Help purchased a used Johnson 235 outboard and VRO missing !

[Heywire77]

Hey I know it has been a while but I have been so busy anyway I was getting some new plug wires and carb kits and thought about checking heads and all and that is when I seen the part numbers on the heads and after doing some research I found that they are 1989 Johnson 175hp heads and I found out that they also had the hump back exhaust like the 235 ! This really makes me mad I was told and sold a 235hp and the tag on the midsection is for a 235hp not the 1989 175 I actually have I found out that the midsection on the two motors switch out and also that makes since on the problem I was asking about it only having one cdi module because that is all they had in the 1989 175hp model ! Ok question I have since this motor isn't over 200hp like my boat is rated for how can I get the correct midsection tag so when I am out on the lake and they check motor so I don't get a ticket ? And does anyone know the actual horsepower of the 1989 Johnson 175hp ?

 

[emdsapmgr]

Possible that you have a midsection that is stamped for a 1985 235. The engine seems to have 1989 175 parts on it: the heads and the single power pack lead you to think it's actually a later 175 block. The deal is that that 175 is built around the same block as the old 235. Both 160 cube, both high port engines, both with the bubble back exhaust. It's just been de-tuned, by using different parts. Not so sure you should feel too bad about having a 175. Keep in mind, the 1989 175 was an "S" model. That meant that it actually put out 10% more hp than the 175 label on the cowling, or about 192 prop hp. This compares favorably to the old 235 which never made 235 hp and was crankshaft rated. It was probably more like 225 hp at the crank, or maybe 215 at the prop. So, comparable engines actually. The older 235 did have some bold-on hp parts that the later 175 did not have: 1. The early 235's had high compression heads. 325638/639. The 175 has low compression bathtub heads. 2. All the 235's had rubber intake filler blocks in the intake manifold. That provided between 5 and 8 additional hp. If you wanted to shop around places like ebay, you can come up with these bolt-on parts to raise your hp. Keep in mind that when you put these hi perf parts on, that you will need to jet up the carbs in order to flow additional fuel to keep the powerhead cool at high rpm's.

 

[Heywire77]

Thanks for the info , I have done a good bit of reading about what you said it being the same block , I'm just trying to figure out what all was done . I know the heads are for sure 175 heads from the parts numbers . The thing that also thru me off before is the carbs have parts tags on them and they have 235 on them and the part number for 235 motor . So I think someone was trying to maybe beef up the motor but I would think with the 175 heads the carbs would be to much but I have cranked it on the hose and it sounds great plugs burn clean no flooding but I haven't had it on the water . The lower unit also had a nose cone on it and I decide to try and take it of so I started sanding to get off al the bondo and found that was the only thing holding it on so it is off now that makes me feel better . I know compression on the motor is 90 to 95 on all cylinders . I know I am going to have to find me a model tag to go on the midsection because my boat being rated for only 200hp they will check the model plate they do that here they don't just look at the hood decals ! My boat is a 1997 Ranger 518svs and is pretty heavy boat there not to fast on the water with the rated 200hp so if I can find the heads like you said then I'm going to do that and also the intake fillers like you said . Thanks for all the info

 

[Heywire77]

One more question you said about the rubber intake filler blocks from a 235 do you mean the exhaust filler blocks there is like 3 on each side of the block a total of 6 ? Is that what you talking about

 

[Heywire77]

Here is pics of a 235 can you tell me which intake filler block your talking about

 

[emdsapmgr]

If you look at a 1983 235 exploded parts diagram, you will find the intake filler blocks. They are on the intake manifold parts diagram. Item # 34, part # 322722. No longer available. Used only on the 235 and 200 blocks. one per cyl. These were not used on the later 175 big bore blocks. The 235 and the 175 both use the larger, 1 3/8" throated carbs-the largest ones OMC made for the consumer V6 engines. The high compression heads I'd mentioned earlier will run 112-115 lbs compression stock. You've got the low compression bathtub heads on your 175 engine, what with the 90-95 lbs compression.

 

[Heywire77]

I found put what you were talking about the filler blocks they go inside the reed blocks , I only seen one used worn out one on eBay for 16 plus 14 for shipping seems really high for one so I will look around more . I couldn't find the head numbers you said , well amy used ones for sell . But I did see a bunch of used 235hp heads on eBay from different years would they still have the higher compression ? I seen the part numbers you had for the 235 heads was only one certain year for 235 but I did see other years available for sell and there part numbers were for 235 heads so kinda confused about that I don't know if they changed the design on them for the worst on the newer 235 heads ? And yes I for sure have the 235 carbs they are marked also 1 3/8 so that would be for the 235 .

 

[emdsapmgr]

The early 235 blocks were small bore, 149 cubic inch blocks. Those early heads were great, but won't fit on big bore blocks. In 1980, OMC made all the 235's as a 160 cubic inch block. When they first came out, they had best high compression heads-the 325638 and 639 heads. Found in the 1980 and part way into the 1981 model year. They were discontinued for base 235's until they were brought back on the 1983, 84 and 85 2.6 high performance powerheads only. Not many of the 2.6 hi perf engines were made and are still rare today. So, you will find used 638/639 heads are scarce like hen's teeth. All of the other 235 heads are the low compression variety. If you do find some used ones, it's best to make sure the faces are not dented from a ring failure of the powerhead. Th picture is of an original high compression 235 head.

 

[Heywire77]

I found out I can still buy the starboard head brand new from marine engine dot com for 125 but not the other head . So maybe one will pop up one day .

 

[emdsapmgr]

I bought a one new head from Bombardier about 4 years ago. They were out of the other one. A month later, the other head I wanted showed up on ebay-an east coast seller. Was brand new, still in the factory box. Just keep your eyes open...

 

[Heywire77]

I'm back , I finally got all my stuff together and started the motor and let it run for afew minutes . sounds great only thing I noticed I was missing the linkage to the timing advance and the dam plug to the trim the manual release plug . I had bought a brand new electric trim motor and started putting fluid in and noticed it pouring out the side . It pisses me off that someone pulled parts off and at the rate I have gone with all the little small parts and all I could have bought a nice running outboard . I did find me a pair of the heads everyone says to get but it will cost me a couple hundred and I don't want to do that till I run this old motor some . I hate to put so much in it and haven't even had it in the water

 

[emdsapmgr]

I'd be inclined to spend some $ on this engine, if it had good compression. This is a long thread, maybe I missed where you said what the compression was.

 

[Heywire77]

Compression is 90 to 95 on all cylinders

 

[Chris1956]

I guess I am just paranoid, but I would wonder why a good motor was stripped of misc, random parts. I presume there is nothing catastrophically wrong with it?

 

[emdsapmgr]

Your compression is normal for the low compression "bathtub" heads that came stock on the 175.

 

[Heywire77]

Yes I found out that is good compression , I can tell you I have ran the optimax and Mercury carb motors but none of them sounded as good as this OMC . It sounds like a beast . I can't wait now to get it in the water to see how it runs out . I have a feeling with the 235hp carbs and all that other things may have been done to this motor performance wise . I'm going to bite the bullet and go on and get the heads I found the ones y'all told me the part numbers to . I seen some pop up so they might not be around long .

 

[Heywire77]

Okay one more question I have my wiring ran to my dash for the key switch but I'm having a problem with the throttle and shift cables , this ranger had a Mercury before and the controls are commander 3000 I think and inside it had both sides one side for push for OMC and the other side for pull which is for Mercury but my problem I'm running into is when I run the cables to the motor the throttle works but the shift doesn't . It will work when I shift in reverse and goes far enough to start giving it throttle but when I reverse it only moves alittle and then stops and want get past the shift part were you can give it more throttle gas . I'm wondering if there is a difference in the shift movement in a OMC and a Mercury I had someone told me they are same and they have done it a bunch . Has any one else done this if so I guess I'm going to take box apart and see if gears are binding

 

[flyingscott]

The 3000 is a Mercury control the controls go with the motor not the boat. You need to find the OMC controls or newer BRP controls that that are similar to the 3000 box. That way the control will fit where the 3000 was, which if I am correct hides most of the controller behind the panels.

 

[Heywire77]

Yes I know they are Mercury controls but they do have levers on the other side to push instead of pull . All I need it for is the shift , I will have a hotfoot hooked for throttle

 

[flyingscott]

Are the cables hooked up right do you have the throttle going to throttle. If somebody told you they have done it a bunch they should be able to walk you through this. Maybe save you some time. Controls are really not universal you really don't see that a lot if at all.