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Johnson 15 Opinions Is this fixable?

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Edchris177

Advanced Contributor
Kicker has broken the section that holds the transom mount.
is it worthwhile to attempt this fix, by getting a blown donor motor.
i know bottom ends are interchangeable over quite a few years, is the broken part also swappable over many years.
is the job so involved, better to part it out?
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Picked up the kicker today, will get compression numbers & gear oil condition tomorrow.
I was hoping to run it, even at idle, but I’ll have to cobble something together to support it.
The young fellow who owned it was fishing on the August long weekend. He had just purchased a property that included an old barn. There is about a 1’ lip at the entrance to the barn. He forgot about the lip, backing the boat into the barn at the end of the day...the rest is history.
He said he’s owned it for 7 years & it runs great, he was using it the day they broke it. Said he changed the gear oil in June & it was fine...we’ll see.
It’s older than I was thinking, points ignition, (‘75), but hey, I ran those & tuned with dwell meters & proper gap in automobiles for years.
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I got into this project deeper today. The Pivot bracket is broken completely off, only two springs held the mount to the motor.
I laid it on some foam & cardboard on the garage floor & checked compression. Air temp +3C, (36F), I could only get 50 PSI. I remember Leyroys Ramblings mentioning some motors seem low, due to starter gearing that made the pull easy, not sure if this was one of those.
Being bummed about the low #, I cobbled together two sturdy sawhorses, strapped the motor between them, & fired it up.
Started about 4th pull, (it’s been sitting in a barn since end of July). After a brief warmup, it idled right down, & shifted properly F-N-R.
Pulled plugs, dumped a capful of 2 stroke oil into each cylinder, comp test- again only got 50 PSI. Tried the tester on a gas pressure washer, (4 stroke), only got 50psi, pressure washer runs fine. Tried it on a larger 4 stoke, 8hp snowblower, got 75 psi. Maybe my tester is a POS?
Anyway, it starts 1st or 2nd pull, responds to throttle, & idles fine. I didn’t mess with the slow idle adjust on the side, nor did I try to spin the motor with a drill to check compression.
After running again for 10 minutes I ran it out of fuel while fogging engine. Drained the gear oil, it’s pretty dark, but no sign of water. After letting it settle for 30 minutes, I poured the oil out of the clear container, did not see any metallic flakes.
Pumped new oil in, will now let a pro look at it. I’m leaning towards paying an experienced man change the broken pivot mount.
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Can you borrow another compression tester? I don't know if you'd be able to start the motor on only 50 PSI, seems like the reading may be incorrect. How many pulls did you do before checking the reading? It may take a few sharp pulls before you get the full reading.
 
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So do you want my bracket? Did you get my message? It is complete, in Evinrude blue.
Should get max compression in 5 "brisk" pulls. Looks like your gauge is reading low.
I am 150 miles from Ft. Francis Ontario. Property owners in NW Ontario for 56 years. Won't let us in closed till at least Nov 21st. Profile image on Wabigoon River near Vermillion Bay. 60 km NW of Dryden.
 
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Swarlos said:
Can you borrow another compression tester? I don't know if you'd be able to start the motor on only 50 PSI, seems like the reading may be incorrect. How many pulls did you do before checking the reading? It may take a few sharp pulls before you get the full reading.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, that is the only tester I have access to at this time. Yes, 50 seemed low, it it does start & idles right down. Digging deeper into things next week.
 
timguy said:
So do you want my bracket? Did you get my message? It is complete, in Evinrude blue.
Should get max compression in 5 "brisk" pulls. Looks like your gauge is reading low.
Click to expand...
Tim, I got your message, tried to reply for a couple of days, wouldn’t go through. Something about your inbox being overloaded. I’ve sourced a local part now.
i feel for you guys, the Border closing has departed the fishing/ hunting lodges, along with most tourist activities.
 
Edchris177 said:
.....checked compression. Air temp +3C, (36F), I could only get 50 PSI. .....fired it up.
Started about 4th pull, (it’s been sitting in a barn since end of July). After a brief warmup, it idled right down, & shifted properly F-N-R.....comp test- again only got 50 PSI. Tried the tester on a gas pressure washer, (4 stroke), only got 50psi, pressure washer runs fine. Tried it on a larger 4 stoke, 8hp snowblower, got 75 psi. Maybe my tester is a POS?....Drained the gear oil, it’s pretty dark, but no sign of water. .....did not see any metallic flakes.
Click to expand...
It sounds like your compression gauge is junk. A small engine 4-stroke engine should definitely register 100PSI or higher and since you only got 75 I'd say the gauge is reading very low. Since your 'Rude started so easily and idled well I'd say the compression is at least acceptable, but getting a new gauge and measuring it correctly is always best.

The gear oil is definitely dirty but with no water or shavings I'd say you're in great shape. Just get that bracket replaced and you'll have a nice little motor....just in time for the ice to set up :(

KJ
 
The motor mounts like to deteriorate on these. They are expensive....I rebuild them with a short section of reinforced rubber hose.... vulcanize it into place. This should be addressed while motor is dismantled. Your mounts may be okay, but at least 50 percent of those I work on are getting loose.
 
I’ve ascertained my compression tester is in fact a POS.
Tried it today in the 8HP Evinrude on my tinny, it showed 35-40psi both cylinders. This kicker will run my 14’ flat bottom Jon boat at 16mph, it can’t be running like that on 35psi.
I also tried it on a ‘74 6 HP Evinrude Fisherman that my neighbor just gave me. It also read 40psi both jugs.
Im thinking the 15hp of this thread has decent compression.
 
Wow! I need some neighbors like yours, brother. My neighbor gave me an old messed up 5 1/2 Sea Horse.....best I could do. He does invite us over for pancakes on Sunday, however.
 
As an update, I took this motor to Racerone. He put it all back together, along with a new impeller, & check of the head gasket.
we couldn’t run it, as winter has set in, but since it ran well previously, I’m confident it will run strong next spring.
 
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