Johnson 40hp Electric Project

[Rapier]

I do these motors every so often and realise how much they irritate me despite being attractive in that 40s technology lumpen way. Why?

1. The coils..they're always duff, every motor I've ever worked on has had duff coils..even those that were 'running when last used'. Chuck 'em and cough up for replacements, i.e. araldite, jb weld. epoxy and icing sugar are no substitute when you and family are out in a Force 6 on the Carrick Roads..
2. Grease..every motor I've every worked on had at least 2 pounds of the stuff oozing out of every gap and gobs wrapped around every moving part, except where it matters..
3. The lack of paint on the powerheads...I used to think was overheating, lol.
4. The pain in posterior shroud...if it's been run in salt, every bolt will break.
5. The shift shaft connector...stainless bolt into brass thread through a tiny window, past an indented stainless shaft is a cross threading disaster...new connector is £17
6. Removing the l/u..last time I reckon I had a mini-heart attack from the exertions..see pic where gravity is doing it's bit.. it'll stay until I feel like wrestling a croc.
7. Replacing the impellor is a bit like opening a lucky packet, you wonder how many of those nasty tasting jelly babies there'll be. A recent change on a '69 4hp showed sealant under the wear plate, around the lip of the housing and in each of the bolt holes - there, fixed it, sealed for life, fit and forget. I had to get the blowtorch out...

Get a nice one though and those torquey 30 horses will thrill for years to come. T

[floater]

Not a great sales pitch when you have a few to sell pair of coils £70 merc distributor cap £100?
It's the same with everything though. Why do mercs have so many mild steel fasteners on them? I have spent many hours recently trying and prying the dyna float bits off to release the mid section when a few stainless bolts would have removed the problem entirely.
Annoying feature of my 1972 Evinrude 40 was having to remove the powerhead from the leg to change the head gasket due to the height of the tray, the earlier shrouds seperated verticaly so the job was done in 20 mins. Still at least you could get the head off unlike the black things.

Could start off a Grrrr thread

[Alacrity]

remove the powerhead from the leg to change the head gasket .............Still at least you could get the head off unlike the black things.

You just hit the nail on the head Floater, no head gasket to blow on the black things . . . .

Earlier black things had s/steel nuts & bolts but they corrode in aluminium as well - except they do it electrolytically! If its ali & used in salt then it will corrode it seems, end of.

[floater]

How did it go getting 6 pistons on a crankshaft through the back of the block? wouldnt it be nice and stress free to have taken the head off and slid them in one by one but oh no cant do that either, big end cap nuts are on the wrong side
Has anyone built a perfect engine yet?
Wheres that Perkins manual?

[Alacrity]

How did it go getting 6 pistons on a crankshaft through the back of the block? . . . . big end cap nuts are on the wrong side?

Easy, big end nuts are on the 'right' side of mine so pop the pistons in & pull the rods up to the crank!

Joking apart, the later engines like my 6 cyl to me represent the ideal, no head gasket to blow but simple to install. The earlier style where the rotating assy was assembled inc. the pistons & were dropped in as one were a pain, but how often do you need to do it? Less often than a head gasket would be my guess. Quite why Mercury didn't bolt the big ends up in a normal manner sooner is beyond me.

[floater]

I think what makes something right in ones mind is what one has been used to. When presented with a different system the immediate reaction is "why do it like that?"
I like the Jonnyrudes, I am used to them, I kind of know them now. I know the coils will need replacing if original I know that I can open it all up for a look see without special tools or it being a major op. I know to take care replacing the shift link bolt, I know the head gasket may leak but on an old style motor it'l be a 20 minuite job to replace it. I can remove the carb and backplate and replace the reeds without removing the crank. Its all very comfy

the Merc has been a voyage of discovery and grumbling It has its strengths, it has its weaknesses too but on the whole "I know what I like and I like what I know "

[grant]

You mind what you say,THIS POST WILL GET LOCKED DOWN!!!

[Rapier]

Quiet! Or the motor gets it!

[Rapier]

With the weight of the motor assumed the waterpipes would give up thier prize overnight, but to no avail. Will use both car's towbars and the winch today, but I think the drive shaft is seized in place..Anyone else got any bright ideas? Run it and keep an eye out on the overheat sensor?

[petrolhead]

haha..........anything mechanical sent to try us but we love it! I had a triumph stag hanging from rafters of a garage by one cylinder head for over a fortnight in a vein attempt to separate it from the block failed miserably, tried it all, ended up drilling through the side of the head into offending studs and scrapping a head.