Tidy Up My 1971 Electric Shift 50

jvanhees

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
284
Hey Guys - finally getting to the motor on my build.

1971 Johnson 50hp Electric Shift - off an old duratech. 119 and 125 compression in the cylinders. I poured a little gas in the cylinders last night, and turned the key and she fired up for a second.(ended up with wrong gas tank fittings)

Basically what I am trying to do, is get this motor "trustworthy". What do you recommend I do on it, to check it over, and make sure its worth securing to the Sea Nymph. I will be doing impeller and gear lube no doubt.

Questions -

when I push the lever on controls (choke lever?) up to the "start" position, the motor does not turn over or do anything. Acts dead. When I put that lever back down to "run" position, it turns over great.

- why is this happening?
- how will I get fuel to it, if I cannot choke it?







I will also take some better pics.


 

Faztbullet

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
15,904
Stick it in a barrel and see it it will run with backpressure on it,the reason it wont start is the micro switch on throttle leaver on motor as if raised to high it looses connection and drops the ground from starter solenoid. The early loopers are bad about the skirts worn on piston and wont idle without a lot of timing and they will still have good compression
 

jvanhees

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
284
^^ thank you for the input. Im not exactly sure what and where the things you mentioned are, but I will put in in a jug and try to get it to start and run.

Picked up lower unit lube yesterday to change that out too. Also got the proper fuel line connections.
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
37,819
The switch is located near the throttle arm on the motor.( white wire to it )----Possibly can be adjusted.
 

lmuss53

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
1,227
Doesn't this motor require a special lower unit lube to go with the electric shift?
 

jvanhees

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
284
I bought the special gear lube for sure. And started tinkering with the motor last night.

It would turn over forever, without firing. Like previously mentioned, when I lift the choke lever on the controls to the start mode, it does not turn over. When I put the lever in the run mode, it turns over, but doest choke so no start.

I started messing around, as you can see here and started to get somewhere.

http://s612.photobucket.com/user/jva...tml?sort=3&o=0

I do not know why i cannot control choke from the lever. When you guys talk about a white wire, and switch, what exactly am I trying to do?
 
Last edited:

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
37,819
The lever is for throttle only !----Move it too far and the motor will not crank.-----The choke solenoid should be operated by a seperate switch or the key pushed in if ignition switch has been updated.-----Get a manual as " messing " with a motor can get very expensive in a hurry !!
 

jvanhees

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
284
You can see here, there seems to be alot of play in the choke. Doesnt explain why it wouldnt turn over tho in the start position on the controls though.

http://s612.photobucket.com/user/jva...tml?sort=3&o=0

I learned if I give it some gas by manually moving the throttle on the motor(not controls) while turning over, it starts up easier and stays running. I didnt let it run for long without water.

So at this point I am working what I call the choke to start, and workong the throttle to keep running. Both manually. Not ideal.

http://s612.photobucket.com/user/jva...tml?sort=3&o=1
 
Last edited:

jvanhees

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
284
I checked on it an hour or two after briefly running it, and found what I think is gear lube leaking out. Its coming from where the prop meets the skeg. What has gone bad here?

 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
37,819
Do you hear a click from the choke solenoid when you operate the choke switch ?????--The oil from the prop is very normal for a 2 stroke engine, likely not gear oil.---If you have run this motor without water to the impeller then you now need to install a new impeller !!
 

jvanhees

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
284
Do you hear a click from the choke solenoid when you operate the choke switch ?????--The oil from the prop is very normal for a 2 stroke engine, likely not gear oil.---If you have run this motor without water to the impeller then you now need to install a new impeller !!


I believe I did hear a click, but I will check that when I get home tonight. By choke switch, you are talking lever on the controls?

It did look like regular oil vs gear lube, thanks!

And I did run it briefly without water. I plan to install a new impeller as well, but that will depend on how the impeller is performing when I run it with water next. I would rather be safe and install one, if it looks questionable. Thanks for the info!
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
The choke switch should be under the key on the control box.
 

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
13,787
Are you sure that's gear oil coming out? Looks more like carbon soaked fuel mix coming out the exhaust.

So does turning the key to the on position and pushing in the key activate your choke solenoid?
 

jvanhees

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
284
All there is is a toggle under the key. I will post up a better pic later of controls, but this one is the same as mine.

 

jvanhees

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
284
Are you sure that's gear oil coming out? Looks more like carbon soaked fuel mix coming out the exhaust.

So does turning the key to the on position and pushing in the key activate your choke solenoid?



I do not think its gear oil after hearing from you guys.

I will check if I can push in the key, I forgot about that. I could do that on my last evinrude. Still doesnt explain why the start lever, when in "start" wont let me crank it over. Maybe I wont need it?
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
37,819
Your " start lever " is a throttle only lever.-------If throttle is advanced to far the switch near the throttle lever on the motor gprs open.----That prevents cranking.-----See if you can adjust that switch !!
 

jvanhees

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
284
Your " start lever " is a throttle only lever.-------If throttle is advanced to far the switch near the throttle lever on the motor gprs open.----That prevents cranking.-----See if you can adjust that switch !!

Thanks Racer. Any idea where that switch can be adjusted?

Here is a better pic.


You cannot push the key inward for choke either.
 
Top