1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

[ward cleaver]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

Ok per the instructions in Top Secrets:

I removed the prop; no fishing line, no spline, prop has some nicks but since they were really small I smoothed em out with a grinder and it looks ok. Put new cotter pin on the shopping list.

Removed the drain and vent screws on the lower unit; no sign of water intrusion (milkiness) and no shrapnel in the fluid. The fluid did smell a bit burned tho. So now I'm ready to fill 'er back up and reading carefully this time I see that I am suppose to fill thru the drain hole on the bottom until it comes out the vent hole at the top. Well now THATs a problem! This think weighs way more than I can lift. How am I suppose to turn the whole thing upside down so I can fill from the drain hole? And if I do, won't it just run out the vent hole? There must be some sort of duh-thing I don't get.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

Wal-mart makes a pump to pump the oil; otherwise stick the pointy end of the gear oil bottle in the bottom hole and squeeeeeeeeeeeeze until oil comes out the top hole. Then put the top screw in, pull out the oil bottle, and put the bottom screw in.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

And don't take out the Phillips head screw.....

 

[ward cleaver]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

Duh. I think that's what Lumpy may have been trying to tell me but I couldnt understand him what with the donut in his mouth.

Thanks. I had a feeling there was a simple answer to this.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

Regarding your SELOC manual, I have the Mercury version and find it difficult to use. I scanned and saved a non-factory service manual that I used to completely overhaul a seized 1959 Johnson 35HP down to every nut, bolt and gasket except the gearcase. It covers all J&E30-40HP motors built from 1956-1964. If you would like a copy, send me your email address in a Private Message and I will reply with the manual attached. Good luck!

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

Get the $3 Walmart pump...makes the job a lot easier/cleaner. Screw the fitting into the drain hole on the bottom of the LU, screw the top of the pump onto the lube bottle (don't mess with the tubes), remove the Vent screw further up the foot. Pump until lube comes out the Vent hole. Put the Vent screw in tight (use a new O-ring gasket on the Vent and Drain plug), remove the pump top from the bottle, unscrew the fitting from the drain hole, install Drain plug and Bob's your uncle. Put some paper down to catch drips, etc., so your shop/garage floor won't smell like LU lube for a long time...smelly stuff. Do a tune-up...coils/points/condensors...check/replace plug wires as needed (solid wire core wires)...clean the fuel system and you should be ready for the lake. If you ever have to pull start it, take the recoil starter off and use a good knotted rope on the flywheel...more leverage that way...saves wear/tear on your arm and shoulder.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

That pump will be one of the best outboard tools that you will ever buy if you're ever going to change your LU oil more than once! (and you should be doing it at the end of every season)

 

[ward cleaver]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

I bought one of these for about $10 at Schucks:

Powerbuilt
Spark Plug Wire Tester
For easy testing of wires
Inductive Design
Tester lights up when electrical current is detected
648429

Hooked it up and tried to start it with the key and the tester didnt blink. So, no spark right? Well, then I tried it on my 6 hp evinrude (runs just fine) and pulled the cord and still no blinking. Heck it even fired. So is this tester a piece of junk? I bet I need a tester that attachs to the plug like a timing light does huh?

 

[tennessee-jimi]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

Regarding your SELOC manual, I have the Mercury version and find it difficult to use. I scanned and saved a non-factory service manual that I used to completely overhaul a seized 1959 Johnson 35HP down to every nut, bolt and gasket except the gearcase. It covers all J&E30-40HP motors built from 1956-1964. If you would like a copy, send me your email address in a Private Message and I will reply with the manual attached. Good luck!

Hello, Can I get a copy of that? I just bought one off ebay & it stinks! jbritt68@yahoo.com

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

Harbor Freight, the man store as my wife calls it, has several inexpensive spark testers...I need to get the in-line one so I can check spark when my outboards are running. Most of them are less than $25. For checking basic spark, I use an old, good plug with the electrode bent back a good ways...has to jump the gap with a good, blue spark. The HF testers attach to the plug wire and ground to the block...sounds like your plug wire tester is loopy.

 

[asdasc]

Re: 1961 Johnson 40hp doesn't fire - repair or part out?

I got the spark tester at a auto parts store for about $8. It has a threaded rod with a spark plug end on it that you can attach the plug wire to. There is a wire with a clip on the other end to attach to the block. It wasn't working and then I found that the threads were so loose that it wasn't making any solid connection. I added another nut to tighted it against and it works fine.