What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

[tfbrown1270]

Are they one in the same, just different name/colour/badge, like Chev and Pontiac, or are the Johnson's souped up in some way while the Evinrudes are the bare b-lls models (or the other way around?), and why would one company manufacture two identical motors?. I have one Johnson (90 hp VRO) and one Evinrude (20 hp) so I gotta know which is the "superior brand"?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

Johnson & Evinrude went belly up some years ago and have since been acquired by Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). Before the buy out, Johnson and Evinrude were basically the same engines with different trim. Much like the Chevy/Pontiac/Buick/Olds you referenced. BRP markets both Johnson and Evinrude brands today but they are totally different markets. Evinrude is strictly two-stroke using E-tec technology which is a very high tech fuel injection system. Johnson still has some smaller carbureted two strokes but their larger engines are all four-strokes. So the long and short of this is both brands have their markets. You pay your money and make your choice.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

In the old days, Evinrude was a step up and Johnsons were for the masses. I have 3 1950's Evinrudes. Each one was produced at the Johnson factory in Peterborough. The powerheads are all Johnson red underneth their "original" Evinrude blue paint.

When you are vying for the same market it helps to own the competition too.

 

[imported_lorin]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

Silvertip-I would have to disagree about the Johnson motors. Johnson's larger carb motors now are 2 stroke-not 4 stroke. These 2 strokes inlude 90, 115, 150, and 175hp. I dont believe they make any large 4 strokes now.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

Which one was "better" back in the day varied greatly by where in the world you were talking about. In the US and some parts of Canada it seems like Evinrude wins out. Around here it seems like Johnson did. Overseas in Europe Johnson seemed to have a commanding lead.

Differences in the lineup had virtually disappeared by the mid 50s, with a couple diversions. Looks like Johnson's (Suzuki's) 4-strokes are quickly disappearing from the lineup as the E-TEC sales are taking off and they're no longer needed to have good emissions.

 

[joaklay]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

IMO, the older stuff was basically the same. I wouldn't say that the 50's Evinrudes were any better than the 50's Johnsons either. I have several 50s Johnson outboards and some were very unique in their day like the '56, '57 Javelins. Those were the best of what OMC had to offer in their day.
Short of paint color and hood design, trim, they're mechanically the same outboards in everyway.
I also have an '86 Evinrude 15 HP and it's the exact same as any 15 HP Johnson from that era.
I've also never really understood why OMC made the same outboards under two different names (as yes, GM's done for decades too) but I think that when it all began, well over 50+ yrs ago, Evinrude and Johnson use to be more different, at least from what I've seen in pictures and at shows.

 

[imported_lorin]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

For a certain range of years, and I couldn't tell you exactly what it was, Johnson and Evinrude were exactly the same except for paint, decal, and other cosmetic details. (I know it was at least for most, if not all, of the 1980's and at least part of the 1990's. ) This is indicated by the fact that for that range of years (whatever exactly it was), both brands used exactly the same service manuals, parts manuals, and part numbers.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

From the mid 50's until sometime in the 90's they were pretty much mechanically identical.

Too clear up what I said earlier, Evinrude wasn't better than Johnson in the 50's. They were marketed as a step up from Johnsons (like a Buick and a Chevy). I have parts manuals to both and they are identical except for the cowling, paint and tank decals.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

Lorin -- I stand corrected. But the larger four strokes have just recently disappeared however (and were Suzukis anyway).

 

[steelespike]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

Just to clear up the GM comparison Their lines were seperate and distinct cars right up to the 60s ocassionally they shared some body parts
between lines and models.But engines,transmissions,chassis etc were
developed by each devision.Then of course they started to blur to the point of a chevy based Cadillac "flop" and Pontiacs with secret Chevy engines.
and of course now everyone is blurred with other companies.

 

[joaklay]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

With Evinrude vs Johnson from the early '50s on up, you'll see today where many have been swapped with the same identical parts from the other when something went seriously wrong. On Ebay for example, it's not rare to see 50s Johnsons with blue Evinrude powerheads or lower unit sections and vise-versa. I also have sevice/parts manuals....the same stuff. I've met guys who worked at OMC (Waukegan, Il) back in the '70s and said that they're the same.
So, it's then really a question as to which you can now buy cheaper if buying used or which looks best to you, best on your boat.
My collection of '50s Johnsons exists basically because each looks very unique to me. I'd have certain '50s Evinrudes too if the price was right and if I was still collecting but the nicer Evinrudes from that era are seemingly less common and sometimes costlier too.

Being a car guy who likes older GMs (some pre-78 but mostly pre-73), although they always shared many parts, the GM lines differed mechanically in their engines slightly as mentioned above until the '78 model year (possibly some '77s?). That's when a Pontiac could have a Pontiac, Chevy or Olds engine and that upset many in those days as GM didn't tell their customers that up-front at first. Even Cadillac used Chevy engines then.
Although Caddy, Olds and Buick were suppose to be a step up from Pontiac, then Chevy, the real differences were cosmetic only as none were mechanically superior to another. By the mid-eighties, all GMs were mechanically identical, just look different.

 

[joaklay]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

....almost forgot an even closer example of a car company making the same stuff with 3 different names: Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth. I like late 60's-early 70s Mopar too but those 3 names shared identical mechanical parts in everyway.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: What's the difference, Johnson/Evinrude

Johnson and Evinrudes began to meld into two lines of essentially identical motors beginning in 1951 with the introduction of the first Big Twin 25s. Later as older carry over models began to be replaced with newer motors, their lines were identical save for cosmetics beginning in 1956.

They kept the two brand names for many reasons, most of them marketing related. In some parts of the world at that time, all you would find were Johnsons. Try killing off the Johnson line and trying to convice the locals that the Evinrudes that took their place are the same - even though they are. In some parts of North America one brand or the other would have a local market cornered dating back to pre WWII days and locals would have preconceived notions about their brand over another. Even though the motors would be identical, many of those notions (which still carry over today as shown in some of the posts above) reflected in the choices people made when buying motors after 1956. Consumer opinion rules the market place and rather than force an unfamiliar brand or go against a popularly held belief, OMC decided to go with two lines. They actually had three distinct lines for awhile with their private branded motors coming out of Galesburg (Gale Buccaneers, plus numerous house branded motors sold through retailers).
- Scott