Search results

  1. M

    Converting 1988 Johnson 4HP Deluxe from 15" to 20" - parts still available?

    Bought this nice little 4hp motor as a trolling motor but have found that the longer shaft would fit better in my application. I can get by with the 15" shaft but the 20" would be so much better. Looking on-line I've found that the parts are NLA from the suppliers I've researched. Any possible...
  2. M

    100:1 or standard 50:1

    Just acquired a 1988 Johnson 4hp Deluxe motor to use as a trolling motor. There is a sticker right on the cowling by the fuel connector that shows 100:1 mix ratio. Is that right? Never heard of such a high ratio.
  3. M

    Penetrating oil - whats best? Really.

    OK, I've read all the hype from different manufacturers and they all claim to be the best. Now what are the real world success stories? What has failed dismally? Hoping to hear from members that use the stuff routinely in their jobs and depend on it to do what it's supposed to do.
  4. M

    1988 Johnson 4hp Deluxe - Lower unit off minus the driveshaft. SUCCESS !!

    So after doing some reading here, I managed to pop the lower unit off the motor BUT the driveshaft remains stuck in the crank at the powerhead. Motor is sitting on its head and I've given the driveshaft a good dose of penetrating oil and will let it sit a couple days. Any other tried and true...
  5. M

    New Purchase - 88 Johnson 4HP Deluxe. A few questions

    Recently bought this motor as a trolling motor. These models seem to be regarded quite highly so I hope it performs well. I have a few questions that I hope someone can answer. I plan on acquiring a manual but for now I'm relying on the members here. 1) The tiller throttle is VERY stiff. Can it...
  6. M

    Homemade transom motor bracket ideas for electric trolling motor

    Went out and bought an electric trolling motor for my 16ft runabout. The 80hp just is no good for trolling and I didn't want another outboard (cost, weight, convenience etc) so I went with a transom mount type electric. Problem is that the splashwell is JUST wide enough for the main motor. I'll...
  7. M

    Body parts found in the

    bird bath. Twice now this week I've discovered parts of dead birds in the bird bath in our yard. First it was a head and then yesterday a wing and parts of a leg. Rather bizarre. We've had this bird bath for 7 years and have never seen this before. My son thought he saw a raven carrying...
  8. M

    How to launch a boat with 3 trucks, 2 tractors ...... and no ramp

    Pretty entertaining. http://www.bitoffun.com/video_vault/boat-launch-fun.htm
  9. M

    Acrylic windshiled crack repair

    1971 runabout with a two piece formed acrylic windshield has developed two cracks. I suspect stresses from snow loading is the cause because this boat is 41 years old and the cracks just formed this past winter. The cracks are about 4" long and located in the curved portion of the windshield. I...
  10. M

    I'm going to need more floatation foam .............

    and a trap. Just uncovered the boat from its winter wrap and found this crumbled white mess all over the floor. Odd I thought, I'm sure I had thoroughly cleaned it before covering it for the winter. Soon it became apparent that the white mess on the floor was small bits of floatation foam. I...
  11. M

    Montana/Venture front strut replacement

    This is on my to-do list very soon. I've done struts before but this job looks daunting. The upper strut mount bolts are buried back under the windshield cowling, in behind the windshield wiper linkages. Any words of advice or wisdom from the members here?
  12. M

    Drilling out a broken bolt ..... or so I thought

    Needed to remove the windshield wiper linkages from the van to get access to the upper strut mounts tucked back under the windshield cowling. Broke the head off a bolt fastened into a tapped hole in a casting. No problem I figure, I'll just drill it out and re-tap the hole. Done this numerous...
  13. M

    Lost my friend and companion of 14 years yesterday

    Jake was a black lab cross who we adopted as a pup at 5 months old. That was 14 years ago. We were so fortunate to have chosen him (or maybe he chose us). He was the best behaved, well mannered dog anyone could have asked for. He was truly a member of our family who traveled with us, played...
  14. M

    Waterpump Conundrum - 1971 Merc 800

    Started out trying to find out why I was getting water in the LU. Dropped the LU and did a pressure test that showed a leak at the base of the waterpump. So I took the pump apart and pried up the base. What I found shocked me. The wrong base was installed. The collar that fits down inside the...
  15. M

    Bad prop causing slow speed? NOW WITH PHOTOS

    This is something I've wondered about for the last couple seasons. I've got a 1970's vintage 16ft deep V fiberglass hull with an 80hp Merc and a 17" pitch prop, and at WOT (nearly 5800rpm) I can only get about 25-27mph on a good day - GPS verified. The boat/motor/fuel/gear/passengers etc weighs...
  16. M

    Insurance question for Canadian Boaters

    Recently changed the insurance company for my house and auto insurance. Old insurance company provided coverage for my boat under the house policy. New company is MUCH MUCH cheaper but does not provide coverage for boats older than 25 years. My boat is going on 41 years old. Now I need to find...
  17. M

    Need older Merc 800 waterpump replacement numbers

    Have a 1971 Merc 800 that is in need of a new waterpump. The impeller was replaced 3 summers ago but the base housing and upper housing were not replaced then. The seals in the lower housing are shot. Want to replace the entire pump assy (upper, lower, impeller, gaskets etc) but having trouble...
  18. M

    Co-worker nearly drowned. Wasn't wearing a PFD

    Past weekend, a coworker "Frank" had taken his new-to-him boat out for a solo cruise. Motor overheated and stalled. Another boater offered to tow him into the marina and he made his way to the bow to tie off the tow line. Once underway, he decided to return to the cuddy cabin because it was...
  19. M

    Voltage regulator questions

    Posted a thread in the Merc section but not getting much attention (http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=470908) so thought I'd ask here instead. Short story, I've got a 1971 Merc 800 that does not have a factory voltage regulator. The stator is rated at 9A, and while running at 1/2...
  20. M

    Lower unit pressure/vacuum test question

    1971 Merc 800. Had my lower unit completely apart last summer to replace the driveshaft, shift cam and cam follower, clutch dog and reverse gear. Replaced ALL the seals and used thread sealant on the carrier nut threads. After running the motor for about 12 hours I discovered about 1/4 cup of...
Top