Johnson Starter

[outboardboy3]

Does anyone know if my 1957 Johnson FDE-11 18hp is compatible with electric start? If so, what starter motor would I need? Thanks. 😀

[dan-in-tn]

You can look it up for yourself at MarineEngine.com. The FDE-11 (1957) is listed with all the starter components on the starter page. The starter is Arco #5376.

Dan in TN

[outboardboy3]

Ok thanks. Am I going to need a special type of starter bracket?

[dan-in-tn]

I don’t think it takes a special bracket if you have a FDE-11, but you do have to have the bracket. If it is missing you would have to come up with one. MarineEngine.com sells a starter & bracket, but it’s pricey. The brackets are hard to find.

Dan in TN

[dougs-outboards]

I have the starter motor you need, used but works well.

Please contact me at outboardrepair 1 @ gmail.com if interested. (Scoot address together when emailing). Put ‘Johnson Starter’ in the subject line.

Thanks,

Doug

[rjoynt]

If I am not mistaken, the E in FDE stands for Electric. So it was an electric from the factory. Please correct me if I’m mistaken.

[jimmy]

Hi OB3,

I have the same motor. If your’s is truly a FDE-11, then there should be a bracket on the front left side of the powerhead with a circular hole for the starter. This bracket also has a bumper for the cowl. Other signs are the geared starter flywheel, and the lower front cowl pan should have a 3 prong connector for the external starter relay box.

The starter motor bolts to this bracket, and there is also a large rubber gasket/damper probably for vibration isolation.

I can post photos if it helps, but mine is out being blasted right now.

[Mumbles]

I’ll go out on a limb here and say a 12 volt starter, bracket, and matching flywheel from an 18, 20, or 25 horse motor thru the mid seventies should be a plug and play installation on your ’57 motor. When I compare late brackets to early ones, the mounting holes sure look the same. The only difference I can see is where the solenoid mounts. 57’s had an electrical box inside the boat while later motors had the solenoid under the hood, either on the starter bracket itself or on the port side bracket. I will admit I have swapped flywheels around but have never tried fitting a later starter bracket to an early motor.

[dougs-outboards]

Yes plug and play except for the rubber bumper mount on the bracket itself for the 1957 metal hood, that the later year brackets do not have. Pretty much has to be a 1956-58 Johnson bracket to have that I think. If you were putting it on a motor with a fiberglass hood the later would work I think. I know because I went thru this when converting my 1957 18hp Johnson to electric start.

[tkwalker]

Dan, I’ve Got a later model 25 HP parts mtr. ( the next time I go to the shop I’ll check out the year) It seems in the past that I have retro fitted some 25’s to 18’s but can’t remember the year models. Anyway I have a bracket and flywheel … I agree with mumbles I think it will interchange. <‘TK><

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