1956 Johnson 5.5 HP

[Chinewalker]

I bought this one two weeks ago, in pieces with a broken connecting rod and marfed up crankshaft. Fortunately, when the rod let go it didn't take the crankcase with it, so I was able to install a new crank and rod on my day off on Friday and ended up running the motor all weekend. SWEET little motor! This is my third CD-series 5.5 and is easily the nicest one cosmetically speaking. It was too clean not to put back together again!

 

[wbeaton]

Re: 1956 Johnson 5.5 HP

Nice little motor. I have a pair of 1956 Johnson 7.5 hp's in similar shape. One is seized and the other has a broken rod and crankcase. You just made me bump them up in the priority list.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: 1956 Johnson 5.5 HP

Hi Wayne,
If you're lucky the seized one will come apart fairly easily and yield some good connecting rods and maybe a good crankshaft. Usually, when one of these little gems eats a rod it takes the crank with it. About half the time it takes the crankcase with it, too. I felt pretty lucky when I pulled it apart and the crankcase just had a gouge on the inside of it and nothing poked through. At the very least, the one with the broken rod will give you one good rod to use in whatever you put together. I might have a decent crankshaft if you need one.

The other nice thing about these is their simplicity - only took me an afternoon to take it apart and reassemble it with the new parts. That included a light honing of the bores to take out the glaze, as well as cutting new gaskets out of a sheet of material. Also replaced the impeller and hoses while I was at it...

- Scott

 

[wbeaton]

Re: 1956 Johnson 5.5 HP

Hi Scott,

I've done a few of these motors. I think the collection has about five running 7.5 hp motors now. I should have enough parts to repair this one and a 1958 that is about to throw a rod. But if I don't I'll let you know what I need.

The 7.5 hp is plentiful around here. I have trouble finding 5.5 hp's.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: 1956 Johnson 5.5 HP

Hi Wayne,
You wouldn't happen to have a good cylinder head for a '55-'58 Fleetwin 7.5hp would you? I've got a sweet running '57 Fleetwin, but one ear is broken off the head, so the cowling vibrates a bit. I'm also missing the bumper that went on the ear, too...
- Scott

 

[wbeaton]

Re: 1956 Johnson 5.5 HP

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