Trolling 1956 Johnson FD-10

[Minnow00]

I got this 15 hp this spring. It's good looking and clean. Seems to have been taken care of pretty well. So far I have referbished the whole fuel system, tank, hose, carb kit and the whole shebang. I even found and put in a new low speed carb needle. I like to troll. I mix the oil 24/1 and add seafoam.
Last week she ran like a dream. I trolled for over 5 hours almost 4 miles and when time to take off the motor frired right up to WOT it was my first trouble free trip.
Yesterday I went out expecting the same thing and got about a mile and a half down the lake trolling and the motor surged but just briefly a few times and then died out. I started it and it repeted the same thing so I put it into WOT and it ran well out into the middle of the lake where it just died off. Several attempts to start it just got it to fire briefly and it wouldn't run or give power. My electric got me back to the dock.
I pulled the flywheel and the coils look fine but the points are not so good and I have some new ones ordered. I pulled the plugs Champ J6C's (which were new a few trips ago) and they were wet and greasey. Probably from trying to get it started. The greasey part sort of bothers me as the old plugs that were in it were clean when replaced.
Don't these motors troll good? Presuming I get it running again is lots of trolling going to be a problem for this motor?
Could this recent episode be caused by something else wrong with it? It has 96 psi on each cylinder and a new impeller. There's no sign of ever running hot.
I ordered coils but I may leave the current ones in it because they look newer and look good.
Im I missing something???

 

[lindy46]

Re: Trolling 1956 Johnson FD-10

Put in the new coils (coils may look ok, but if you haven't replaced them, do so), points and condensers, and replace the wires. I'll bet it'll run fine again.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Trolling 1956 Johnson FD-10

You said the points don't look so good. What doesn't look good about them? Are they very oily or greasy? If so, that could be your problem. You may have a bad upper crank seal. If so, there should be lots of black oil and grease around the armature plate and probably dripping down the side of the powerhead, so if you don't see that, don't worry. Other than that, I totally agree with Lindy46 on the coils.
Those motors should troll just fine with the J6C plugs in it. I'm not a troller but do lots of low speed running and never have a problem. I have a '56 evinrude 15 and do lots of steady low speed running with it. With the ignition in good shape with new coils, I'll bet you won't have any problems with it for a long time. I used my '56 fastwin all duck season last year with no problem. They're as reliable or better than any other motor when you get the coils replaced. The coils are really the only weak point on 50's motors that I know of. Here's a pic of my '56 fastwin from last duck season.

 

[Minnow00]

Re: Trolling 1956 Johnson FD-10

Thanks again for the encouragement and suggestions. The points are clean and dry and the whole area there is clean and dry, no oil. The points on one side have a dark spot in the center and on the other side the edges look rounded but they are clean and dry. I will put the coils in and wires while I'm in there too. I don't think it's the top seal. The guy I got it from told me to use 32/1 mix, he told me he didn't own it long though (probably wanted to get rid of it becasue it needed some routine TLC) but I read that with good TW3 oil you can run 24/1 but if it was made for 16/1 maybe thats what I should be running.
I'll repost after I get it put back together, probably a week before I get parts and get them in. I want to be ready for Muskie this fall. Lots of trolling.
You got a nice looking set up there JB.
Jerry

 

[rolmops]

Re: Trolling 1956 Johnson FD-10

It is an old and for some sore subject.The oil that is.
1:24 was with SAE 30 engine oil and with the arrival of TC-W3 a much better oil is here.I run my 50s outboards 1:32,but with a lot of trolling it might be good to stick to 1:24.
It is always easy to just throw parts at a problem and while replacing another part you might accidentally tighten the loose connection that caused the problem.My first advise would be to check all the regular maintenance issues,specially the high and low needle adjustment in the carb.They sometimes vibrate loose and open up causing your engine to stall.
As for replacing coils,at $30 per coil I would first check for cracks and the like.Check your wiring first.You might just have a bad wire grounding out.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Trolling 1956 Johnson FD-10

The Sierra coils are $18.99 here at iboats:
http://www.iboats.com/mall/partfind...gd_poid=109172&gd_row=53&**********=035195000

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Trolling 1956 Johnson FD-10

If your points have a dark spot they may be a little burnt. Try a little 400 grit sandpaper on them, clean them with spray carb cleaner and you may have your problem solved. They should not be burnt or pitted looking. If they are, they won't work right and cause the problems you described. But the new coils are definitely the way to go if your's are pretty old.
Good luck,
JBJ

 

[Minnow00]

Re: Trolling 1956 Johnson FD-10

What kind of compression did these motors have new? 96 shouldn't be to bad should it? It always starts on the first or second pull.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Trolling 1956 Johnson FD-10

If I remember correctly, my fastwin has about 105 psi on both cylinders. I suspect they had about 115psi when new, but nobody knows for sure unless someone older than me remembers when they were new (i.e. F-R as usual)
OMC never posted compression #'s. COmpression gauges vary so much nobody even likes to say what they get (seems like it to me, anyway). Either way, yours has plenty of compression to run nice, so I wouldn't worry about it.
JBJ

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Trolling 1956 Johnson FD-10

I'd be happy with 96#'s a side. That's not your issue.