Starter wiring on old Johnson

8

82Stang

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Jan 27, 2012
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Hello,

I've been observing here for a little while, but never posted until now. That is, until I got into an old motor that I'm tinkering with. Very knowledgeable insights here. Here's the details;

1962 Super Seahorse 28hp outboard motor. [Mod# RX-10R] Cowl says electric start. Here's what it looks like...

boatparts 003.jpgboatparts 002.jpgboatparts 004.jpg

It did not have a starter on it, but the bracket is there. So I got a used one(MDW 4204M), which tested very well. I'm in the process of replacing things that are missing/broken/afoul etc. The starter I acquired has the same bracket on it and also a bottom triangular bracket, which does not appear to fit on mine. I assume that I just remove this bottom bracket, rebolt the starter housing bolts with the bottom plate on the starter and fit it onto the engine of the Seahorse. The problem is, I do not see a wire anywhere that connects power to the starter. Is this something that wasn't used before on this particular engine and I need to add it, or is it not needed, meaning it did not use a starter because it does have the pull string recoil on top of the engine?

Side notes:

- flywheel was a bear to get off, as I've read here. Much, much PB blaster, cinching on a puller, 3lb hammer and patience and a few sets of grade 8 bolts, which either bent or broke in the flywheel.

- engine won't budge and have been soaking that also the same.

- bottom unit looked very good so I resealed the lower unit with Permatex brown.... before I read about not using sealants like that. I'll be resealing that again with good stuff, along with a rebuild of the prop shaft while I'm in there. Impellar too. It was basically a ring.

Any insights and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for the forum.
 
F

F_R

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Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,226
Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

RX-10 is a manual start motor. Electric start was offered as an accessory kit.

The wiring harness enters the cowl where the push button is now. (Wiring harness on an electric start motor, stop button on a manual start motor). They ALL have a recoil starter.

The electric start kit is supposed to have a lot more stuff with it, including a junction box, battery cables, forward cable, ignition and choke switches. Sounds like you intend to just cobble something up though, which is ok with me, if that's what you want.

The bottom bracket helps support the starter motor and keeps it from vibrating loose in the bracket.

Un-asked for advice: You may be wasting your time and money. Find out why that thing is siezed before going any further. Even if you get it to break free, the rings are probably stuck, and the bearings might be rusted. There is a reason for that old saying that a boat is a hole in the water that you pour money into.
 
8

82Stang

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Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

Thanks for the link and info guys(or gals). Like you said, this isn't a top of the line rebuild. Just seeing what I can do with it. An electric starter isn't necessary, I thought it was simply another missing part. I figured out that the starter needed the bottom bracket and does indeed fit in there. However, whether to wire it in, is another matter. I assume the black bulb like button, which resembles a primer bulb sort of, below/right of the carb down on the cowl lower body, is a kill switch? It wires up to the right side of the engine and under the flywheel.

My initial tinkering was trying to get the engine moving, which I am still working at. Luckily for me, I haven't 'shell-ed' out more than a few clams for this engine. The majority of everything is labor. A labor of love, for the moment. If all else fails, I could certainly part it out and recover what I have into it. But this is a challenge.
 
HighTrim

HighTrim

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Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

That is indeed the kill button.

Follow Franks advice, get it into running condition first, then fine tune and add accessories.
 
HighTrim

HighTrim

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Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I have found it extremely rare that a motor that is seized bad is usable without opening her up and inspecing or rebuilding. Just because you get her moving does not mean that the bearings arent rusted and junk. Unless a motor is just lightly seized from sitting, I open them up and inspect.
 
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82Stang

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Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

HighTrim said:
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I have found it extremely rare that a motor that is seized bad is usable without opening her up and inspecing or rebuilding. Just because you get her moving does not mean that the bearings arent rusted and junk. Unless a motor is just lightly seized from sitting, I open them up and inspect.
Click to expand...

If I have to, I could open it up. From the parts catalog/explosion I have though, it seems like a little pain in the you know what. We shall see.
 
8

82Stang

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Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

Update:

After removing the head and looking in detail, I used a little tappedy tap persuasion on top of the pistons and it started moving. Quite easily after the initial breakage. I blew out the little rust and the cylinders look great, not scorched or any ill effects. I proceeded to drop some oil in around the piston bore and it now moves freely by hand. It was just froze in place because of sitting so long, but not enough to require the rebuild. Atleast not yet. Saves me a bunch there. The bottom is sured up and top back together. Really only one thing left to do, try and start it. But I don't have a tank or the fuel line for it. Another day's clams. I'll probably just hotwire the starter and give it a few shots of carb cleaner and see how it reacts/sounds.

I liked the saying about a boat being a hole in the water. It sure can be, but luckily I haven't more than a 100 dollar bill and some elbow grease in it. Being that this isn't a top of the line rebuild, I'm pretty much free to do whatever I want. Thanks for the advice. Any more news, I'll update once again.
 
C

Chris1956

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28,525
Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

Stang, Mix yourself some gas and oil OB fuel at a 24::1 ratio. 1 pint oil for 3 gal gasoline. If you run her on carb cleaner, you will do more damage due to lack of lubrication.

Use any kind of container for the fuel and a piece of fuel line and clamp it directly to the fuel pump intake nipple. Before you start it hole the open end of the fuel line up above the carb and pour some fuel into it. It should fill the carb bowl. Now place the fuel line in the container and crank her up. Spraying some fuel mix into the carb intake is also a good idea.
 
8

82Stang

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Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

I cranked it a few times, without carb cleaner. Plugs out first time to clean it out. Plugs in 2nd time, felt like it had some good compression. I guess I do have a tank and fuel line, thanks Chris, also helpful links kfa. I've actually seen the duckswork article, nice descriptive.

This gives me some more things to do because I get the feeling once I get it all filled with lube and fluids etc, I have no idea what, if anything, will hold/leak or just plain fail. Or, it could be all good. The suspense is killing me.

To be continued...
 
8

82Stang

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Messages
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Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

Got tinkering some more. I lack spark on the bottom plug/wire, top nice spark. Got digital multimeter, will try a few things.

One thing is nice, hot wiring the starter in, makes it ALOT easier when testing. No pulling required.
 
8

82Stang

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Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

Thanks. I've actually seen those before. Good stuff.
 
8

82Stang

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Re: Starter wiring on old Johnson

Ok, ignition problem solved. I removed the magneto plate assembly, cleaned everything up, regreased what was necessary, then reinstalled the coils, cutting down the wires to shed new area, and the final coup de grace was the points on the dead cylinder. I cleaned both of them and gapped them to .020 as best I could. Spark tested both cylinders and they both had great blue spark. Points adjustment was key.
 
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