Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

[Lowranger]

I just bought an Achilles 7'7" inflatable dinghy and I need a motor. I found a 1963 Johnson 3 horse (JW18R) on Craig's List for $275. 2nd owner, fresh water only, good shape.

Should I be worried about buying a motor this old ? Will parts be available ? Anything I should look for in particular ? This motor has an integral fuel tank with a screw-down vent cap. Will I be able to close this vent and safely lay her on her side or will she leak ? Finally, recommended fuel/oil ratio. Is it 50:1 ? Weight ?

 

[JB]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

That is one of the best small outboards. . . no, THE best small outboard ever made, lowranger.

There are thousands still in regular use.
Parts are available.
Fuel mix is 24:1
Spark plugs are Champion J4C, gapped at .030".
Points are set at .020".

$275 is high in the market, but from its appearance I would call it a good deal. I would buy it in a Dallas minute.

 

[Lowranger]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

Thanks JB. I thought it might be 24:1. I asked the owner and he said he was using a synthetic @ 50:1. Should this fact be a deal-breaker?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

if it starts and runs buy it NOW!!!!

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

Just buy it.......abused will out last all of us..(own 3)

 

[steelespike]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

I notice this has the weedless drive.It is suposed to operate better in weedy conditions.It is operated with the antivent plate paralell with the surface.
I would think the standard straight drive is more efficient
with its 3 blade prop.Probably not enough to tell though.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

Yup. I had one as a kid. It was on a 12 foot Glasspar and in order to get it to plane, I had to jack the engine all the way out so the prop was parallel to the surface. Still have fond memories of that engine though. I bought it used and jammed up with varnish- once I finally got it running, it ran like a champ and never gave me any trouble. Finally traded it in for a larger engine and boat.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

That's identical to my first outboard. I wish I had it. If I was you I'd buy it.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

You AINT going to waterski behind it, and DOUBT its a motor to get a boat on plane, BUT its motor thats a SWEET smooth runner, and will putt-putt ya anywhere ya want to go...

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

If you dont want it, send it in my direction !!!
Go for it. Buddy has one and uses it as a kicker on his 16 footer or on his 12 ft aluminum for the kids to use on the river. Never let him down yet with regular routine maintenance.
24:1 is the fuel / oil mix he is using as JB states as well.
Good luck with the purchase and keep posting how it runs for you.

 

[TFO]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

What a beauty!

I have a 1960 JW18R on may sailboat. The nice thing is the engines bacically stayed the same until 1978 so there are a lot of spareparts that fits between models.

I have replaced the drive with a 90deg one from a later model to improve thrust and uses an original (off the shelf!) 3-blade 5.5" pitch prop. (The black one in the attached picture is a 5.5" and the white a 4.5" pitch prop)

Ever get tired of it you have a buyer here.

 

[Tacoma Tom]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

Sorry to bring this old thread up but since it deals with the exact motor i have i thought i might get away with it. I just have one question. I am not finding a gear switch on here. Is there one? Also there is a little turn switch on the one side, what is that? almost looks like a butterfly nut but not.

It seems to run great though, we got it with our little 14ft alum.

 

[aganser]

Re: Chance to buy old Johnson. Advice Please

A friend of mine just brought me an identical motor to refurbish. It looks almost like new and hasn't been run in years. He couldn't get it started. I suspected the coils were bad. Sure enough they are. New ones can be ordered though.

The butterfly nut thingy is a fuel shut off valve. These motors don't have a gearshift but I think you pivot them 180 deg. for reverse.

Bob