Fire damage to my 1967 Johnson 80hp. Need help (Watch video for details)

[BonairII]

Just picked up a 16ft Glasspar avalon today. Motor had a small fire(fuel leak pooled inside lower cowling and caught fire, but was put out very quickly). It has some burnt wires and I need to replace them.
Aside from the obvious damage in the video....motor has always been serviced by the PO's local marine mechanic and been well cared for.

I'm hoping that if I replace the broken wires,the impeller, and replace a small section of fuel line...that this motor may fire up again.

I'll be ordering a carb kit soon, also.

Where am I likely to find spark plug wires and the wire that goes into the distributor?
Any/all help or advice is appreciated!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivYCu1zmKKE

[emoney]

Local marina is the quickest place for plug wires, but some auto parts stores might (doubt it due to age) carry them. Or, if you've got time, order them online. The motor looks like it's clean. Not sure how long it's been sitting, etc., but I'd redo carbs, replace ALL the fuel line (from the carbs to the fuel tank) just because the older model lines weren't built to use Ethanol based gas, clean/rebuild the fuel pump, (pay attention to the diaphram), change the lower unit fluid while changing out the impellar, and make sure the plugs are gapped correctly. Then, fire that puppy up.

[BonairII]

How to I get the wire out of the distributor cap? Do they unscrew? I was able to start turning one of the wires out, but was too afraid to proceed without asking.

[1946Zephyr]

According to what I saw, there isn't enough fire damage to keep that motor from being usable again. In my oppinion, that motor looks pretty darned good. I would get a wiring diagram and re-wire it. Nice old motor.

Yes, I do believe those wires screw out. I had a motor like that once and it was a good runner. I found it sitting in a guy's trailor and the guy said "$50 bucks and she's yours"

[wilde1j]

Spark plug wire is available from almost any auto parts store like NAPA, etc. Get only metal core wire like Packard 440. Typically wire has a metal pucture clip in the end and just plugs into the cap. May come out hard BC it's been in place for a lot of years. Do NOT use carbon filament resistor wire.

[BonairII]

I pulled back the wire boot(at the distributor cap) and the wire goes inside the cap and makes a 90 degree turn downward. You still think I should pop them out or unscrew them

[wilde1j]

This is where an OEM shop manual would be a big help. I don't know.

[BonairII]

I'll have an oem manual by next week. This is what cap look like on the inside.

[yorab]

They screw out. What you are seeing inside the cap is not the ends of the wire. Those four posts inside the distributor cap are contact points for the rotating rotor and are independent of the wires. Once you find wires, you'll need to get the special threaded ends crimped onto them. There is a thread on the forum that describes a way to do that. Try to use the search function to find it.

If you find that your crimped ends are bad, Dan Gano at ganotech.com makes new wires with the ends. He's reasonably priced. BTW, you can find many of the routine maintenance items right here at iboats, but in the case of the wires, they don't have them for your model.

[BonairII]

Once you find wires, you'll need to get the special threaded ends crimped onto them. There is a thread on the forum that describes a way to do that. Try to use the search function to find it.

Local marina says they will make me wires, but I haven't asked them if they can do screw-in ends. I'm not even sure the wires I have are bad yet. The insulation might just be a little bubbled. They def need to be replaced at some point soon though.
I've just got to replace/splice a couple sections of wire that go to the starter solenoid(I think).....and I think it may be ready to at least to to start the motor.
Anyone know what this hole is on the leg of the motor?

Aside from making sure I use the correct gauge...are the wires I have to replace(see vid) anything special?

[BonairII]

According to what I saw, there isn't enough fire damage to keep that motor from being usable again. In my oppinion, that motor looks pretty darned good.

I agree. I'm not sure, I'll even need a wiring diagram because all the wires that got a little burnt are still attached to where they're supposed to be. Hopefully, it'll just be a matter of replacing and/or splicing a couple wires.
Like I've mentioned before, the PO said that the fire only lasted for seconds. he went to start the boat at the slip(after he had a run it for 30 minutes) and 'Poof!". he said he threw off the cowling and hit the fire with an extinguisher very quickly.

[yorab]

Local marina says they will make me wires, but I haven't asked them if they can do screw-in ends.

Make sure that they can do the ends before you buy. The wires are useless without the ends.

Anyone know what this hole is on the leg of the motor?

I believe that is an access plate for the mechanical shift linkage. If you have electric shift, it's just a dummy plate. You can be sure by looking up the parts diagram at

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/jo...ear=1967&hp=80

You'll just need to choose your model from the choices.

Aside from making sure I use the correct gauge...are the wires I have to replace(see vid) anything special?

I'm only familiar with my 1963 model so perhaps yours if different. But I can say that with the 1963, there is one "special" wire. It ran from the ignition switch to the ignition coil and had a known resistance that was important for proper operation of the ignition system. It was white with a red candy-cane stripe. All the other wires were regular old wires. Your FSM will have a very good wiring schematic that shows color, gauge, and routing of all the wires in the system. Also, if there are any "special" wires, they should be mentioned in the appropriate reading sections.

[1946Zephyr]

Try Sea-Way Marine for your spark plug leads too. They have a good stock of parts for your big Johnson.

[BonairII]

Make sure that they can do the ends before you buy. The wires are useless without the ends.



I believe that is an access plate for the mechanical shift linkage. If you have electric shift, it's just a dummy plate. You can be sure by looking up the parts diagram at

It looks almost like a grease fitting/nipple inside the hole.

No service manual yet. Short on money for a few days. Last time I looked, I only could find schematics for 1968 and up.

[Daviet]

Here you go, pick your model number and have a look.
http://www.marineengine.com/parts/jo...ear=1967&hp=80

[BonairII]

When I click on my particular model...it says it's not available online. Are most of the variations of my motor pretty much the same?

[Daviet]

Select another model number in the same year, might be some minor changes, but should be close. Just look close at the parts breakdown and compare to your engine.

[BonairII]

Update: Replaced the burnt wires(crudely spliced in new wire). Tried to start it. It turned over slowly like the battery was weak(marine charger said it's at 96%). Second attempt motor spun very slowly and then starter just kind of rattled back and forth while it was engaged on the flywheel.
I cleaned up the battery contacts, but just get the single "click" from the solenoid.

How can I "jump" the solenoid to take it out of the equation? Is it possible to fry something if I jump it incorrectly?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTjh5bf_qLI

[Fisherball]

Make sure you use marine grade tinned copper wire unless you want to do the job again in a few years. I'd replace every wire that has any hint of being damaged. Your starting problem could be caused by the wire you spliced in.

[BonairII]

I'm going to try to find another harness, just spliced in wire to see if I could get it running.

[nwcove]

if you decide to repair rather than replace the burnt wireing, make sure to solder, clean any paste residue, and heat shrink it. i like to use rtv silicone and then slide the heat shrink over the connection before heating.....just to make sure no water can corrode the connection.

[Daviet]

You can use a jumper cable and go directly to the positive post on the starter. Doing that will bypass all of the starting circut.

[BonairII]

Took the starter off. Opened it up and cleaned it out a bit. It's a pain-in-the-arse to take the darn starter off btw. Turned the key on for a few secs and it turned the motor over. I tried it a second time and nothing. had a friend tap on the starter while i turned the key and it sporadically tried to turn the
motor over.

My friend's cousin(chopper pilot/mechanic) tested the starter w/ meter and said it's getting 12.6V to the starter. He seems to think I can open it up and clean out the starter and it may work. He thinks that maybe that something is binding the starter.

Any of this sound logical?

[Daviet]

If it is getting 12.6 volts to the starter when you turn the key to start, you either have a ground problem or an internal starter problem.

[BonairII]

When I took the starter motor off, we put power to it and it spun fast. It wasn't attached to the starter gear(the gear with the spring).
Tomorrow I'm going to take off the starter again and try it with the both pieces of the starter together.