my johnson 4hp prop stopped turning

[wolfandskitty]

please help !! 3 years to do my little boat up . just got a lovely johnson 4hp 1998 . engine runs lovely, but whilst i moved gear lever one way then the other to engage/disengage it stopped, briefly started no doesnt turn at all!!!
turn engine off is loose turning both ways. move lever other way and is loose one way doesnt turn the other.??
any ideas please helllllllpppppppppppp

 

[F_R]

Re: my johnson 4hp prop stopped turning

First things first: Have you checked the drive pin? Take off the prop and hub and look-see.

That motor has a spring drive neutral clutch. The method has been around for over 50 years, but that motor is too new for me to know how they trip it on that one. Anyhoo, it is normal for that type clutch to turn only one way by turning the prop. The motor has to be running or at least being cranked to disengage the clutch. Re-engages as soon as it stops rotating.

 

[wolfandskitty]

Re: my johnson 4hp prop stopped turning

right oh .bare with me ill go see .(its in my utility) much to the dissapointment of the wife.
back shortly
thanks

 

[wolfandskitty]

Re: my johnson 4hp prop stopped turning

yes pulled off prop and hub (cant beat the smell of gear oil! )
yes big sprung loaded watsit , when i move the lever up top a little rod shoots up or down although not sure if it looks like it would catch the spring lobe?
hope this helps

 

[F_R]

Re: my johnson 4hp prop stopped turning

The normal way that it works is that the rod and/or some associated part catches the end of the spring as it rotates. That makes the spring tend to unwind, which makes it bigger in diameter, which makes it lose it's grip on the gear or hub, however it is rigged. Then it stops rotating. The spring would have to be broken to make it lose drive altogether. Or a broken drive shaft. The drive pin was OK, huh? Like I said, I'm an "old motors" guy.

 

[wolfandskitty]

Re: my johnson 4hp prop stopped turning

hi drive pin was fine. will have a closer look at spring and report back .ta.

 

[wolfandskitty]

Re: my johnson 4hp prop stopped turning

right spring ok .seems the rod that pokes down when lever up top moved would catch spring. put it back together and still nothing at all when lever moved each way?????

 

[F_R]

Re: my johnson 4hp prop stopped turning

Ok, here's the deal. Even if the rod did not interrupt the spring, it would still have drive. Interrupting the spring only causes neutral.

So, the possibilities are getting pretty few. Broken spring. Or broken drive shaft. Or drive shaft splines stripped out of the crankshaft. That is about it.

Does it still pump water? If not, that narrows it down to broken drive shaft or stripped splines.

Good luck.

 

[wolfandskitty]

Re: my johnson 4hp prop stopped turning

yes im pretty sure it pumps out water still .spring is ok .when i pull out props shaft and gear , the little gear thats on the end of the long shaft to engine moves sort of up and down on the splines and sort of maybe side to side.?
have put it back so not sure now??? thanks

 

[wolfandskitty]

Re: my johnson 4hp prop stopped turning

also just a thought. when i removed hub although i could smell gear oil i couldnt see any?? should i worry?