TOPIC: What to look for when gettin a glassic boat

I just aquired a 15 ft elgin that has been sitting up for 10 or so years and I would like some experienced help. It has a 40 horse Electrashift Johnson. I was wondering what to look for before I try to start it up. Are there certain tricks of the trade that some of you more knowlegdable collectors may have that can help me so I don't totally ruin something that I might not if I knew. I really like the look of this boat and I have allready started to refurbish the interior, but I am hesitant to put a battery on it until I know the ins and outs of learning how to do it right for a motor of this age that hasn't run in so long. If you or someone you know has been through this I would appreciate your input. Thanks and sincerely, Drew

Hey Drew, and welcome to FG. Please post some pics of your boat and motor, we'd love to see 'em! For best results on responses like this one, I'd recommend posting in the JEGO section, (Johnson E'rude Gale Owners). We've got some really knowledgeable folks on these motors around here, I'm sure several of them will be glad to give you some good pointers.

I'm not that familiar with the E shift motors, but I'd be glad to give you a couple of pointers in general.

First and foremost, get a repair manual for your motor. They come in very handy for as long as you own the motor, and are considered essential when reviving one that needs extra attention.

The starting point should be a compression and spark check, if you haven't already done one. This gives you a good idea of the basic condition of the motor, gotta start with the basics. Pay close attention to the condition of the spark plugs when you pull them out for the check, they often tell a story about the conditions as well. Even if the motor turns over freely, a lot of us squirt some (2 stroke) oil in the spark plug holes to lube the cylinders on anything that's been sitting up for a long time.

I'd plan on rebuilding the carb(s), fuel pump(s), and replacing fuel lines, filters, etc.. The gaskets, seals, hoses, etc. gets brittle and deteriorates over time and to replace them now prevents issues down the road.

Plan on replacing the water pump impeller before using this motor, the rubber gets old and brittle, and failure spells disaster for the motor. Pieces can even break off and plug water passages, requiring a full tear down to correct, even if you don't "cook" the motor by overheating.

Drain the lower unit (gearcase) and inspect that oil. Milky oil indicates water inside, needs seals etc. Shiny metallic particles would indicate gear/bearing issues needing attention. I believe all the electric shift models use type C oil, anything else will cause problems. (Do a forum search on typed c oil, you can view all the previous discussions on this.)

Good luck with your project, please post some pics and keep us posted on your progress.

I do hear from my marine mechanic that the electric shift were prone to problems so check with your mechanic as well.