Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

[brysonboat]

Howdy all! I have never owned a boat in my life and just bought a Gregor 15' aluminum with a Johnson 25hp? motor! My 12 year old son actually paid for the boat because he wanted one really bad after we were informed by the game warden that we could no longer fish from the shore of our nearby lake! Anyway- I would like to go through the motor and make sure it is ready to run reliably, so I figure the first thing I need is a manual. I am a fairly competent mechanic, however I have ZERO experience with outboard motors so I need to get up to speed with the terminology etc... Is a generic manual sufficient, or should I get a factory one, and where are they available? Thanks for any help- Scott

 

[boobie]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

Get the OEM Factory service manual. You may be able to find one on this forum. Stay away from Seloc or Clymer.

 

[nphilbro]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

Noteworthy- I have my engine's official service manual (it came with the purchase). It's priceless for working on the motor and has clear diagrams, troubleshooting, and schematics. There are no general operating or maintenance instructions, warnings, tips, etc for when you are actually operating the motor on a boat, however.

 

[jasper60103]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

Post the model number or year. Maybe someone can help you out.

 

[brysonboat]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

Post the model number or year. Maybe someone can help you out.

It says Johnson 20 on the motor cover, but the seller said it was a 25 hp- does that make any sense? It is supposedly a 1980 model. Where would the model #'s be located? I looked on the engine but couldn't locate any, although I certainly could have missed them. Thanks for the replies so far- Scott

 

[robert graham]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

Get the manual for your motor and study up on it. Remove/check/clean/replace spark plugs, as needed. Clean, fresh fuel is a key to the motor's performance and reliability. Fuel gets old and deteriorates in the tank and fuel delivery system within a few weeks or months, so buy some Stabil and use it all the time. Install a Walmart/Attwood fuel/water separator type cartridge filter($27) on your transom, easy 2 screw installation. Just a few basic preventive maintenance items and your motor should run like a top all the time! Good Luck!

 

[all duck'd up]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

It says Johnson 20 on the motor cover, but the seller said it was a 25 hp- does that make any sense? It is supposedly a 1980 model. Where would the model #'s be located? I looked on the engine but couldn't locate any, although I certainly could have missed them. Thanks for the replies so far- Scott

it could be a 25hp with a 20hp cover

the model # should be located here on your transome mount



if it is infact a true 1980 it should be one of these ( J25RCSA J25RLCSA J25TECSA J25TELCSA )

and the best place that ive found parts and manuals is shop.evinrude.com nice blow-up pdfs and all

 

[brysonboat]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

it could be a 25hp with a 20hp cover

the model # should be located here on your transome mount
View attachment 129162


if it is infact a true 1980 it should be one of these ( J25RCSA J25RLCSA J25TECSA J25TELCSA )

and the best place that ive found parts and manuals is shop.evinrude.com nice blow-up pdfs and all

Duck'd- Thanks for the pic! I just went out and looked but that tag is missing! I can see where the rivets were, but no tag. I did discover on the inside of the engine cover written in permanent marker the following:" j25rlcsa, e-5261923, year 1980, 25hp, Blue wire #1 cylinder". I have no reason to believe that the seller misrepresented the motor hp, and I really don't care whether it is a 20 or 25hp, I just want to make sure I get the right parts when I need them. Is there even a difference in parts between the two, or a visual way to tell the difference? I'm gonna check out the site you reccomended for a manual as soon as I figure out what I have. Thanks-Scott

 

[geoffwga1]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

On the top of your motor there should be a core plug with the model # stamped on it. Often a missing tag can mean a stolen motor,though sometimes the aluminum plate corrodes and falls off.
Geoffwga1

 

[brysonboat]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

On the top of your motor there should be a core plug with the model # stamped on it. Often a missing tag can mean a stolen motor,though sometimes the aluminum plate corrodes and falls off.
Geoffwga1

Thanks-I will check that out as soon as it gets light outside.- Scott

 

[brysonboat]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

Well- I can't find any core plug with a # on it. where exactly might it be and do I need to disassemble anything to see it?

 

[brysonboat]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

OK- I found the cap with the #'s on it!! It matches the ones I posted previously that were written inside the cover so I guess it is a 1980 25hp. So back to my original question- what is a good manual and where to get it? The site duck'd reccommended didn't have one for a 1980 for some reason, however I'm going to check again.

 

[will62]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

The best deals are usually found on Ebay. The one below is a bit more expensive than I usually see them going for, but it would probably still be the best $40 that you'll spend on your project.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Johnson-Out...anuals_Literature&vxp=mtr&hash=item519cc4f185

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

You always get a shop manual (and parts list, owners manual also) from outboardbooks.com. Ebay will be less expensive, but you may have to wait to get the right book.

 

[brysonboat]

Re: Total newbie and would like to start with a good manual

The best deals are usually found on Ebay. The one below is a bit more expensive than I usually see them going for, but it would probably still be the best $40 that you'll spend on your project.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Johnson-Out...anuals_Literature&vxp=mtr&hash=item519cc4f185

You always get a shop manual (and parts list, owners manual also) from outboardbooks.com. Ebay will be less expensive, but you may have to wait to get the right book.

Awesome! thanks for the links- I will try to get the ebay one and if that doesn't pan out I'll pony up for the new one. Thanks to all for helping me solve my first boating dillema. I'm sure I will be back for more though! -Scott