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I am a new guy, and I bought an old outboard.

A

AllenH59

New member
Good afternoon, Glad to have found a forum do discuss this. I live in central BC in Canada. I bought an old outboard, it was sold to me as a 25 hp, and from the pics I can find on the net it looks like the 18-25 hp series from the late sixties, to the early seventies. I have taken it for a run, and while it does run, it "makes power" then it "does not make power" like it is losing spark in one cylinder. It shakes pretty bad at idle, although it will idle pretty slow. The numbers are gone as far as I can tell. if there is any secret way of identifying it I would appreciate knowing. Boat motors up here last a long time, as they are rarely out 5 weekends a year. I am pretty mechanical. any input would be appreciated. I am expecting to put coils in it, and will do spark plug wires at the same time.

I popped the flywheel off it, and everything looks good except the condensers, which are both quite corroded on the tops...
Allen
 
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Look for a plate on the port (left) transom bracket (bracket that attaches engine to the boat) for a small plate that has the model and serial number on it. What is the Model number?
 
http://www.leeroysramblings.com/johnson_E-FD_15_18hp.html
It looks like the E or FD series mid 60s 22 cid 18-20-25hp that looks like 1962 cowl racer would have a better idea. The condensers rarely go bad even when they look old. The coils look to be in good shape get new OEM points and condensers and see if you can jump a 1/4 inch gap on both plug wire with a brite blue snap. Be sure and torque the flywheel nut to spec before giving it fire. 40-45ft lbs for flywheel nut.
 
kimcrwbr1 are you thinking my intermittant problem is probably fuel? I will certainly put points and condensers in it, the points in it do not really line up too well. I can make points and a float carb work. . My reason for suspecting the ignition system is that it does not sound flooded or lean when it looses power at full throttle, and then it just comes back. I was of course hoping it was a coil because that is easy....
 
Definately do a compression test and a spark gap test it must jump a gap of at least 1/4 inch with a brite blue snap with a open air spark gap tester. always check compression and spark gap before messing with fuel.
 
A ruptured fuel pump diaphragm can cause flooding on one cylinder, but once ruptured, always ruptured-- it won't come and go. The carburetor and rest of the fuel system feeds both cylinders, so that isn't causing dropping one either. That takes you back to the ignition system. Remember, spark plugs are part of the ignition system. Also, water getting ingested into a cylinder will cause that cyl to misfire.
 
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