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Author Topic:   1969 Johnson 6HP, good design?

weekendwarrior posted 01-10-2003 01:49 PM ET (US)
In my parents garage is a 1969 6HP Johnson which has been basically sitting there for the last 28 years. It was used a few times when I was a kid and got a new water pump about 15 years ago but hasn't moved much since then. It was last started about 8 years ago, started right up. I haven't tried to start it but it still turns freely if you can stand the noises from the water pump (horrid rubber sqeaky sound). Can anyone offer any input about the general reliability from these things should I spend the money to put a new water pump in it? Also are there any special tricks to change the water pump in this model?

Bigshot posted 01-10-2003 03:26 PM ET (US)
Get a manual and a waterpump kit and a 6 pack and have at it. should take about an hour. But....for the cost of the manual, you can have somebody install it. Great engine should last another 34 years.
jimp posted 01-10-2003 03:51 PM ET (US)
Agree with Bigshot. Those engines were very simple. Connect the gas, fire her up and have a nice boating day!
JimP
kingfish posted 01-10-2003 03:57 PM ET (US)
w.w.- there was a thread in the Marketplace forum recently entitled, "Johnson 6 hp" or 6 hp Johnson" that developed into some commentary on your motor. I have a '68 6 hp Johnson that I worked over and have high hopes for - it sounds like it had a history similar to the one you describe.
Here's a resource that I found to be a *huge* help for me: Mastertech Marine http://www.maxrules.com/ Lots of technical help and you can buy the parts online from them.
The replacement water pump kit has a much smaller impeller, and the new housing requires just a smidgeon of grinding where it seats inside the lower unit in order to fit; a no-brainer really, and I did it with a dremel in a couple of minutes.
Let me know if I can help you out from my experience with my '68 - I think it is exactly the same motor you have.
kingfish
Bigshot posted 01-10-2003 04:04 PM ET (US)
I believe that beast has points....if you have spark issues, start there. Usually a good cleaning does the trick. If carb was not drained 8 years ago, might need to be cleaned out. If it does fire up, run some techron or something in the gas/oil mix and let it clean out any varnish.
kingfish posted 01-10-2003 04:10 PM ET (US)
p.s.-
Do NOT try to start it if you suspect problems with the water pump, until you have replaced it. You can cook stuff that doesn't like to be cooked a lot quicker than you think.
weekendwarrior posted 01-11-2003 12:23 AM ET (US)
Thanks to everyone for the info!
Kingfish, with a smaller impeller are you sure the motor is still getting enough cooling water? Are the OEM parts not available any longer? I would definitely be interested to hear the details on your motor, I'm horrified of trying to remove the bolts that have been in there for some many years!
kingfish posted 01-11-2003 08:50 AM ET (US)
weekendwarrier-
The smaller pump is what OMC supplies as the "OEM" part for our motors now; the larger unit is no longer manufactured, for reasons beyond my ken. Updated manufacturing processes and tolerances or production efficiency, I would guess; I bet research would reveal that both the older larger version and the newer smaller one were/are OEM for a number of different motors of different years and sizes.
Bottom line is the current smaller one is recommended and supplied by Bombardier (OMC), and works and cools just fine. The grinding I referred to isn't much more than removing a short piece of a little casting fin where the pump assembly seats. What exactly is in the way is very visible and obvious when the case is split and you slide the pump assembly down over the drive shaft.
I'm fairly mechanically inclined (though too impulsive/impatient for my own good from time to time), and I was a little intimidated by the thought of the project before I began, too. Like Bigshot said, it is pretty straight forward, though. These old motors are really bullet-proof and it is hard not to be impressed by their simplicity once you start to get into it.
There are a few hints and tricks I can share having successfully re-habbed a similar motor that I think would save you a fair amount of grief, time and trouble, and I'd enjoy helping you out. Why don't you e-mail me (address is in my profile), and we'll get this project rolling!
kingfish
Steve Leone posted 01-11-2003 01:05 PM ET (US)
The older style impeller is still available aftermarket. I like the old style myself. They seem to last alot longer and are better built.
kingfish posted 01-11-2003 02:10 PM ET (US)
Steve-
Are you talking about just the impeller or the whole pump kit? If the latter, how about publishing a source? In fact I guess I'd appreciate a source either way-
kingfish
kingfish posted 01-12-2003 04:21 PM ET (US)
Yo, Steve-
You out there??
Florida15 posted 01-12-2003 10:43 PM ET (US)
I have a 1957 Johnson 7.5 that my dad bought new. It hadn't been run in several years when Dad gave it to me.
It started on the second pull and ran like a top. I think that says something about the quality of the old Johnsons.

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Author	Topic: 1969 Johnson 6HP, good design?
weekendwarrior	posted 01-10-2003 01:49 PM ET (US) In my parents garage is a 1969 6HP Johnson which has been basically sitting there for the last 28 years. It was used a few times when I was a kid and got a new water pump about 15 years ago but hasn't moved much since then. It was last started about 8 years ago, started right up. I haven't tried to start it but it still turns freely if you can stand the noises from the water pump (horrid rubber sqeaky sound). Can anyone offer any input about the general reliability from these things should I spend the money to put a new water pump in it? Also are there any special tricks to change the water pump in this model?
Bigshot	posted 01-10-2003 03:26 PM ET (US) Get a manual and a waterpump kit and a 6 pack and have at it. should take about an hour. But....for the cost of the manual, you can have somebody install it. Great engine should last another 34 years.
jimp	posted 01-10-2003 03:51 PM ET (US) Agree with Bigshot. Those engines were very simple. Connect the gas, fire her up and have a nice boating day! JimP
kingfish	posted 01-10-2003 03:57 PM ET (US) w.w.- there was a thread in the Marketplace forum recently entitled, "Johnson 6 hp" or 6 hp Johnson" that developed into some commentary on your motor. I have a '68 6 hp Johnson that I worked over and have high hopes for - it sounds like it had a history similar to the one you describe. Here's a resource that I found to be a huge help for me: Mastertech Marine http://www.maxrules.com/ Lots of technical help and you can buy the parts online from them. The replacement water pump kit has a much smaller impeller, and the new housing requires just a smidgeon of grinding where it seats inside the lower unit in order to fit; a no-brainer really, and I did it with a dremel in a couple of minutes. Let me know if I can help you out from my experience with my '68 - I think it is exactly the same motor you have. kingfish
Bigshot	posted 01-10-2003 04:04 PM ET (US) I believe that beast has points....if you have spark issues, start there. Usually a good cleaning does the trick. If carb was not drained 8 years ago, might need to be cleaned out. If it does fire up, run some techron or something in the gas/oil mix and let it clean out any varnish.
kingfish	posted 01-10-2003 04:10 PM ET (US) p.s.- Do NOT try to start it if you suspect problems with the water pump, until you have replaced it. You can cook stuff that doesn't like to be cooked a lot quicker than you think.
weekendwarrior	posted 01-11-2003 12:23 AM ET (US) Thanks to everyone for the info! Kingfish, with a smaller impeller are you sure the motor is still getting enough cooling water? Are the OEM parts not available any longer? I would definitely be interested to hear the details on your motor, I'm horrified of trying to remove the bolts that have been in there for some many years!
kingfish	posted 01-11-2003 08:50 AM ET (US) weekendwarrier- The smaller pump is what OMC supplies as the "OEM" part for our motors now; the larger unit is no longer manufactured, for reasons beyond my ken. Updated manufacturing processes and tolerances or production efficiency, I would guess; I bet research would reveal that both the older larger version and the newer smaller one were/are OEM for a number of different motors of different years and sizes. Bottom line is the current smaller one is recommended and supplied by Bombardier (OMC), and works and cools just fine. The grinding I referred to isn't much more than removing a short piece of a little casting fin where the pump assembly seats. What exactly is in the way is very visible and obvious when the case is split and you slide the pump assembly down over the drive shaft. I'm fairly mechanically inclined (though too impulsive/impatient for my own good from time to time), and I was a little intimidated by the thought of the project before I began, too. Like Bigshot said, it is pretty straight forward, though. These old motors are really bullet-proof and it is hard not to be impressed by their simplicity once you start to get into it. There are a few hints and tricks I can share having successfully re-habbed a similar motor that I think would save you a fair amount of grief, time and trouble, and I'd enjoy helping you out. Why don't you e-mail me (address is in my profile), and we'll get this project rolling! kingfish
Steve Leone	posted 01-11-2003 01:05 PM ET (US) The older style impeller is still available aftermarket. I like the old style myself. They seem to last alot longer and are better built.
kingfish	posted 01-11-2003 02:10 PM ET (US) Steve- Are you talking about just the impeller or the whole pump kit? If the latter, how about publishing a source? In fact I guess I'd appreciate a source either way- kingfish
kingfish	posted 01-12-2003 04:21 PM ET (US) Yo, Steve- You out there??
Florida15	posted 01-12-2003 10:43 PM ET (US) I have a 1957 Johnson 7.5 that my dad bought new. It hadn't been run in several years when Dad gave it to me. It started on the second pull and ran like a top. I think that says something about the quality of the old Johnsons.