1952 Johnson 5 horse TN-28 mechanical rebuild

Well, 200 bucks WAS too much but it is what it is, and I'm only 1 year older than the motor. I don't know...I think I feel a connection.

Found water in the gear oil. Most oil loss, if not all, is comming from the lower end gaskets. Seems to be oil free below the prop. But what are the chances of finding a shaft seal?

Lost the spark 'suddenly' on 1 cylinder Friday while running in the tank. I assumed points and found them at my local dealer. I fought with the flywheel all weekend. It was REALLY on there!!! It finally popped off this morning. I think these are the 62 year old coils! There's 3 at the dealer but I can wait till tomorrow. I need to take the water pump with me and try to find a rebuild kit or at least a grommet I can modify for the water tube. It's missing. Impeller is new. I doubt they'll have, or can get, gaskets for the lower end. May have to make those unless someone has a set laying around somewhere. Anybody? (grinning)

Gary

Oh yeah...I was hoping I could do this without removing the tank. Nah...Tank comes off tomorrow. I have to pull that plate off to replace the ignition wires.

Gary

I have a 61 5.5 Johnson and I expect the same problems good luck with the rebuild

Believe I told you about aomci.com twice so far. That will be a good source for parts and technical information.

Seaway Marine out in Seattle will probably have whatever your dealer does not.

Marineengine.com is another good source for parts that the dealer does not carry

The fact that the engine still has the original coils is a blessing....means that some idiot didn't get it running and use a 50:1 mixture in it.


cphill - your 1961 engine is a piece of cake. Almost all service parts are readily available through a dealer.
BTW -your mixture for that plain bearing engine is 24:1. Nothing less. 20:1 even better!

Thanks, Cphill. I was surprised at the compression. 80 and 82! More than I expected. Didn't like the oil comming from those lower end gaskets, tho.
Pappy, you're right. aomci has some great info. Found 7, 10 minute video's about the ignition system repairs, and a bunch of good, general, info. Still waiting to hear back from their webmaster(membership). But I can do this

I keep my grandfather's '55 5.5hp running - here are some of the sites I source parts from:

https://www.vintageoutboard.com/JEFuelSystem/JOHNEVINFuelSystem_1.html

https://www.laingsoutboards.com/

and I don't know if some of the parts are the same from 52 - 54+ but this was another good one:

https://outboard-boat-motor-repair....hnson 5.5 HP 1954-1964 Tune-Up Parts List.htm

onthewater102 said:

I keep my grandfather's '55 5.5hp running - here are some of the sites I source parts from:

https://www.vintageoutboard.com/JEFuelSystem/JOHNEVINFuelSystem_1.html

https://www.laingsoutboards.com/

and I don't know if some of the parts are the same from 52 - 54+ but this was another good one:

https://outboard-boat-motor-repair....hnson 5.5 HP 1954-1964 Tune-Up Parts List.htm

Click to expand...

Thank you. Added to my library.

Glad you are joining the AOMCI.....you wont regret it.

SPARK ON!!!!! Finally. I replaced everything from the coils to the plug boots. All new parts. It's reassembled and ready to test. Then I'll look under the bottom of the power head. Something doesn't look right there. The motor seems to sit low in the clamps. Missing bushing maybe?

It's an adventure, right?

In running condition these things will fetch $400 - $600 if you've got the fuel can to go with them, so your repair $$ isn't completely un-recoverable, provided you get it going.

My dad just picked up a 10hp of similar vintage without the fuel tank and unsure of the running condition of the motor (externally everything looks fine). So we'll be heading down the same rabbits hole soon enough!

OK, tank tested. Even without the grommet on top of the water pump I still have a reasonable pee stream. Otherwise, the motor runs smooth throughout the rpm range.

I have an occasional 'pop' through carb intake and through the open hole in the picture. Am I missing something there? This 'pop' is new. Timing? I didn't remove the stator plate. Do I need to adjust that plate? I don't have that fancy timing tool that sits on the armature.

I can't seem to edit my last post. So...I've read where some folks call it a cough not a pop. I'm unsure. I could describe it as either. And it comes out the carb intake and the hole on the front of the motor(second picture) at the same time, otherwise it runs very smooth. Now the hole.....It looks like something is missing there. I didn't remove anything.

Well, a little research pays off. That poping(coughing) was a fuel/air mixture problem, both high and low speed. Adjusted just a bit and it ran fine this morning.

That "open port" in the last picture is the slow speed mixture adjustment. I read this before and totaly forgot. It has a brass insert restricting air imput to a preset amount. Motor dies when I restrict the opening....even just a little! Now, I can SEE the fuel passing through, inside of that hole. LMAO, it looks like some primative 'flux capacitor' thing from "back To The Future"! While revisiting the manuals, I expected to find a filter, baffle, or screen that I was missing. I've found nothing.

Gary, you may have these links, but just to be sure I'll post them again. Excellent info for the TD and TN Johnson model series. Also tell you how to get those NLA leather primer seals.

Carb

https://pochefamily.org/outboard/CarbService.html


Same site, but different sections of the motor.

https://pochefamily.org/outboard/

Thanks. I have a few Pochefamily links but not the carb link.
More, please!
Maybe something on the stern bracket/drive shaft housing area? Something is amiss there (grinning)

Gary

Just right click on each picture and select save to download onto your computer for better viewing. I will remove all the pictures about a week from now.