1971? Johnson 20hp Electric Start Outboard Motor Lake Test

[@jimmyandersson4599]

Hello from Sweden again👋😊🇸🇪 Really nice engine and a great ride-a-long..👍👍👍

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

@@jimmyandersson4599 Thank you! I do like this motor a lot. It could use a different hood that better represents what it actually is, but it's a keeper. Thanks for watching!

[@johnmccrea8106]

Nice clean looking engine. Runs great! Thanks for the ride along!!

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

This is a pretty clean one. I need to do something different with the hood. This is a nice good for a 25hp, especially a '73, but I'll try to find one that fits the 20hp a little better. Thanks for watching!

[@mikedurhan9941]

I think the 1971 Johnson dark paint was very dark blue/gray (sort of hard to describe), if that helps you any. The shroud is definitely 1973. Thanks for another video of a strong running 22c.i. motor. I really enjoy your videos.

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

@@mikedurhan9941 Yes, I believe you're correct about the paint color of the '71 Johnsons. That's what led me to this one being a '71. I thought the hood was a '73. It's definitely wrong since this powerhead is and always has been universal magneto. The 69-up carburetor and universal magneto make the powerhead, at least, '69-'72. Color matches on the powerhead so I'm saying '71 20hp is the final word on this one. Now I'll see if I can find a correct, or at least correct style cowl that I can make better represent what this motor actually is. Thanks for watching!

[@mikedurhan9941]

@@oldjohnnyrude8404 I had a buddy and years ago he had a 1971 Johnson 25 with the universal magneto, and I had a 1974 Evinrude 25. We had identical boats. Our rigs ran at the same speed - about 29mph. That was on fiberglass 12' boats with tri-hull bows at entry and flat bottoms going back. The boats were only rated for 12hp, but we loved the speed they made and were careful. We terrorized Lake Kissimmee when they weren't chine-walking........

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

@@mikedurhan9941 Awesome! That would have been a blast! This boat is rated for 20hp. It's a 12 foot aluminum semi vee hull. Very shallow, almost flat in the rear. Empty hull weighs about 127lbs. I want to add a couple extra knee braces and trim tabs so I can run 35hp on it without porpoising. Trying to break the elusive 30hp mark and be able to keep it there. I'm not yet sure how that will affect handling. Right now it handles awesome for a simple aluminum skiff. Thanks for watching!

[@robertschwartz3393]

Cruising!

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

@@robertschwartz3393 That it was! I'm definitely liking this motor. Thanks for watching!

[@user-my8bh6yv6m]

25 HP for sure

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

@@user-my8bh6yv6m Was my initial thought as well, but my '67 Fastwin nearly matched it, so I believe it is, in fact, 20hp. It's a fresh and spunky one, though. Thanks for watching!

[@donk499]

She's a hummer for sure! Well, the engine cover is from 1973 for sure. Does it have low tension ignition? If so, probably from 73, that was the first year on these engines. Perhaps something broke in the midsection, and someone just used a midsection from an older engine...

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

She's definitely a hummer. Thank you for confirming the cover is 1973. This motor does not and never had low-tension ignition. It is 100% 1969-1972 since it has the later style carburetor with the insert for packing on the low speed needle and original universal magneto. The color of the lower cowl, midsection, gearcase, and powerhead all matches. The color is the glossy dark blue-gray that I believe was used in 1971. I'm guessing the transom clamp broke on it and that and the steering handle were replaced woth those from a 1968 and the cover was either lost or broken when the other damage happened so that was replaced with the '73 25hp cover. I believe this is, in fact, a 20hp motor. That was confirmed when my '67 Fastwin more or less matched the performance. That Fastwin always will pretty much keep up or match any 20hp OMC I have run against it. I have been accused of using a 25hp powerhead on that motor multiple times, but I promise, it's a stock 18hp engine. Thanks for watching, Don!

[@donk499]

@@oldjohnnyrude8404 That makes sense, the paint surely seems too dark and glossy to be from 1973 as well. No low tension ignition, well that's a plus. Just looked it up, 1973 was the first year for low tension on these models. So, the engine cover surely is not original. Most likely a 20hp, but performs and runs great.

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

@@donk499 Yes, the low-tension magneto went from 1973-1976 on the 22c.i OMCs and 1974-1976 on the 9.9/15 models. This paint is definitely not '73. The thing I like about the '73-'76 22c.i motors is that they're easy to retrofit back to the universal magneto. I have done this conversion three times now and it works perfectly. Thanks again, Don!

[@timfairchild6892]

What is better or worse about the low tension magneto? I have a 73 25hp and really like it.

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

@@timfairchild6892 The "better" of the low-tension magneto is: 1) the high tension leads do not flex with the advance of the stator plate. 2) It gives a somewhat hotter spark than the universal magneto. 3) It allows room under the flywheel for a charging system to be used along with the driver coil for ignition. The "worse" is: 1) It is much more sensitive to proper static timing of the points. 2) Due to its sensitivity to proper points timing, it is also much more affected by wear of components comprising the ignition system. If the stator plate wears and begins to get loose, the run quality is affected a lot more than with the same wear on a universal magneto. 3) There is more wiring and more parts to the low-tension magneto to accomplish the same task as the universal magneto while also being less tolerant of worn components. 4) The additional wiring and connectors make for more places for corrosion to adversely affected ignition performance. 5) So many smaller wires exposed under the cowl gives rodents many more opportunities to chew and destroy the ignition system wiring. 6) The cost to repair the low-tension system is more than that of.the universal magneto. As long as the low-tension magneto is functioning properly, it is an effective system. The '73 25hp is a great motor. It has the additional benefit of being able to be retrofitted with the universal magneto ignition should things become too worn to maintain good functioning with the low-tension system. If it's working well, there is no reason to remove it. All of mine have had problems and for me, the best option was the retrofit. Thanks for watching!

[@Beautifultruthofficial]

Looks like my editor's 73

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

The cover is a '73, but isn't correct for the motor. Thanks for watching!

[@Beautifultruthofficial]

You could possibly fit 30 parts to up the power? carb? pump? intake?

[@oldjohnnyrude8404]

No, this is a 22c.i motor. They built a 25hp version of the same powerhead at this time, but to get to 25hp they used different port timing in the block as well different pistons, cylinder head, connecting rods, crankshaft, and reed stops. Nothing on this motor will interchange with the 30hp. Still, this one is a great runner. Thanks for watching!