What to jump on old Johnson 65HP

xtriggerman

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Oct 14, 2022
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So the back ground is I bought this can of worms at auction on a 73 Fabuglas 146 and the Johnson 65 hp engine is unknown running condition. There is no key but there are 2 wires have been cut from the control cable wires that are black with stripe and 2 short sections come off each as these were added as if to jump the 2 black wires together. The engine turns over good jumping the starter solenoid and it has 120 psi in the top and bottom cylinders with 110 psi in the center cylinder. I just want to sell this motor and get a much smaller, newer one. I figure if I can get spark on all 3 plugs, I'll sell it as a "you fix um" motor with good possibilities. Did the key switch work as a turn to start key switch? If it did, maybe I have to pull the controller box apart to get at the key switch? No clue how these work. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 

saltchuckmatt

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So the back ground is I bought this can of worms at auction on a 73 Fabuglas 146 and the Johnson 65 hp engine is unknown running condition. There is no key but there are 2 wires have been cut from the control cable wires that are black with stripe and 2 short sections come off each as these were added as if to jump the 2 black wires together. The engine turns over good jumping the starter solenoid and it has 120 psi in the top and bottom cylinders with 110 psi in the center cylinder. I just want to sell this motor and get a much smaller, newer one. I figure if I can get spark on all 3 plugs, I'll sell it as a "you fix um" motor with good possibilities. Did the key switch work as a turn to start key switch? If it did, maybe I have to pull the controller box apart to get at the key switch? No clue how these work. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Pretty sure people will need pictures on this one plus your questions are tough to understand.
 

xtriggerman

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Oct 14, 2022
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Its a Johnson 65 Powershift II
Cke59THh.jpg

Ees2mnUl.jpg

In this shot, they put on a wire off the black with greenish stripe wire and put another off the black (ground?) wire. they were both just snipped clean on the ends. I stripped the ends and found no power in the striped one to jump. I guess I have to open up the controller and find power at a terminal there..... maybe.
nFUhnYdh.jpg
 

F_R

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Ignition system does not require any battery power. In fact, jumping battery power to the ignition can cause $$$ damage. Grounding the black/yellow wire STOPS the motor.
 

xtriggerman

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MANY thanks to Crosbyman for digging up the schematic! Now, am I reading this right. It looks like if I close the purple with white and black with yellow that come off the switch, I should at very least see spark at the plugs providing the speed controller is functioning in its neutral position. Also, it looks like the S marked switch terminal white wire is the power to starter.
As far as putting battery power to the key switch, What I want to do is just do what the key would do in the run position by jumping the purple with white power lead to the M terminal, then momentarily power the S terminal of the starter. That should turn the engine over with spark. As long as the shift selector is in neutral, there is no need to power the A terminal on the switch.
I have zero experience fiddling around with engine controls like this so please jump in and correct me if I have gone off track with this assessment. I have no intension of getting involved with cleaning the carburation on this engine and checking the various components for proper function. I just want to be honest about how far the engine is in its possible working state. On top of the fact, this wont fit in my garage with the engine in place. Its got to go. The boat looks like it's floor was redone at some distant past but needs to be pulled up and a full hul inspection and update done. While I have some of your guys attention, I would like anyone's opinion on what is a good reliable relatively new engine and control to replace this with that is the gold standard in parts replacement and reliability. The Boat is OAL of 16' and weighs in at about 500 lbs with its tri hul design. No intension of pulling water ski's. Just a nice quiet fishing and lounging around engine of about 35 or 40 hp. The past owner bolted what looks like an aluminum trolling motor base plate to the front of the boat.
1T8jSoEl.jpg
 

saltchuckmatt

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MANY thanks to Crosbyman for digging up the schematic! Now, am I reading this right. It looks like if I close the purple with white and black with yellow that come off the switch, I should at very least see spark at the plugs providing the speed controller is functioning in its neutral position. Also, it looks like the S marked switch terminal white wire is the power to starter.
As far as putting battery power to the key switch, What I want to do is just do what the key would do in the run position by jumping the purple with white power lead to the M terminal, then momentarily power the S terminal of the starter. That should turn the engine over with spark. As long as the shift selector is in neutral, there is no need to power the A terminal on the switch.
I have zero experience fiddling around with engine controls like this so please jump in and correct me if I have gone off track with this assessment. I have no intension of getting involved with cleaning the carburation on this engine and checking the various components for proper function. I just want to be honest about how far the engine is in its possible working state. On top of the fact, this wont fit in my garage with the engine in place. Its got to go. The boat looks like it's floor was redone at some distant past but needs to be pulled up and a full hul inspection and update done. While I have some of your guys attention, I would like anyone's opinion on what is a good reliable relatively new engine and control to replace this with that is the gold standard in parts replacement and reliability. The Boat is OAL of 16' and weighs in at about 500 lbs with its tri hul design. No intension of pulling water ski's. Just a nice quiet fishing and lounging around engine of about 35 or 40 hp. The past owner bolted what looks like an aluminum trolling motor base plate to the front of the boat.
1T8jSoEl.jpg
Doesn't this motor have a main wiring harness plug back at the motor? If so unplug it, hook up your spark tester and jump the soloniod.

That should produce spark.

By the way....that tri hull weighs more than 500 lbs.
 

xtriggerman

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Oct 14, 2022
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Doesn't this motor have a main wiring harness plug back at the motor? If so unplug it, hook up your spark tester and jump the soloniod.

That should produce spark.

By the way....that tri hull weighs more than 500 lbs.
No, it has a rubber type conduit with wires individually going to separate terminals on the engine and threw out to the battery and controller. I wish you were right on that! The Factory Fabuglas spec sheet says approximate boat weight is 500 lbs for my 146. The Trident 154 is 650, trident 170 is 900 and Trident 170 1/0 is 1700 lbs respectively. The 146 is perfect for what I want it for. Huge plus, is I can have it in the water inside 30 minutes from my house. Cant beat that with a stick!
 

racerone

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It was clearly stated that this motor does not use 12 volts to produce spark at the plugs.----In fact this motor can be started with a dead battery.----Old time rope on the flywheel.
 

saltchuckmatt

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No, it has a rubber type conduit with wires individually going to separate terminals on the engine and threw out to the battery and controller. I wish you were right on that! The Factory Fabuglas spec sheet says approximate boat weight is 500 lbs for my 146. The Trident 154 is 650, trident 170 is 900 and Trident 170 1/0 is 1700 lbs respectively. The 146 is perfect for what I want it for. Huge plus, is I can have it in the water inside 30 minutes from my house. Cant beat that with a stick!
You can just undo the ground kill wires than and spin it over. Should tell you what you want to know.

By the way, if it gets windy out make sure you bring your kidney belt!
 

saltchuckmatt

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No, it has a rubber type conduit with wires individually going to separate terminals on the engine and threw out to the battery and controller. I wish you were right on that! The Factory Fabuglas spec sheet says approximate boat weight is 500 lbs for my 146. The Trident 154 is 650, trident 170 is 900 and Trident 170 1/0 is 1700 lbs respectively. The 146 is perfect for what I want it for. Huge plus, is I can have it in the water inside 30 minutes from my house. Cant beat that with a stick!
Wiring scem shows this plug.
 

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F_R

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Post #8 is totally wrong!! You will blow the power pack if you continue ignoring advice. The key does not supply power to the ignition system. Grounding the black/yellow stops the motor as previously stated.
 

racerone

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The carburetion is so simple on this engine !!------Far simpler for you than the 12 volts and wires.------In good condition this is a wonderful motor , cheap to maintain.-----No $2000 ECU on it.
 

xtriggerman

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Post #8 is totally wrong!! You will blow the power pack if you continue ignoring advice. The key does not supply power to the ignition system. Grounding the black/yellow stops the motor as previously stated.
OK I think I understand what your saying. The key switch has the black with yellow grounded in its off position, in "run" it opens that circuit. So the jumpers I pictured are actually meant for a kill switch that was once in that hole above where this jumper cut in the wires are. Many Thanks, I'm maybe more than a little slow but eventually catch on.

Saltchuckmatt, You are right. I thought the plug was out side the engine but upon further inspection, its there inside the engine compartment. So I did as you said just now. Unplugged it and jumped the solenoid and bingo, I have good spark at the plug. Sorry for being dumber than a box of rocks with all this..... You guys are the best.
 

saltchuckmatt

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OK I think I understand what your saying. The key switch has the black with yellow grounded in its off position, in "run" it opens that circuit. So the jumpers I pictured are actually meant for a kill switch that was once in that hole above where this jumper cut in the wires are. Many Thanks, I'm maybe more than a little slow but eventually catch on.

Saltchuckmatt, You are right. I thought the plug was out side the engine but upon further inspection, its there inside the engine compartment. So I did as you said just now. Unplugged it and jumped the solenoid and bingo, I have good spark at the plug. Sorry for being dumber than a box of rocks with all this..... You guys are the best.
Lol, no problem.

At this point hook up some fuel and water and see what is does?

Without the plug in you will have to figure a way to kill it.
 

oldboat1

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Get a spark tester that tests without a plug in place and set it to 3/8" or so. Remove the plugs, and jump directly from your car or truck to the starter (pos to stub on starter, neg to starter mount). Need one person to clamp on the jumper wires, and one to check on the spark.
 
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