New owner 1978 Johnson 115 hp, HELP!

Jtrader

Recruit
Joined
Sep 24, 2012
Messages
4
Bought a good used boat and the Johnson 115 came with it. The boat and trailer were worth the money alone. The motor was original on boat and I am third owner. Anyhow I replaced the starter and rewired the solonoid so I could start it as the seller used a rope. Motor started after a few seconds but idled very high and would not back down. The tach is not hooked up or does not work. My voltage meter says charging is up and down and not a constant 14+ volts. The worst surprise is forward gear and neutral seem to work okay but no reverse. Owner said he had serviced lower unit, new water pump and spark plugs but I am not sure what to believe. My question is should I continue to work on and put more money into this motor or look for a replacement? Is the older Johnson worth the time and investment? Any and all opinions are most welcomed. Confused in Knoxville, TN. Thank you.
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: New owner 1978 Johnson 115 hp, HELP!

Do a compression test. If it passes that it would be a lot less bux to get her running good than to replace her with another unknown quantity.
 

emoney

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
2,551
Re: New owner 1978 Johnson 115 hp, HELP!

If the compression numbers are all (within 10% of each other), then follow that shift cable back to the motor and on the starboard side (I think) of the powerhead, you should see them connect to the motor at the shift lever. Try shifting the boat into reverse there. That will help you determine if your problem lies in the LU or just needs a cable adjustment or cable replacement. Better to check all your systems and see what you have now before making a decision what to do next.
 
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