1957 Johnson 18hp

[jessper]

I won a Johnson 18hp on ebay, but he said that it was a early 60's model. The price was at $151.00. He tells me now that it is a 57/58 model and is a pressure tank engine. He is giving me the option of getting out of the winning bid. I am wondering if this is still worth it. I don't have a pressure tank and it does not come with one. Should I still buy it and pick up a pressure tank when I can find one? It is supposed to be in running condition, but I won't be able to check without a tank. What do you think?

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

You might not be able to check the running condition of it but you could check the compression.

I wouldn't let the pressure tank scare ya, you could always convert it later.
That isn't a bad price for that 18HP if he decides to let it go for that amount. I am surprised that he is letting it go for that much. Dang you all get all these deals on these motors, I'm in need of one that size myself but I'm in no rush in getting one.

Welcome to Iboats.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

How does he know it's in running condition, unless he has a pressure tank. If he does, ask him to throw it in, too. Those are good motors as long as they haven't been abused. You can convert it to a modern, single-line tank for under $100. The old style, two-line tanks sell for less than $50...just have to know where to look, like the free classifieds at www.aomci.org. That's a pretty good deal if it's a running motor.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

for 151.00 i would buy it.

 

[jessper]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

He sold the boat it was on a few years ago and left the tank with the boat. He says that it ran at that point, and it still turns over freely. It is about a 3.5 hour drive to go pick it up, so I want to make sure before I go buy it. The reason it went cheap on the auction was because he had no pictures, and very little info. Also it seems the early 60's johnsons (which he said was) go for less than the late 50's ones. Is there any reason why this is?

 

[burroak]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

It is about a 3.5 hour drive to go pick it up, so I want to make sure before I go buy it.

The motor is probably worth every penny. When you go, take a compression tester, a large flat screwdriver, and an outboard motor spark tester. If the compression is good, you have spark, and there is no metal filings or water in the lower unit, buy it. However, by the time you get it running to your satisfaction, the carbs will be rebuilt, spark plugs and possibly points will be replaced, and the lube in the lower unit will be changed. That will total $75-100. A pressure gas tank can be gotten off of ebay. You can check the going rates. Probably $50 - 75 depending on the condition. A sanitary conversion to a single fuel line will run about the same, but the convenience will be worth it. All said and done you will have $300 something in a sweet little motor. Don't add in the cost of the trip to pick it up-that's just a guy road trip.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

Also it seems the early 60's johnsons (which he said was) go for less than the late 50's ones. Is there any reason why this is?

Sex appeal I guess. The 50's are pretty motors. However, I would think its easier to sell a 60's 18 hp. At least where I am it is.

Its a good deal for $150. I wouldn't hesistate to buy it especially if it runs. Coils from that era have a 100% failure rate so check them as soon as you pick it up. New coils are $40.

 

[jessper]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

This should push a 14' Richline aluminum boat pretty good with a few people in it shouldn't it? I had a 73 johnson 9.5 on there before and it just isn't big enough to get it on plane well. I also just added a front deck and trolling motor, so the 9.5 for sure isn't big enough now.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

Depends on the boat. It'll push it pretty good with just two people aboard. Rig a tiller extension so you can sit just forward of the rear seat, or be prepared to wear a raincoat when you're at the helm. I had the same type combo and always got half-soaked on the port side until I moved my pilot's chair forward a bit. Wasn't too bad in summer, but got kinda chilly in the fall.

 

[jessper]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

I picked it up yesterday. It is in real good shape. It has been repainted black, so I will have to remedy that at some point. I didn't have a compression tester, but it feels like it has really good compression. I have trouble turning it over with the pull rope. It has electric start so I might have to get that wired up. The model is fde-11, with serial 1567602. I think it is a 57 because of the model number. It shifts well. Has spark. Lower unit oil looks good. Glass bowl on carb looks pretty clean, and he had it started last year. I just need to get it converted to a fuel pump. Anybody have any good how-to's on doing that?

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

Search this forum for fuel pump conversion, it's been covered in detail...not hard to do, total cost on mine was less than $75.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

FDE-11 is a 1957 18hp electric start. Your in luck - that's the first year for the 12V system.

For the price of the conversion you can get a good original style pressure tank. My vote is always to keep it original.

Shouldn't be too hard to pull it over. Make sure you lube the cylinders before you try cranking it. Also check the coils. The originals have a 100% failure rate. Open air spark is not a good indication of whether they are good or not.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

A '57 electric start??!!! Boy, that's a neat motor. I hope it turns out to have good compression! If so, it'll be really easy to get it running like new and you will love that thing. It has really nice power and is easy to start. I can't believe someone would change up such a nice color combo., but it happens. If the compression checks out (hopefully over 100lbs on each) be expecting to clean the carb and probably coils and such like already said. Don't forget to check your impeller! I'm jealous, I'd like e-start myself just for fun.
Good luck,
JBJ

 

[F_R]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

The electric start stuff is probably worth nearly as much as you paid for the motor. Getting pretty rare.

 

[jessper]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

The electric start seems to work. I didn't have a full battery, but I hooked up a charger directly to the motor and it turns over, and catchs the flywheel, but won't actually turn over the motor since I only have a 30amp charger. So now I will have to buy a battery to run the starter with. I am thinking about using my deep cycle for the trolling motor since it won't take much of a battery to start this motor, and if I need to I can pull start it when I run it down with the trolling motor. Would it hurt anything to do it that way? Where is the best place to get parts for this motor?

 

[jbjennings]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

It won't hurt anything to use the pull start on an e-start motor but myself, if my battery wasn't fully charged, I wouldn't use the starter because low voltage is pretty hard on electrical stuff. If I were you, I'd get a small starting battery and use it since they're not all that heavy or expensive. But you can do it that way if you want. Parts can be found here, at laingsoutboards.com, and I just tried the ishopmarine website that was mentioned and they do have good prices and selection. If you need some part numbers holler and I or someone can help you since on motors that old it's helpful to get part numbers. A lot of times you can search the old threads for part numbers. I've tried that myself a couple of times and had a little luck.
JBJ

 

[jessper]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

Well I ordered a fuel pump. It was 20 bucks and I will just need to add a nipple to the bypass cover if I understand right and then run a line to the pump and then use a new line to run to the regular tank. I might just leave the tank on the boat all the time and run the line straight from the tank into the fuel pump to simplify things. I can always undo a hose clamp quickly enough. I am looking forward to getting this thing up and going.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

That's one way to do it. Of course it's real handy to have the quick-release fitting on the outboard handle/tiller. Makes it easy to move the tank in and out of the boat. The quick-release fitting is pretty pricey as new, replacement part. Think I paid about $25 for it, but I was in a hurry to get on the water. You can probably find one for much less on the auction site or at a local marina/boat yard that has some old junker outboards lying around.

 

[jessper]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

I got it running tonight. I converted it over to a regular fuel tank with a Mikuni fuel pump, and hooked it up with some fresh gas, and got it started. It is not pumping much water, but it puttered right along for the small amount of time I ran it after figuring out a hose was loose. I already had a new impeller on order so this should work out great. It is 14 degrees here this evening, and my garage sure smells now, but it was worth it. I did the fuel pump in the kitchen. My wife is away for the week, so what she doesn't know won't hurt her. I did move the motor back out to the garage to start it though.

I am ready for some boating. I can't figure out how to work the tilt yet though. Any ideas? It has a pin, but I can figure out how to get it out.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: 1957 Johnson 18hp

Boy Jessper,
A little two stroke smoke in the morning will certainly start your day off right!
I'd fire it up in the kitchen in a barrel while the wife is gone and take a pic of it running for a few seconds. She'll really appreciate your efforts to get it running, just like mine! Of course, with all that smoke, you'll either get a bad pic or pass out and die before you can shut it off and maybe earn a Darwin award. I'll attach a pic of a running 18 so you can see how much water should come out the exhaust. And an old '53 10hp because I don't have a close-up of an 18 and it puts out the same amount of water.
Anyway, there's a little lever on the front of the motor just above the transom mount screws that has to be in the down position for it to tilt. The pin in the transom bracket is only to adjust the running position relative to the bottom of the boat. If the lever is on "lock" that I referred to earlier, it won't tilt. Sometimes they are a little hard to pull up if they've been in the same positon for a long time. Glad to hear you got it running. You're going to love it!
JBJ