Help with 1957 Johnson (RD19) 35 hp Remote Conversions

[luvmyrd19]

Thanks Frank, Phil and Chris. Squared away now – I’ll proceed the way you instructed and let you know how I make out! Good to know I have the right flywheel, too.

[luvmyrd19]

Well folks, I successfully pulled the toothed flywheel from my donor motor and cleaned it up. However, I am having no luck pulling the smooth flywheel from my restored motor. I have used P Blaster and used the same puller on the better engine with no luck freeing the flywheel, which was off a season ago at a professional shop to tune it up. How hard can I "tap" on the crankshaft with a hammer to free it? All I had to do to free the toothed flywheel was torque the puller without tapping. Now I have cranked as much as I can without the strap wrench slipping, and it still won’t break looseeven with rather mild tapping with a hammer. Suggestions?

[luvmyrd19]

Well folks, I successfully pulled the toothed flywheel from my donor motor and cleaned it up. However, I am having no luck pulling the smooth flywheel from my restored motor. I have used P Blaster and used the same puller on the better engine with no luck freeing the flywheel, which was off a season ago at a professional shop to tune it up. How hard can I "tap" on the crankshaft with a hammer to free it? All I had to do to free the toothed flywheel was torque the puller without tapping. Now I have cranked as much as I can without the strap wrench slipping, and it still won’t break looseeven with rather mild tapping with a hammer. Suggestions?

[Anonymous]

You can leave the puller on (with the nut ON) and come back later and see if you can torque it a bit more…

[luvmyrd19]

quote Phil B:

You can leave the puller on (with the nut ON) and come back later and see if you can torque it a bit more…

Exactly what I did Phil – a couple more hours, and a bit more aggressive use of the strap wrench (found a way to wedge it between the motor and the flywheel so it didn’t slip), and it finally popped! Safely off now and the "new" toothed flywheel ready to install.
Now a new question: Found my coil and points, and other metal areas coated with a thin film of oil. Not sure if it is P Blast residue or if it was just lubricant that should be left around. Before reinstalling the flywheel, what should I do? The points/ condenser were just professionally installed last season (no usage since) and the coils are not cracked. What would you advise before I seal this back up? (If I was more experienced, I think I know the answer: clean up the oil residue (using acetone?), check the gap on the points, maybe apply some lubricant to some specific spots like the crankshaft (please advise), and only then seal ‘er up. I just don’t know if I trust myself to do that yet!

[chris-p]

I would clean up the oil residue. Hopefully it is your PB and not the top seal leaking.

Wipe up what you can with a clean rag. Spray some parts cleaner/brake cleaner on the mag plate, and with the rag and compressed air, clean up the plate. Dip some paper stock or business card in acetone, and run that through the points to clean, then blow off again with compressed air.

use acetone and clean rag to wipe off crank taper, and inside flywheel taper, before torqueing down to spec. You want the tapers clean and dry. Nothing on them at all.

[luvmyrd19]

Regarding Chris’s concern about the top seal potentially leaking – I did notice that with the flywheel still firmly attached (before it popped), there was a limited degree of vertical play in the crankshaft. Is this normal?

[frankr]

Yes

[luvmyrd19]

Yesterday, on July 5, I am happy (understatement – ecstatic would be more appropriate) to report that this entire project has been successfully completed with the help of this thread – and all of you. I am now 74 yrs old and have never as much as changed a sparkplug on an outboard motor, and you have talked me through this entire project with great results. This includes:

1. Successful conversion to electric start from the dash (from rope pull), which required new flywheel, choke solenoid, starter bracket and starter, replacement of the float bowl on the carb to accommodate mounting the choke solenoid, a complete hand made wiring harness hardwired to the motor, a junction box in the boat, and another harness to the dash.
2. Remote throttle and shifting system (original Johnson)
3. Remote drum cable steering system including pulleys, drum, tension springs, clamps, guides, etc.

After checking and double checking the wiring a hundred times, we took a one hour long cruise with it yesterday mated to my 1957 Lyman (17′), which has now been totally restored. The motor not only started on the first try (2 seconds of grind), it purred the entire time, at extended idle, as well as full throttle. The entire range was tested and only minor tweaking of the hi/lo needles was needed.

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all the help found in this thread, and just wanted to let you know how great it feels to have reached this milestone. Thank you! 😀

[chris-p]

Fantastic!

[Author]

Posts