Old Johnson Outboard Repowered With Mower Motor

Old Johnson Outboard Repowered With Mower Motor ENGINES Al Smith got a good deal on an old boat but the outboard motor was shot He repowered it with a motor from an old riding lawn mower “The old 35 hp Johnson motor was corroded and wouldn’t start ” recalls Smith “Water had gotten in and the cylinder walls were crusted up ” The outboard shaft transmission and propeller were still fine Smith removed the Johnson motor and bolted on an 11 hp Briggs & Stratton “I measured the shaft on the engine and the one on the propeller drive and ordered a coupling to match the two ” says Smith “I did have to modify the throttle and ground out the Briggs & Stratton ” Smith figures the cost to repair the motor would have been more than $1 000 “My only cost for repowering it was the coupling ” While the Briggs & Stratton doesn’t have the power of the original motor it’s enough for Smith “It pushes the boat along ” he says “I took it out in the fall adjusted the carburetor and the throttle and it worked fine I can’t wait to get it out this spring ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Al Smith 1138 Wellwood Orchard Rd Springfield Vt 05156 ph 802 886-8285; ana67@vermontel net

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