What year motors are these?

[reelfishin]

I have the chance to pick up a pair of matched 55 HP Johnson motors with controls that are in very good condition.
By the pic below, can anyone ID the year of these? I went through the BRP catalog but they stop showing decal pics after 1979, I can only narrow it down to 1980 to 1992 since the cover is still the same shape up to 1992. I also ruled out 1984 and 1985 since I have those year motors and they use a different pattern.
Any ideas?
I was looking for a good used V4 but found the two 55's instead, which may be better in the long run?
It will do wonders for handling and having two engines will pretty much garrantee I will never get stranded due to motor failure. it may also be a bit easier on fuel?

 

[CATransplant]

Re: What year motors are these?

Post the model number off one of the engines and we'll be able to help you.

 

[Rancherlee]

Re: What year motors are these?

Sure look like 79's to me, identical to what my old 79' 55hp looked like, I think 76-78 still had the funky green color on the mid/lower units. from 1980+ the 55hp was a commercial type engine and used a larger gear case with V4 props

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What year motors are these?

unless the are running on the same tank of contaminated fuel. post model numbers.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: What year motors are these?

I went and got them today, both are 55EL79C's , 1979 models, both run like new and have 150 PSI across the board. They came from a freshwater lake so they are clean and corrosion free. I got them so right I coudn't turn them down. I only wish they were both tilt and trim equipped. These look to be sort of their own family of motor? Larger than say a 30/35hp and smaller than my 65 and 70 hp motors. The lower unit is closer to the 70HP in size but a just a bit smaller.
The one has a replaced lower unit, the guy said that one got damaged back whent they were new and the dealer put on a green lower unit, so I take it the one lower unit is a year older or so. Both motors look nearly new, or at least as new as a 1979 pair of motors can look after sitting for 20 years. I mounted both on stands and got them both running in only a few minutes. The controls, cables, twin battery boxes, and a pair of 20 gallon portable tanks came with them. The guy also gave me four spare water pump impellers, the OEM shop manual, all the original paperwork and even the aluminum spacer plate and bolts from the boat he removed them from.

Did they have a tilt and trim set up for these? The bracket is smaller than the 70hp which uses the same unit as a V4. If I could make these t/t motors, they would work well on my 19' Renken instead of the single V4 I've been searching for. (Without power tilt, they would be a real pain to deal with on that boat, even the single engine is tough to reach to tilt. Besides, I run and launch in fairly shallow water, so I often need to trim up to save the lower unit when docking. It's bad enough manually tilting one motor, but two would be twice the work.

 

[noelm]

Re: What year motors are these?

yes they did have trim n tilt back then, had a pair of those exact same motors on an old boat I had, there was some drama with them, and got both powerheads replaced under warranty, something about rings catching in a port or something if I remember correctly, know of three others had the same problem (they were in Australia by the way)

 

[reelfishin]

Re: What year motors are these?

I haven't heard that before and couldn't find anything online about it?
These both are like new, but have been used.
Anyone else here heard this?

 

[Rancherlee]

Re: What year motors are these?

The 55hp is part of the 40/50/55 class from early 70's to 79' there was a slight change to the powerhead in 80' and they dumped the 55hp in favor of a 60hp engine until the they switch to the industry standard prop rated hp in the late 80's. tilt and trim from just about any 40/50/55/60 hp twin should work in your engine.

 

[BF]

Re: What year motors are these?

we had a new 60 hp version of that type (probably about an '82?) when I wuz a youngin'. Ours didn't have power t/t either and it was a bit of a pain. Because they're so low and slung out the back, it's a long reach and they're fairly heavy to pull up (leverage isn't helping you). The long reach to the back also makes it a bit hard to lower the engine gently. I remember my Dad trying to make sure none of us "dropped the engine hard" when we lowered it into the water. We did LOTS of skiing & tubing behind it and it never gave us any problem in the 5 or 6 seasons we had it. Didn't seem quite as smooth as the 3 cyl OMC's, but I think they have a reputation for being good engines none the less.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: What year motors are these?

I looked at both the owners manual, and the BRP site, I didn't see any sign of any tilt and trim option or parts for the same.
Does any one have a pic of one with power tilt and trim?

 

[Rancherlee]

Re: What year motors are these?

My brother Inlaw has a 84' 60hp that had the same mid/lower unit as my 79' 55hp did and his had factory tilt n' trim. I've seen a few older 55hp with tilt n' trim also (on ebay over the years).

 

[reelfishin]

Re: What year motors are these?

I see that the 1984 60HP does list an add on tilt/trim unit, it looks about the same idea as the pre-1979 3 cyl and V4 ad on trim units.

The last one I saw on eBay went for over $300 and the cylinders were shot.
I need a pair of them for these.

Maybe a custom twin motor power jack plate may be inorder, but I'd have to find a used one, there's no way I'm spending that much on these.
I am also not a big fan of moving the motors back and adding all that leverage to the transom on an older boat either.

 

[leonard baker]

Re: What year motors are these?

I have the chance to pick up a pair of matched 55 HP Johnson motors with controls that are in very good condition.
By the pic below, can anyone ID the year of these? I went through the BRP catalog but they stop showing decal pics after 1979, I can only narrow it down to 1980 to 1992 since the cover is still the same shape up to 1992. I also ruled out 1984 and 1985 since I have those year motors and they use a different pattern.
Any ideas?
I was looking for a good used V4 but found the two 55's instead, which may be better in the long run?
It will do wonders for handling and having two engines will pretty much garrantee I will never get stranded due to motor failure. it may also be a bit easier on fuel?

I also have an old motor i am looking to find out the year model on. It is made by goodyear and the model number is 3566 . I am thinking maybe late fourties early fifty's. If anyone can help me out please reply thanks.