Add an electric starter.

[Joey One]

Is it possible to add an electric starter to a '97 Johnson 6 HP 2cycle motor?<br />I'm 81 years old, and I would like to keep mucking about in boats for a while longer.<br />And no, neither my boat nor I can handle a larger motor.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Add an electric starter.

It doesn't appear that your outboard ever came with an electric starter. I looked at all the models from that year, and all were rope start.<br /><br />Basically, that probably means that there is no way to do what you want to do, I'm afraid.

 

[NMplayer]

Re: Add an electric starter.

You really don't start getting into even the possibility until you get to 9.9hp

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Add an electric starter.

Hi again,<br /><br />Depending on where you boat, you might consider one of the larger electric trolling motors, with 40+ lbs. of thrust.<br /><br />Sounds like you have a small boat, so one of these would push it along pretty well. You'd have the weight of the batteries to contend with, but as long as the boat is on a trailer, that shouldn't be a problem, and you could put them near the front to help the balance issue.<br /><br />You could go even larger, but then you'd need larger batteries.<br /><br />In any case, this might keep you on the water for quite a bit longer.<br /><br />Just a thought....

 

[JB]

Re: Add an electric starter.

Years ago I "invented" an electric starter for my elderly neighbor's rope (not recoil) start outboard using a variable speed 1/2" drill.<br /><br />I think some inventive guy could do much better using a modern wireless drill and modifying the dog clutch on the recoil mechanism. Probably find such a guy on a farm or under a shade tree.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[NMplayer]

Re: Add an electric starter.

I bet you could rig it to start with a powerful cordless. I start a lawn tractor that way all the time. Ancient mariners are the only ones who can think of stuff like that. 'course if anybody ever asks again I'll answer them and act like I thought of it

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Add an electric starter.

Not so easy on that late model 6hp, though, JB. You'd have to have the cowling off and the recoil assembly removed.<br /><br />Still...it could be done, using the cranshaft nut as a drive point. The biggest problem would be a release mechanism. The dog catches on that flywheel are on a pretty large diameter circle. I suppose a guy could modify the recoil assembly, though to supply some sort of driving point, and keep the recoil mechanism, less rewind spring, intact.<br /><br />It would be an interesting design project, for sure. One of the 14.4 or 18 volt cordless drills would have the beef to crank that 6hp, I think.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Add an electric starter.

Maybe the motor is just hard starting and needs some service?