33 HP Johnson

[old boat 54]

As a new member I was looking through the site. Very informative, and I learned a lot over the last week. I was wondering why, under the Johnson Motor questions threads, there is not a 33 h.p group. I see 30,35, 40 ect ..... I recently purchased a 14 foot Starcraft boat with a 1966 Super Sea Horse Electric start. I see the listing by years, however 33 is not in H.P. category. Was this motor only around for a couple of years, and not as popular ?
Thanks for any info.

P.S Thanks to the Members here, I learned a lot of do's and Don'ts on changing oil, winter storage, tune up info, ect. Great Site !

Mike

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

i'm sorry, i do not understand the question, ", however 33 is not in H.P. category". what is your model #? what are you wanting to know?

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Yes, it was only around for a few years but I believe they used the same block on the 40hp which was around for a long long time. Others will confirm. And welcome to the forum. You will learn lots here

 

[asdasc]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

It looks like they only made them from 65-71, so they may be not as popular. The key is to know what else it is similar to, ussually one size up or down. That way you can glean all the info off a sister model that may have been more popular.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Yes, it was only around for a few years but I believe they used the same block on the 40hp which was around for a long long time. Others will confirm. And welcome to the forum. You will learn lots here

The 40hp that you are thinking of isn't the same block. It has the dual water tube arrangement and has a thermostat in it, which the 33hp doesn't have. These are the motors that were referred to as the "Super Quiet" models, with the "fat" midsections. The water pumps. carburetors and gearcases are also different. Many other parts, such as the ignition system. recoil starter, prop, etc., should fit either motor.

There was a later model 40hp motor that was basically the same motor as the 33hp, but the crankcase, pistons, head, and a bunch of other parts are different. Someone was helping me to understand the difference between the two recently, and I think this particular 40hp model, is actually a slightly larger displacement powerhead than the 33hp motor.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Note: I was trying to post the following information before my post, above. Somehow, it all got lost somewhere in cyberspace but I was able to page back and retrieve it to copy/paste here. So, I guess I am either a very determined iboater, or a shameless post padder!


I believe that the forum your were in, is the Johnson Boat forum. There are a number of Johnson outboard motor related threads there, but they really belong here, under the Johnson & Evinrude, Repair & Maintainence threads.

OMC made a series of trihull boats in the sixties, with both outboard and I/O power. The boats were sold under both the Evinrude and Johnson brands. Some of them were fairly conventional looking, and some were quite odd looking. The latest year that I know of them being sold was 1970, with Chris-Craft eventually buying the molds. The forum that you were in was, I believe, set up for threads on these boats, but it hasn't been used for that purpose.

OMC/Johnson made the 33hp model from 1965 through 1970. The following table gives the model numbers. You may also see an "M" or an "R" after the trailing digits in these designations. Motors with the "E" designation were "Electric" models, which I believe included both electric start and electrically actuated choke, in addition to rope start and manual choke. The "L" designation was for the "longshaft" (20") models. I'm not sure what the "M" and "R" designations indicated, but I'll bet there are a couple of people around here who do know.

1965: RX-13, RXL-13, RXE-13, RXEL-13

1966: RX-14, RXL-14, RXE-14, RXEL-14

1967: RX-15, RXL-15, RXE-15, RXEL-15

1968: RX-16, RXL-16, RXE-16, RXEL-16

1969: 33E69, 33EL69, 33R69, 33RL69

1970: 33E70, 33EL70, 33R70, 33RL70

You will find that there is a great deal of information available in regard to your motor, right in this section of the threads. Whatever your question may be, ask it and we will try to help. We are very fortunate to have a number of folks here at the iboats forum, who have a great deal of knowledge in regard to the older motors.

Welcome to iboats!

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Actually, the 28's and 33's are remakes of the older 30's and 35's before the super quiet lower units were built. Both of these, are not with the super quiet shrouding, but with the single wall leg, like the older 30's. They did have the newer design of upper cowling to make them look later though. They're still just as good of a motor as any other of the big twin styles.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Actually, the 28's and 33's are remakes of the older 30's and 35's before the super quiet lower units were built. Both of these, are not with the super quiet shrouding, but with the single wall leg, like the older 30's. They did have the newer design of upper cowling to make them look later though. They're still just as good of a motor as any other of the big twin styles.

Agreed. There are also quite a few parts that are interchangeable between the motors.

 

[F_R]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Look at a 1960-63 Gale 35/40hp. Then look at a J/E 28-33hp. Then look at a 1971-up J/E 40hp. Look familiar? It's mighty easy to change the shape of fiberglass hoods and get a bucket of different color paint.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Very true F_R. Funny how they did that. These were a good design and never let you down. I didn't realize the 71 and up 40hp was of the same design though. It's probably all the better, the older 40's were a bit heavier with all the "Super Quiet" shrouding.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

F_R, do you know what the "M" and "R" designations were at the end of the model numbers for these motors?

 

[F_R]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Well yes and no. All Johnson of that time had a letter suffix. It sort of seems to have been picked at random. Maybe somebody's grandkids' initial?? Just funnin'.

Anyway the model year would start out with that letter and if there was a mid-year change in any of the parts' specification, the letter changed to indicate that. Only the latest parts book for the year in question knows what the change was.

 

[old boat 54]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Holy Smokes .... Chief of the boat, Admiral's, and Lieutenant Commander's, Commanders and Seaman. I thought I was in the engine room, not the Bridge.
Was I in the Aircraft carrier Forum ?

Thanks for the reply's guys.

Tasha'sdad : I was looking in the Johnson boat forum as Jay M. indicated, and noticed I could look up motor info by years, and H.P. and other catagory's, however I did not see the 33 hp listed, and was just wondering why, as it seems to be somewhat popular. No real questions at this time, just learning to surf info at this site, but I appreciate you willingness to help along with all the others.
The motor here is the 33 hp RXE 14, indicated on engine plate. It has electric start, and the electric choke. I have a good amount of mechanical backround as I am in trades (electrician) and my brother and I rebuilt a few chevy motors as teens (283 small block) ect. Not proclaiming a mechanic, but had fun working on car engines. Now its Cat scans, Mri's, linear accelerators, and UPS systems, and 4000 amp services.
Able to identify parts, electric systems, carb, see how the timing advance works, ect. but a lot of things I did not know,but read here; I.E. old pressure type fuel tanks, dont take out the shift pivot screw at lower unit, ect. Fill L U from bottom to top vent to remove air bubbles, which makes sence as 90 w gear lube is thick, and may leave void in lower unit, and I am sure a LOT more. Don't know much about lower unit insides, but I am gonna find out. Yes, I ordered the Manual.
Asdasc : Yes, that was along the lines I was thinking, ( read my mind) was to find what motor was the most similar and popular to get the info and possable parts that bolt up to 33 h.p. Love the boathouse picture: classic
1946Zephyr : Actually I thought the 33 was fairly quiet, but I really can't compare, as I do not have a lot of tiller time in front of these Classics.
The 14' starcraft has a sterring wheel with the old cable steering cable's, and work's pretty good. I like the classics I guess.
Enough blabbin from me, thanks for the welcome guys.
Mike

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Yea, truthfully, there won't be any difference, once you open that baby up and let 'er rip

Truthfully, I like the single wall big twin motors, because there's less weight there, they're easier to work on and less parts.

I'll be picking up a 1954 Big Twin, as soon as my buddy gets it dug out of his garage. The grand daddy to the 33's and 28's, so to speak. Johnson and Evinrude debuted it in 1951 and it still proves reliability at it's best.

You're old 33 will never konk out on you, if you treat it good. Once I get mine, it's going to the restoration bench and I'll keep all you guys updated with 'er.

Leon

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

I don't find the 28hp and 33hp motors to be all that terrible on noise. The older 35hp engines are pretty noisy, though. I had a pair of them on two different boats, with the air silencers removed so that I could mount starter solenoids in the front portion of the pan. Those were not motors that allowed much conversation underway!

 

[56 rude]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Yea, truthfully, there won't be any difference, once you open that baby up and let 'er rip

Truthfully, I like the single wall big twin motors, because there's less weight there, they're easier to work on and less parts.

I'll be picking up a 1954 Big Twin, as soon as my buddy gets it dug out of his garage. The grand daddy to the 33's and 28's, so to speak. Johnson and Evinrude debuted it in 1951 and it still proves reliability at it's best.

You're old 33 will never konk out on you, if you treat it good. Once I get mine, it's going to the restoration bench and I'll keep all you guys updated with 'er.

Leon

Leon i picked up my 54 bigtwin on saturday !Other than a it needs a paint job and carb rebuild its good to go.i have a 70 tiller model.

That motor took me, a spare 15 rude ,25 gallons of gas ,beer ,fishing gear ,and pushed a 275 14 foot wood boat 30 miles up a large river without so much as a hiccup!And at a good speed .Im not sure what im going to do with that motor as i like the 50,s omc a lot more but she is reliable and very torquie.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Yea, that looks just one I worked on a while back. A guy brought it here, needing a coil. Great motors. Those tiller handles are kind of a rarity item though. Finding a 50's big twin is even harder. Most of those are set up for remote controls only.

Yea, I have a nice little '84 15hp Johnson, somebody gave me a month or two ago. I need to replace the pistons and rings in it, but it runs nice and looks almost like new. The guy I got it from got it hot and locked it up. As a result, each piston scored in about three different places. That will be a nice motor to put on a 14 ft aluminum boat.

Leon

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Yea, truthfully, there won't be any difference, once you open that baby up and let 'er rip

Truthfully, I like the single wall big twin motors, because there's less weight there, they're easier to work on and less parts.

Leon

I agree with that... I like easy!

 

[old boat 54]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

Hey 56 Rude,
Looks like a wooden boat under that motor from what I can see of the picture. Looks pretty sharp. I like the "classics"

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 33 HP Johnson

One of my '58 Bigtwins was originally a tiller steer motor. I took the tiller off so that I could match it up with my other bigtwin, for a dual engine setup. The throtte tab that replaced the tiller came off of a parts motor that I have.

You can bet that the original tiller is sitting in my parts bin, to be saved just in case I want to go back to a tiller steer on one of the motors!