1956 Johnson QD-17 Project NEW QUESTIONS

[RBuffordTJ]

What a beautiful motor...in a manly kind of way of course!

Great find man!

 

[BassBlaster]

Okay Pappy, I need some of your expertise!!

I cleaned and rebuilt the carb. Put it all back together and put it in a tank to tune it with the cowl off. I got it all tuned up and was running like a brand new one. Ran perfect. Nice and smooth at low and high speeds and a very snappy throttle. I put the cowl back on and obviously the carb gets less air then so I knew I would have to do a little tweaking. The slow speed actually got even smoother!! The high speed side, well, thats another story. I had to turn the needle in about an 1/8th to a 1/4 turn to get it to run smooth at the high speed side but I have lost alot of the rpm's I had with the cowl off and the throttle respnse went to crap. I have to barely ease into the throttle to keep from killing it. What do I need to do?

 

[Pappy]

You may have to richen the idle to wet the intake system down a little. That will help accelerate the engine. My low speed adjustments usually fall under one full turn from closed. My HS adjustments typically fall around the 1/2-3/4 turn open from the closed off position. As the engine warms if you want your adjustments dead on you may have to change them a little. You will also notice that if you are really close on your idle adjustment when warm that the engine will sneeze after coming back from a good hard run until the crankcase wets down again. That's when you know you are really close! I usually get lazy at that point and richen everything up unless I am at a meet and want the engine's running qualities to really shine! HS speed you want the engine to peak out RPMwise and then richen the mixture around 1/8 turn to cool the pistons a little and give the engine a little cushion. That engine should pull plenty of air with the cowl closed. Try it tomorrow (I know you will !!)and let us know. Will be out in the lake tomorrow afternoon with my old 18hp on the Gheenoe for a while.

 

[BassBlaster]

Okay thanks. I'll give that a shot tomorrow and see what happens. I did have it sneeze a couple times at idle after coming down from WOT. Thanks for the quick responce!!

 

[BassBlaster]

That was the ticket Pappy!!

I decarbed the engine today and got lots of black gunk out of it. I also replaced the plugs. I had still been running the old set because I knew I was gonna do the decarb and was gonna burn a set up. The slow speed setting wound up being about 1 3/4 turns out and the high speed somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 turns out. She's running beautifully from just barely idleing to WOT. Nice snappy throttle and just as smooth as can be all the way through!!. I still feel like I should have a few more rpm's but other than that she's runnin good.

Thanks for all your help.

I'll post a video of it running in a little bit.

 

[BassBlaster]

Heres the youtube video I made of it this afternoon. I still need to replace the old stock fuel lines and add an in line filter under the hood. I also need to replace the o-rings in the fuel connecter from the tank and the gasket on top of the tank. It leaks just the slightest little bit when the tank is under pressure. But heres the motor running awful dang good for being 55 years old!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiB5BoPyPbk

 

[Bobg]

That sure is a sweet running motor.

A few years back I was still able to find rebuild kits for those pressurized tanks.
You should have a stone filter in your fuel bowl.

I see you're in Grove City Oh. I spent some summers there as a kid, staying with an Aunt and Uncle. This was in the 50's.

 

[Pappy]

Those engines were never made to turn many RPMs, the trade off was an almost perfect idle and lots of bottom end torque. I believe 4500 is the max for that engine.

 

[BassBlaster]

That sure is a sweet running motor.

A few years back I was still able to find rebuild kits for those pressurized tanks.
You should have a stone filter in your fuel bowl.

I see you're in Grove City Oh. I spent some summers there as a kid, staying with an Aunt and Uncle. This was in the 50's.

The rebuild kits are still available. I have seen them on ebay. I was gonna order one and rebuild mine but it works good so no need. It does leak a little when under pressure so I ned to order some o rings for the connector and a new gasket for the top before it goes on the boat.

The carb does have a stone filter. I couldnt get it out when I rebuilt the carb. I didnt fiddle with it to much cause I didnt wanna break it. Just cleaned it up real good and left it alone.

 

[BassBlaster]

Those engines were never made to turn many RPMs, the trade off was an almost perfect idle and lots of bottom end torque. I believe 4500 is the max for that engine.

I read 4000 some where. Cant remember where.

It sure runs good. I can get the idle down to where I cant even believe its still running. Its so smooth through its entire range. Ive watched other videos of similar motors and they shake like mad while they are running. Not this one. I definately picked a winner!! I think she will offer many years of service. Can't wait to try her out on the lake!!

Now to find a matching 7.5 and maybe an 18 for when I'm not fishing the restricted lakes!!

 

[Pappy]

Make sure you run the 7 1/2 before purchasing. Those little ones had a slip clutch incorporated into the driveshaft that were prone to failure after hitting a couple submerged objects. After failure they would expand and force the driveshaft up into the crank and load the engine. Also prone to spitting rods ocassionally. That engine I would run on 16 or 20:1. Look for a 5 1/2 instead as they were and are bulletproof. The 3s are incredible running engines as well! Think I have 5 of those at the moment.

 

[BassBlaster]

Thanks for the tips. I doubt I would ever use those little motors. I just think they would be fun to tinker around on. As excited as I am that this one is finished and runs so good, I'm kinda bummed that I really have no reason to be tinkering on it any more. I replaced the fuel lines today and she's all finished up. An 18hp though would get some use on all the unrestricted lakes around!!

 

[Bobg]

I read 4000 some where. Cant remember where.

Check back on the specs I posted for your engine.

 

[BassBlaster]

I read 4000 some where. Cant remember where.

Check back on the specs I posted for your engine.

Oh yeah. See, I knew I read that somewhere, lol. Thanks again.

 

[Alumacraft]

Im not selling it, but I found a 10 hp from the 50's for cheap.. Wisconsin

https://appleton.craigslist.org/boa/2316444758.html

 

[gouran01]

Man, that motor is the best $50 i ever spent! I had some issues gettin an initial start with the carbs and such but once she fired the 1st time, it's flawless now! Put er in the river today and was idling great. Mine didn't look near as good as yours, faded way more and a few broken peices of hardeware so I didn't go original but the camo was on my mind too, maybe 1 day?

 

[sparty56]

Hey Bassblaster: Just bought the same motor, but not original paint. Looking for any tips you might give me in geting this running well. I can get it started, but would like to decarb, change plugs and whatever else I should do. My first motor so don't know a lot about what I am doing. What kind of a manual (owners/repair) would be best to own? Any idea where you can get this?

 

[BassBlaster]

Sorry Sparty, just saw your post. I havnt spent a lot of time working on outboards, in fact, this was the first one I ever spent any time working on. Best advise I can give ya is to buy a manual, there are several available for this motor. I actually downloaded mine for free on the net. Also ask alot of questions on forums. The best advise and help I got came from this site and at the iboats forum. Nice thng is these motors are everywhere and have been around so long, there are no shortage of people that know everything about them. If your mechanically inclined at all, they are very easy to work on. Still wouldnt go at it without a manual or without someones knowlege but it was really a piece of cake!!

 

[bpoulin]

Where did you get your manual online? I just bought the same motor with a white rattle can paint job lol. $50 running, You can't go wrong at that price.

 

[Spook]

Ditto on the manual , I just picked up a 59 18hp myself. She's red and white like yours also man I love the way these old motors look .