1966 Johnson 9.5hp (MQ-12A)

[ShingleMill]

I recently bought a 1966 Johnson 9.5 hp for around a $100. The previous owner claimed it ran 3 years ago but snapped the pull cord and it has been sitting since. Condition is better than most that I've seen online (paint and stickers still clean and has been stored). Is this a motor that is going to be difficult to find parts for? what is everyones thoughts on this model and year of this motor (is it garbage or worth fixing)? Let me know!

 

[Crosbyman]

compression is usually low 70s great motor ideal for trolling- casting
parts available everywhere

change the impeller - gear oil- replace pull cord lots of info available on it

early ones shook a lot ... later ones came with vibration dampners on each side of the power head .
ignition info. you likely will need new coils if never replaced . ... lots of utubes for you.. nothing you can't do yourself... great hobby . if you do coils change wires and plug boots with solid metallic strand wire (no carbon fiber wires)

can you turn the fw by hand ?? ... could be just rings stuck ...oil cyldenders face down for a few days

Johnson

carb must be sweaky clean lots of utubes

 

[ShingleMill]

Thank you Crosbyman!

 

[Crosbyman]

welcome...

removing the fw can be tricky this harmonic puller* will do the fob. use a small 1/4 impact driver on the puller bolt and it will pull the fw off as it beats the fw from turning. otherwise you must hold the FW with a strap wrench which is a pain imho anyway .

to service these standard magnetos a good book to have is the johnson red book. doesn't cover the MQ per say but... does cover OMC magnetos like yours , carbs GC servicing, general info etc... 20$ for 400+ pages of good to know and read stuff on oldies. just download and print locally .
the MQ is a decendant of the FD / QD generation concepts and lots of parts are similar.

* notice the backwards nylon bolts.!! . they keep the bolts from driving down to deep in the FW and hitting parts below !!!

1922-1964 Johnson 302231 Outboard Service Manual

Johnson Outboard Motor Service and Repair Manual # 302231 Tenth Edition covers all Models 1922-1964 .pdf download

watercraftmanuals.com

 

[racerone]

Many of the consumable parts are available and in stock in many places.-----Ignition parts were installed on Johnson / Evinrude from 1950 to 1990.-----Lots of places have used parts for these 9.5 models marketed from 64 to 73.----A light weight (60 lb ) smooth running motor.-----Check thermostat as most of the time they are stuck open.

 

[Crosbyman]

btw servicing the magneto... condensers if never changed are likely bad...VOM testing is not fool proof since they are subjected to high voltages tha can leak across the inner foils. jfyi...
refurbishing the magneto is about $125-$150 in parts but well worth it for another 10-15 years + of trouble free running.

2 coils around 30$ each points 50$ condensers 20$ ....plug wire $ 5 (you can reuse the boots but I like new ones already installed by the manuf. see new ones on a 6hp. ... if the carb float looks decent just a good overall cleaning should do but kits are available with the squarish float

 

[jitterbug127]

btw servicing the magneto... condensers if never changed are likely bad...VOM testing is not fool proof since they are subjected to high voltages tha can leak across the inner foils. jfyi...
refurbishing the magneto is about $125-$150 in parts but well worth it for another 10-15 years + of trouble free running.

2 coils around 30$ each points 50$ condensers 20$ ....plug wire $ 5 (you can reuse the boots but I like new ones already installed by the manuf. see new ones on a 6hp. ... if the carb float looks decent just a good overall cleaning should do but kits are available with the squarish float

Crosby where are you getting plug wires for $5? I think I paid $25 or $30
For 2 wires last magneto I did. $5 plug wires sounds fantastic

 

[jitterbug127]

This week I put a 1964 and a 1965 through the garage. These little motors are probably the goofiest looking motors OMC put out that I’ve seen.

I was able to run the motors with the original magnetos still intact: I just had to clean the points really well and set them.

Carburetors are really easy to get to and arguably the easiest to rebuild of any older omc. Only difficult part I’ve found is trying to save the middle gasket, but a good rebuild kit will take care of that so no issue.

I do recommend replacing the water pump, but I can tell I’ve owned several of these old motors…every one of them has pumped darn well with the old school impeller still in it. Something pretty cool about how big that impeller was I’d guess.

Replace your fuel lines. Rebuild the fuel pump. Rebuild carb. You’ll be set for a long time. Motors can really push water on a barrel too so be aware of that. You can really get the low speed idle dialed in for a very smooth quiet motor. I have seen some of these motors be pretty wobbly. The motor mounts are prone to fail.

 

[Crosbyman]

Crosby where are you getting plug wires for $5? I think I paid $25 or $30
For 2 wires last magneto I did. $5 plug wires sounds fantastic

if you buy by the foot ( my local bike shop sells it) approx 2x18 inches ( 3 feet) at $2 foot and reuse the boots it isn't to expensive . ok less than 8$ max


that is the cheapest way but....I got hold of solid strand wire car kit (8 lenghts) made by Belden. boots wera tad long so I just snipped off .5 inch.

my last bunch where 35$ CDN ($4.40 a piece with boots) ... Price has sharply risen since !!! ??? and may be NLA unless you search for left over stock in some stores.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BEL700175

I got lots of singles left over . I also got me a roll of 7mm ignition copper wire (100 feet) for $35 from Amazon last year or so. Great deal... but gone

 

[TN-25]

The early motors with the shaking that Crosbyman was referring to are the 1964/65 models. Dad had a '65 from new & later had it retrofitted with a special "Vibration Isolation Kit" installed at the dealer waaayy back. I've piloted many 9½ OMC turtlebacks but dad's well-used motor was actually the smoothest running of the bunch after the conversion. The kit is long obsolete since it wasn't needed except to service the odd shaking complaints of the early motors within the 2 year warranty period.

Your '66 MQ-12 should have the revised production motor mounts that carried through '73. Also the '66 marked the change from the hood-mounted knob to the pan-mounted release.

Not the fastest, not the prettiest, but certainly one of the greatest little fishing motors IMHO. I love them, but Rube Goldburg must have designed them.

 

[racerone]

Installed many of those vibration kits myself.-----Compared to the easy to service 1963 model 10 HP the 9.5 was harder to work on for major repairs.-------Those outer shells took extra time to remove.-----But if you look at modern " sleek cowlings " on many new motors today they were not too bad!!------Labor to work on new motors at $175/ hr + tax makes major repairs a challenge.------Simplicity / common sense is gone.

 

[Crosbyman]

the 1966 Evinrude version next to my 75 ETEC is actually a 9622a mdl with the vibration kit

Ran all day long trolling without complaints (65 psi) and provided peace of mind if ever the fancy ETEC would leave me 10 miles out on a windy Northern lake.

Up here in the great white North during melting season that little kicker was.. possibly still is a favorite of fly-in trips thanks to it's compactness ( & hidden carry handle).

The guy sitting at the back of the boat had no problems casting out while snifffing the fumes from a back wind

Mine is resting in the garage waiting to churn water someday since my little 4hp Merc fuel saver wrist watch took over the responsibilty of backing up the big fellow.

I know youv'e seen it before! It to will join the Turtle next meltdown when this winter's 1976 7.5hp mdl 75 project comes out of hibernation ( it should run good with >100psi). The can of Mercury black is just waiting for final touch-ups

-10c today but things are looking up

 

[jitterbug127]

My turtle collection.

 

[ShingleMill]

I got the pull c

compression is usually low 70s great motor ideal for trolling- casting
parts available everywhere

change the impeller - gear oil- replace pull cord lots of info available on it

early ones shook a lot ... later ones came with vibration dampners on each side of the power head .
ignition info. you likely will need new coils if never replaced . ... lots of utubes for you.. nothing you can't do yourself... great hobby . if you do coils change wires and plug boots with solid metallic strand wire (no carbon fiber wires)

can you turn the fw by hand ?? ... could be just rings stuck ...oil cyldenders face down for a few days

Johnson

carb must be sweaky clean lots of utubes

I just got the pull cord replaced. Compression is reading around 65#s. Is that too low? I’ve been seeing that 65 to 75 is a normal compression reading with these motors but I’ve always thought it should be around 100? Thoughts?

 

[racerone]

Quite stormy here today / tomorrow.----Should drag one of these motors out of the shed.-----Do an " as found " compression test later this week.

 

[Crosbyman]

65 is ok ....just enjoy it .

 

[jitterbug127]

I think 85/80 is the highest compression I’ve seen on a turtle.

 

[ShingleMill]

65 is ok ....just enjoy it .

Sounds good, thank you. I brought it to a local shop and they said the don't want to continue working on it because the compression was reading 65 (they think the motor is blown and it would be more expensive to repair than what its worth) That's why I'm confused. I'm picking it up today and will probably just trouble shoot it myself

 

[racerone]

You have to learn to work on these simple motors yourself.-----At $2.00 / minute at many shops , you can't afford it.----And one shop I know of is at $3.00/ minute.-----Mind you their clientele charges $10 / minute for their time.-----And it is difficult to find folks factory trained on these simple motors like they were 50 years ago.----Only training these days is on the plastic / electronic new stuff !!

 

[racerone]

visit ----leroysramblings------Couple of hrs there and you have a university degree in working on these motors.