Old 30hp Big Twin Piston Question

McGR

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 19, 2004
Messages
664
Many years ago (15+) I had bought various parts required for rebuilding my old 1956 30hp Johnson. This included a full gasket set, rings and a complete extra 30hp powerhead. I knew one of the pistons was scored on my motor, hence the purchase of the extra powerhead. So, years later I finally dive in and decide to finish what I started.

My first step was to get the pistons out of the core powerhead in preparation for the transplant. After pulling the pistons from the core I noticed that the wrist bearings from the core hade plain bearings, not rollers. Given this, it appears I really have a 25hp core.

So, the question is - Will they work? According to service information both have a 2 3/4" bore & 2 7/8" stroke. However, in the parts manuals they have different numbers 376794 for the 30hp and 375781 for a 25hp. Do any old outboard gurus out there know if these can interchange without major catastrophe?
 
Top