Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

[Gone Fishin']

I have a Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP, but I need to get a control box and controls for it. Can anyone tell me if I need to get a specific control box and cables, or will any Johnson-capatible control box and controls work?

Model # - RD 18 G
Serial # - 1457851

I don't know the year, but I think it's 1984 or newer. Not positive though.

Any feedback would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

Well...if your model # is correct, you have a 1956 Johnson 30 hp not a 1984. A Sea Horse of that vintage takes an older Johnson Shipmaster or Evinrude Simplex two-lever control box and the older style cables (still available). The hard part is finding the ends for the cables in good shape...one cable end is designed to pin to the shift lever, the other slips and clips over the throttle arm. See these commonly on Schmebay, or you might try a free classified ad at www.aomci.org

 

[Gone Fishin']

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

Well...if your model # is correct, you have a 1956 Johnson 30 hp not a 1984. A Sea Horse of that vintage takes an older Johnson Shipmaster or Evinrude Simplex two-lever control box and the older style cables (still available). The hard part is finding the ends for the cables in good shape...one cable end is designed to pin to the shift lever, the other slips and clips over the throttle arm. See these commonly on Schmebay, or you might try a free classified ad at www.aomci.org

May I ask how you found out the year? I looked on the shop.evinrude.com website for it, but they only went down to 1968 and the only year that offered the 30 HP motor started in 1984, that's why I thought that. Thanks for the response.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

http://skoterskroten.com/img/arsmodellstabell.pdf

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

Cable ends are available right here. http://www.iboats.com/OMC_Johnson_E...28731187--**********.059157908--view_id.40268

 

[Gone Fishin']

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

Would control boxes of this time have the built-in electric start key ignition?
Does steering cables come with the control box, too? If not, do I have to buy it separately? How would I steer? My boat currently has a Mercury control box and it has throttle, shift, and steering cables coming from it so that's why I ask.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

Merc box will not work, with Johnson motor. no they did not have key switch in control. they used push button. one for starter, one for choke, simple to wire. this is the newer control that will fit it. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0417582570&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT&viewitem=

this is an original control http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/John...6471041QQptZBoatQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesQ5fGear

steering is a completely different system, need pictures of the back of the boat steering mechanism. to help there.

 

[Gone Fishin']

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

I took some pictures of the steering cable end and what it connects to under the steering wheel, but I can't upload them to the thread because they are too big. Is there an email I can send them to?

Also, I saw on one of the ebay listings that you mentioned that a guy asked about electric shift. How do I know if I need electric shift or manual shift?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

here are directions. http://home.comcast.net/~xcusme/Ppost/Ppost.htm

 

[Gone Fishin']

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

Cable:

Where it connects under steering wheel:

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

Does your steering system work okay? Steering wheel turns right and left and cable/end extends in and out? If so, you can fabricate an adapter/fitting to mate that steering cable to your Johnnson. In fact, TD has posted a photo in other posts on this board of just such a creature. You can get a Johnson/Evinrude control box and harness, plus cables and get it going all right. Before you spend the bux, have you checked the old Johnson for compression, spark, etc? They are great motors, strong and reliable but almost always need coils/points/condensors and maybe plug wires if it's still got these original parts. Not hard to do, but will add to your bill a little. Another option is to get a simple Johnson/Evinrude control box and cables and rig your Johnson with a push-button starter on the motor. I have done two that way and like it because I can move the motors to other boats without having to mess with a wiring harness from the control box to the motors. That option costs less than $50. Just depends on how you want to set it up. Don't spend too much until you check the motor out...just my .02 cents worth.

 

[Gone Fishin']

Re: Johnson Sea Horse 30 HP Control Box ?

Yes, the steering system works fine. Can you give me the link to the adapter/fitting photo by TD? I currently have the push-button starter for the Johnson motor so I would just need the control box, controls, and the steering control.