Re: Are my controls compatible?
Bass-boy7,
Me and my father went through this when we bought a 1998, 90 horse, Evinrude outboard. For your answer no, the existing controls, 1989 GT 150, will not plug up to your 1997 Johnson Venom 225, becuase OMC changed there plug styles from the big red rubber plug in which you have on your 1989 GT150 to the square modular plugs which changed in 1996 and newer model Johnson/Evinrude outboards, so the only way to plug in your existing big red plug to the newer square in modular plugs you will have to purchase a adapter wire harness from your local JohnnyRude dealer or on-line that allows one end of the new wiring adapter harness to connect to your boats big red plug and then the opposite end to the newer style modular plug and that will work for you without having to cut and strip wires like my brother did on ours and made one heck of a mess for us but all is fixed now and the adpater harness saves a major headache for all. In fact here is what I am talking about. Please click the link to see.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JOHNSON-EVINRUDE-adapter-harness-/190675985555