1991 Johnson

[iggyw1]

Hi guys,

First of all, I have a 1991 35 H.P. Johnson. I cannot find a model number anywhere on this motor. It is on a boat that I purchased in the fall of 2023, and ran perfect when I bought it. The boat was stored inside of a garage in November and i just brought it home today (3/3/24) to get her ready for the lake here in S.E. Mich.

The starter will not engage on the thing. It spins really great but it will not pop up and engage with the flywheel When I turned it up by hand and engaged it with no power hooked up, I then put the power to it, but it seems not strong enough to spin. It tries but will not turn the flywheel. The flywheel is NOT hung up.

One more thing I will add here. The battery is completely dead. I hooked up a battery charger that gives it juice, but I am thinking maybe (???) it is not enough power to get the starter to engage? I do not know if this has anything to do with my problem or not. Could a weak battery spin the starter but have it not engage to the flywheel, even though I have a 10 amp. charger on it at the time I am trying it? I even tried with the 40 amp. "jump" start feature on the charger but it made no difference. Please help me out here if you can. ALSO: Where can I locate the model number on this motor? it is VERY clean and looks like it has VERY LOW hours on it actually. You would never know it is a 1991 model.
Thank you! IGGY

 

[dingbat]

Hi guys,

First of all, I have a 1991 35 H.P. Johnson. I cannot find a model number anywhere on this motor. It is on a boat that I purchased in the fall of 2023, and ran perfect when I bought it. The boat was stored inside of a garage in November and i just brought it home today (3/3/24) to get her ready for the lake here in S.E. Mich.

The starter will not engage on the thing. It spins really great but it will not pop up and engage with the flywheel When I turned it up by hand and engaged it with no power hooked up, I then put the power to it, but it seems not strong enough to spin. It tries but will not turn the flywheel. The flywheel is NOT hung up.

One more thing I will add here. The battery is completely dead. I hooked up a battery charger that gives it juice, but I am thinking maybe (???) it is not enough power to get the starter to engage? I do not know if this has anything to do with my problem or not. Could a weak battery spin the starter but have it not engage to the flywheel, even though I have a 10 amp. charger on it at the time I am trying it? I even tried with the 40 amp. "jump" start feature on the charger but it made no difference. Please help me out here if you can. ALSO: Where can I locate the model number on this motor? it is VERY clean and looks like it has VERY LOW hours on it actually. You would never know it is a 1991 model.
Thank you! IGGY

You need 200+ amps to properly spin a starter.
Clean all cable ends til shiny then install your new battery. Now give it a spin

 

[flashback]

like said above, get a proper charged battery and It should go.

 

[racerone]

Have the battery charged and load tested.----Post picture of the cowling of this " 1991 " model.----The 35 was not common in 1991 around my area.

 

[iggyw1]

Thanks to those that responded to my quest. I changed batteries to a brand new marine deep cycle battery and the starter is just fine. Should have tried that prior to me posting about my "problem" I guess, but the given advice to me was what did it! I will try to get a picture of the cowling posted, racerone, but i myself do not know how to post pictures on here or on facebook or nowhere else. I am almost computer illiterate, but my grandkids may come to do it for me. If they come around they will get the picture posted I'm sure. Thanks to all of you.
I am going to pick up another battery now so I have two good new batteries out on the lake. The one that came with the boat does not seem to be taking a charge at all, so I will turn it in for the core deposit.

 

[iggyw1]

I will try to send a picture of my Jonson 35 H.P. 1991 motor

 

[saltchuckmatt]

Curious, if you don't have a model number how do you know it's a 1991?

Trusted the seller possibly?

 

[oldboat1]

as mentioned above, have the battery load tested (auto supply store).

 

[iggyw1]

Curious, if you don't have a model number how do you know it's a 1991?

Trusted the seller possibly?

Yep, I just went by what the seller told me it was. Looks much newer to be honest with you. Very clean inside & outside. Ran great when I purchased it, but could not get the starter to engage now until I put a new battery in the boat. It's o.k. now, but I still would like to know the year so I ca get parts when needed.

 

[racerone]

Post #4 might help you.

 

[jimmbo]

I see a 35hp for 1991 in the Engine List on Marine Engine dot Com
May be an Overseas Model as the Parts List itself, looks very 80ish

 

[saltchuckmatt]

Does the cowling look like this except a 35?

 

[flyingscott]

put a pic up

 

[iggyw1]

I will try to post a picture here, but I really do not know how to do it. I have a little "flip" phone that I cannot send a picture to the internet with, but I do have a picture of the motor on my laptop from someone elses phone. Will try now.

 

[iggyw1]

I will try right here:

 

[iggyw1]

I will try right here:

I cannot open this picture that I sent and tried to post on the site. I just do not know how to do it. I can, however, take a picture or two and send it to your phone from my phone if anyone would forward me a phone number, I would send you the pictures and maybe you would post the photo (s) for me? I would really appreciate it and thanks. My E-mail address is: iggsterw1@yahoo.com if anyone wants to give me their phone number. I will not call you up, I would just send the photos to you to post on here so we can figure what year my motor is. TY.

edit: I know a lot of you will say not to post me E-mail address on a public forum but it is o.k. guys. My E-mail address is well known within Michigan and is well dispersed thru-out the surrounding states. I am the commander for the American Legion S.A.L. #326 and have been for years and I get a lot of E-mails everyday, so my address is around the U.S.A. I am involved heavily with running bingos for the state as well, so really no real big deal in posting my E-mail addy. Thanks.

 

[iggyw1]

Does the cowling look like this except a 35?

No it does not. It Has a narrow red bar all the way around it and a black narrow bar below the red bar all the way around it, and has the name Johnson above the red bar on the side near the rear of the motor with a little horse trademark right in front of the name Johnson. Sorry, I tried to post a photo on here but I just cannot do it.
Edit: Maybe someone can find the cowling I am describing here and post a picture of it then I can verify if that is the one I have? The one I have looks brand new. I wish I could post a photo of it. I can send one from my phone to yours if anyone would forward me a phone number My E-mail address is: iggsterw1@yaho.com I will not call anyone, I promise. Thank you!

 

[racerone]

Sounds like it might be a 1983 model.

 

[jimmbo]

An 83 cowl

 

[flyingscott]

it looks like an 83 model. look on the transom bracket for a tag. Otherwise look on the powerhead near the head for a silver disc with #s on it