Johnson 4hp Cover?

[reelfishin]

I was given a good running 1974 Johnson motor, needed nothing but an impeller, but it's missing it's cover.
Do any other hp covers fit? I have a chance to go get a free 6hp cover, but I'm not sure it's the same size cover?
Looking at pictures, it looks possible?

 

[F_R]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

6hp is not the same size. The late 3hp models are about the same, but I don't know for sure if they are the same shape. Safe to say, any 3 or 4 that is the same shape will probably fit....probably.

 

[Rick.]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280314468977&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:CA:1123

I saw this on ebay. I have no idea if it will fit though. Might be best to take your motor to a repair shop and ask if you can try on a few different hats! Good luck. Rick.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

I've got a later 70's 3 hp and it's a totally different motor, I tried a 5 and 6 hp cover, it's about 5% larger all around.
This one has the latch handle on the pan, not the cover too.
I took a ride over to several outboard places, none had anything smaller than a 5hp, most have never seen a 4hp, since its a pretty small motor for around here. Most motors are 9.9 for the one lake, or big twins or larger for bigger water. I really don't need the 4hp, it's not much good on anything I have but figured since it was so clean, I'd make it complete again.
There seems to have been several configurations of the 4hp, I've seen a few with controls in the cover, and one with a fuel tank built in. This one didn't have a fuel tank, just a plain cover. I may try the one on eBay, I'll try to see what I can find out as far as fit. I'm not sure if the Evinrude and Johnson motors were the same back then, I know the 6hp covers were different between the brands up to at least 1975.
I sort of doubt that the Johnson and Evinrude covers would swap that year.
The catalog shows the covers and gaskets being different, but they show the same lower pan or lower cover?

 

[Rick.]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

The catalog numbers will be different due to the Johnson/Evinrude lettering alone but I doubt you would be able to find a new one in stock even if you wanted to spend the money. There are many 70"s 4HP Johnson motors still running today. Do a search on ebay and in time I'm sure you will come up with a good fit. Great little motors they are. Rick.

 

[F_R]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

OK, I just checked the lower pan's part numbers for 1974 Evinrude and 1974 Johnson. They are both 386299. That means the top covers are swappable, which sort of surprises me. I'm still not 100% sure I believe that, but if you believe the book..... Apparently, the fiberglass is a different overall shape but with the same shape where it fits the lower.

I also checked the lower part numbers for some older motors and found several different numbers, which also surprises me.

I do know that the top hood comes completely finished with decals, so every year/make/model is going to have a different part number even though the fiberglass shell is the same. Perhaps the lower also comes finished and decaled which would explain.

So.o.o.o.o, we are back to square one, if it is the same shape and horsepower, it will fit. Yeah, I remember the ones that had a latch knob in the fiberglass, but don't you have to go way back for that?

Good luck with your search.

 

[marquette]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

i have a 1976 4 hp johnson. mine has a green lower unit with a white cowl. the evinrudes had a light blue lower unit and a white cowl. as far as i know the cowls were identical except for the decals. becareful on lower unit parts as there are several differances from the weedless and non weedless designs. google Twin City Outboards. they are a outboard junk yard and usually have cowls for lots of motors.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

OK, I just checked the lower pan's part numbers for 1974 Evinrude and 1974 Johnson. They are both 386299. That means the top covers are swappable, which sort of surprises me. I'm still not 100% sure I believe that, but if you believe the book..... Apparently, the fiberglass is a different overall shape but with the same shape where it fits the lower.

I also checked the lower part numbers for some older motors and found several different numbers, which also surprises me.

I do know that the top hood comes completely finished with decals, so every year/make/model is going to have a different part number even though the fiberglass shell is the same. Perhaps the lower also comes finished and decaled which would explain.

So.o.o.o.o, we are back to square one, if it is the same shape and horsepower, it will fit. Yeah, I remember the ones that had a latch knob in the fiberglass, but don't you have to go way back for that?

Good luck with your search.

I have a mid to late 60's 6hp with the latch on the hood, and one 5HP which I believe is a 1967.
The 4hp I have is mint other than the hood, the motor came from freshwater and don't look very used. I probably won't use it much but I'd like to still make it complete. Maybe I can swap it for something I can use.
I really don't use much less than a 9.9hp here, and mostly my motors in use are 15hp or better.
I have a super clean 3hp too that came from MO, but it's a lot newer, maybe 1989-90 or so.
I have a bunch of the old 6hp motors, they seem to be everwhere around here, they must have been cheap compared to the 9.5hp motors, or else they just didn't get used as much and therefore survived.

 

[DJ]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

These guys will have one.

www.tcoutboard.com

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

I found and tried the Evinrude cover, no go, the cover hits something underneath, either the flywheel or carb or something. The Evinrude cover is tapered off too sharply or something. It looks as if it would fit the pan, even though the bottom of the Evinrude cover looks curved. I think that it's an optical illusion since the Evinrude cover is narrower at the top and it slopes outward to the sides more. The one I tried was marked 4hp and off a 1974 motor. Also, for what they want for a used cover online, I can buy a used parts motor at the dealer here, I just didn't want to spend $50 to get a motor going that I most likely won't use due to it's size.
(I did find a bunch of other covers at that same dealer for other motors I have, they had a mountain of used covers, just no loose 4hp covers). I got lucky and found a mint cover for my 6hp and one for my 50hp for $5 each, both looked like new take offs).

The real small motors are rare around here since we can't run them in freshwater here, and their way too small for big water. Most that I find came from other areas or are so old they predate the gas motor ban.

 

[F_R]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

Whoa, that's interesting. You guys got a gas motor ban in NJ? Is that all over or just a certain lake?

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Johnson 4hp Cover?

We have a few lakes that allow "under 10 HP" motors, all other non tidal water is electric motors only. Most rivers allow gas, at least down stream a ways. Most guys have either a bay boat, or freshwater boat with an electric motor. Those with gas motors that fish the few gas allowed lakes here, (Only one near me), have a 15hp rebadged as a 9.9hp. (Any yes, they allow a 9.9hp but not a 10hp. So my Honda 100 is not legal).
I run a 9.9 Johnson rebuilt and running a 15hp carb and all 9.9 decals and numbers.

There are a few larger lakes and resoviors up north that allow all motors, but their 2 or more hours away from me. Everything here is 9.9 or electric if in freshwater. Most lakes and ponds are small so electric is fine, but they still get the same registration from me as if I had a real motor.