1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

[flb_bon]

I am re-creating this post as the original had to be deleted due to a mistake I made when registering. There were 2 replies to the original post so I'm hoping those people will again respond.

I have a TD20 that I inherited from my father who bought it new and told me it was a 1945 motor.

I have the original 'General Instructions' (User manual), brochure #301453, which tells me it is a 5 HP. Serial # is 525 8J (the J could be an i).
The motor has the original paint and decals and is silver in colour.

The motor is all original and has never had the points, condenser, etc. replaced and yes, it still runs. Used it this year for bass fishing.

When I look at the forums I don't see a 5 HP listed and the colour of the motors appears to be 'green'.

I am thinking of getting the service manual for the motor to do maintenance and I'm not certain how much difference a year would make.
I'm also a little reluctant to take apart something that isn't broken (if it ain't broke don't fix it!).

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

TD20 is listed as running from 46 to 49

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

I just got a TD-20 this week in a trade. Started first pull and I took my kid for a ride yesterday. Kinda idles rough but WOT worked well.

 

[TN-25]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

If your motor is actually silver then it was built before they suspended production for WWII, making it a 1941-42. After the post-war production resumed they painted them Sea Green. Otherwise the motors are the same 1941-48. For 1949 they changed the decals, transom bracket & clamps.

I'm thinking that your motor could've been a new leftover pre-war motor (they may have had a rationed stockpile); I thought that the post war models began with production designated as 1946.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

Mine looks like it was green but it is heavily worn out. Are they all the same other than color?

And I never take mine apart if they're running ok. I have too many engines and that would be too much work. As long as it's peeing water (yes, these old girls have a pee hole which is the precursor to the modern pee hole!) I'd be happy with it running.

And the TD-20 is listed from '46-'49. In '45 it was the TS-20. Beats me what it looks like although it's probably quite similar.

BTW, I have the pdf parts manual for the '46-'49 TD-20 if you want a copy PM me your email address.

 

[TN-25]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

Mine looks like it was green but it is heavily worn out. Are they all the same other than color? ...


...And the TD-20 is listed from '46-'49. In '45 it was the TS-20. Beats me what it looks like although it's probably quite similar...

Sam, the TS is simply a TN with an exposed starter pully that you manually wrap a rope around, as opposed to the TN with its automatic recoil "ready pull" starter. Attached is a picture of a model TS (TS-15?) from an old pre-war owner's manual dad had for his TN. The TS & TN were both sold side by side before the war (1941-42; perhaps TS-15 & TN-15). After the war the TS never returned to production. Post-war the TN-15 would've been redesignated the TN-20 but I'm not aware of any changes other than colour.

I personally have never seen a TS other than in this picture, but I've seen many TNs over my lifetime.

The Sea Green can indeed look almost silver when faded to a certain patina, but the pre-war models are painted Dull Aluminum. Decals are nearly identical, but if you want to check them out look here at www.nymarine.ca

 

[F_R]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

Actually, the TN didn't come out till 1950. Before that, it was a TD. TNs have a neutral clutch, TDs are direct drive.

 

[TN-25]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

Actually, the TN didn't come out till 1950. Before that, it was a TD. TNs have a neutral clutch, TDs are direct drive.

Of course you're right! I'm so used to thinking TN that without clueing in I said it instead of TD.

So, TS 1941-42, TD 1941-49, TN 1950-53.
All evolved from the 5-horse AT, LT, DT of 1939-40, which in turn evolved from the 4.2-horse of about 1936 or so.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

Yea, I have a couple of these TD-20s I'm working on for a guy. Unfortunately, the tanks are so beat up, the recoil no longer works and one leaks. But I think I can get one good running one out of two. One was stuck, but not any more.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

You can get a shop manual from: outboardbooks.com

 

[flb_bon]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

So I finally have added a picture of my TD as my Avatar. Only a year late

I had to take the lower end apart as I found the gearcase had been contaminated with water (grease was a milky colour).

Not sure why this happened. I had replaced the original gear grease with gear oil and I'm thinking this was the problem i.e. the gear grease is much thicker and would prevent water entering at the plug? Any ideas?

When I took the lower gearcase off I found the propeller shaft had a small score mark on it (wasn't there before I replaced the gear grease).
I'm not a mechanic so I don't know what I should do with this if anything. Again, any ideas?

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[stevenj]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

You will and already have gotten great input here, you can also go to www.aomci.org for a ton of great help also.

 

[Mas]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

I picked up a TN-26 a couple of years ago from a friend. They seemed so common that I was not that excited about it...so it sat. A couple of months later, I cleaned her up, did a superficial tune-up to get her running nice...and there she sat for two more years. Well, four weeks ago, I actually put the motor on a boat and tested her out after replacing the impeller.

I'll be, my TN is the best running motor I've got after getting the carb adjusted. It planed a small aluminum boat out with two people, cruised all around the lake, and idled like a dream...really, really low and smooth idle. I could almost count the rpms on my fingers! Drained the gear oil after initially changing it to check for water...none.

Although yours is a slightly different model...they're basically the same except the neutral clutch. If yours has good guts...you'll be very happy with that motor...a very well engineered motor!

Mas

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

I think parts for those old TD's will be available till the world ends. They built trainloads of them and there's still a lot of them around. Here is a good place to get decals.

http://www.nymarine.ca/194048JONDEC.html

They also sell the Sea Mist Green paint for them too.

 

[flb_bon]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

Thanks again everyone for your input.
I will let you know how things turn out

 

[Jack Mears]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

Hey Sam- Any chance to get one of the TD-20 parts list that you mentioned in the forum?

Jack Mears

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

sure, send me a PM with your email address in it.

 

[Jack Mears]

Re: 1945 or 1946? TD20 Johnson Seahorse

sure, send me a PM with your email address in it.

Sam- TD-20 parts manual request to:
mears_001@msn.com
thanks
Jack Mears