Lost cowling for 1978 4hp Johnson.

hardwater fisherman

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4W78E I lost the cowling today on the way to the lake. I have a parts motor but it was missing the cowl when I bought it. There is a seller on EBAY that says the cowls from 1969 thru 1978 are interchangeable. If someone could please confirm that because I have found a couple that I want to go see. But they both appear to be early 70s cowls. Also I would assume an Evinrude cowl would fit? Thanks for any help given.
 

TN-25

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I believe that unlike the 6-horse engines, both the Johnson and Evinrude 4s share the same lower shroud, meaning that the hoods will interchange. Actually the 1968 3 horse as well as 1969 - 1978 4-horse hoods should fit.
The above is true for North American motors.
 

hardwater fisherman

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Thanks. I did check the part numbers for the lower pan and 78 had a different number. There is no high speed needle on the 78 so maybe that is the difference.
 

oldboat1

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I don't think there is a simple way to replace a cowling, unless you find the same year and model online. I would look for outboard boneyards if you have them around (old time shops or marinas) -- need to have the same latch mechanism, appropriate openings choke knob and carb needles and knobs.
 

hardwater fisherman

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The latches and front and back hooks are the same from 1969 thru 1978. And the rubber seal is also the same. So the only difference I see is shape which could be a problem because I have external ignition coils and a different flywheel. There are no openings in the cowls themselves so no problem there. The ones I saw that were an exact match on Ebay would end up costing me over 100 dollars.I would rather try to find a complete motor then pay that much. I know a few places I can check. One is close and the other is 1 hour away.
 

Chinewalker

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I am pretty sure the earliest of the 4s used different lower cowlings for the Evinrudes vs. the Johnsons. The Johnsons had a different shape to the cowling and the lower pan/cowling was a different shape to fit them. I believe the Johnsons used the same shape all the way through their run, so if you stick with a Johnson cowling, you'll be fine. The difference toward the end of that run in the lower cowlings was they added bosses to mount the power pack when they went to a CD ignition.
 

hardwater fisherman

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Yes I will be looking for a Johnson cowl. When I do find one I need to find out why it wont stay on. It has come off once before, and I thought it was because I did not secure it well enough. There does not seem to be any adjustment on the latch, like on some of my other motors. And it was kind of a sloppy fit. If I pushed back on it the hook on the front would pop out of the slot. And it sometimes rattled while running.I have not had the cowl off for a couple months. When I found out that it had come off the latch was still locked. So I guess it came out on the front and it blew off.
 

oldboat1

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worked on a neighbor's mid-70s 6 about a year ago, and detailed the hood (fun to work on). I know the hoods go for big bucks (too much, imo) on eBay -- bought one for a '90 4 deluxe a while back (not sure now what I paid). I like the idea of picking up a parts motor for just the hood (and whatever other parts turn out to be useful at some point). Always feel I get my money's worth that way.

If you get one that needs restoration, I found vinyl decals on eBay for the 6, and turned out very nice.
 

Chinewalker

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I've found a few loose cowlings over the years - usually due to the belly pan having been distorted at some point. Doesn't take much. Motors get tossed in pickup beds, car trunks, etc. Gas tanks get put wherever. Stuff gets pinched, bent, warped, etc.
 

hardwater fisherman

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The guy I bought from was the original owner and it was used a few times each year. When I first saw it the cover was off and running in a barrel. It looked almost new and then I saw the hood. It was chipped and scratched and missing a lot of paint. He used at his camp in the north so it traveled logging roads and bush trails every summer for 30 plus years.
 

boobie

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Check the top secret files at the beginning of this forum for salvage yards. You may find one there.
 

hardwater fisherman

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I did not find a parts motor but I found this cowl for 25 dollars. The color is a little off and from an earlier motor but I can live with it. He had 3 and this was the best one. And it fits better than the original.
 

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hardwater fisherman

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I did not even haggle with him. I thought after maybe he would have gave it to me for 20 if I asked. But he is the only place close to me that even bothers with and works on motors this old.
 
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