1960's glastron with a 1965 40hp johnson help!

[honda507]

Ok so just bought a boat out of the blue because my girlfriends friend needed money (never owned a boat or new much about boats). Did some research and found out it is a 1967-69 glastron with a 1965 40 hp johnson motor with electric start. Previous owner said it ran so i assumed it did. Got it home and started tinkering with it. Had to install a new starter solenoid and re wire all it all back together. Got it to crank over and pretty much start right up within a couple seconds.(had it in a garbage can filled with water) But the problems i am having is that the lower cylinder is not getting spark, switch plugs to check that and that was not the problem. Not sure if the if it gets spark from a one or two coils or where they are (havent dug that far into the motor.) If someone could help me out here and give me some ideas to check it would be greatly appriciated. I would like to post pics here soon if you guys would like them. might help us both out.

thanks kevin

 

[honda507]

Re: 1960's glastron with a 1965 40hp johnson help!

I have done some reading and found out that the run away switch could cause the bottom cylinder not to fire. I think this may be my problem. Not sure how to test it?? I also think it is bad because when I put a new starter solenoid in, it was from napa originally for a ford truck. Not sure what the difference is but somwhere i read that an auto solenoid will fry some things, sending to much juice to whatever it powers. Also I was wondering if I could disconnect the runaway switch to see is if was bad??

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1960's glastron with a 1965 40hp johnson help!

There is a single wire on the switch, just disconnect it for testing. Most likely your spark problem is either points or a coil, the complete ign system is located under the flywheel. It takes a puller to remove the flywheel, there you can check the coils and points. If there are any cracks in the coils you need to replace them, clean and adjust the points while you are in there.

 

[F_R]

Re: 1960's glastron with a 1965 40hp johnson help!

Well, that is wishfull thinking and not probable, but if you want to test it, simply disconnect the wire going to the center termanal. If it has spark then, then that was the problem.

The real problem most likely is under the flywheel. There are two each of points, condensers, and coils under there.

You probably already screwed up your safety switch with that Ford solenoid. Before you screw up the flywheel or crankshaft, study up on the proper way to do the job. Once those parts are ruined, the whole motor is junk.

BTW, if the safety switch is destroyed, the vacuum cut-out switch (you called it run-away switch) won't work either. That won't prevent spark, it just won't work to do the job it is supposed to do. So if the motor now decides to run berserk, you know why.