it will come off in pieces.

So my question for today is, once I have that foam out of there, what do I replace it with.

Thanks again... I'm soooooo lucky to have found this forum. It's great!

 

[F_R]

Re: 40HP Johnson Electromatic Questions

First of all... thanks for the tips on this motor, it's much appreciated.


UPDATE!
I've found controllers and cables with the black plug on ebay last night... so far so good, I'm the high bidder. HA!

So moving forward, I would like to clean this motor up a little and make it look a little better. The cowling has a good deal of scratches and things going on. I would like to take the trim molding off to do a better paint job. Inside the cowling is yellow foam rubber that I need to get off to get to what's holding on all the trim. It's pretty brittle and I know that if I take it off it will come off in pieces.

So my question for today is, once I have that foam out of there, what do I replace it with.

Thanks again... I'm soooooo lucky to have found this forum. It's great!

Personally, if the foam is going bad, I'd just pull it all out and leave it out. But make sure you get all the little pieces. They like to get sucked into the reeds and hold them open. It will be a little bit louder, but not much.