Topic: 1955 Johnson RDE-17 "Stop Switch"? – Antique Outboard Motor Club,Inc

This topic has 13 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 6 months ago by Buccaneer.

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August 15, 2018 at 12:10 am #10852
Buccaneer
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I was just reading up on "mercury switches" and found something about
someone with a similar motor not "shutting off".
That got me to thinking that I don’t remember seeing any way
to "kill" the coils on mine.
This motor would have came equipped with the control box
with a choke and start button. Don’t believe there was any switch, was there?
My magneto only had one "kill wire" hooked up to the bottom coil
going to the over-speed cut-out switch.
The magneto has no "post" on the bottom that grounds out the system
when the magneto is fully retarded.
Assuming I get it started, how did Mr. Johnson want me to shut it off?
Thanks!

P.S- back to the "mercury switches", anyone come up with a modern replacement?
Also, I understand that on latter models they used two mercury switches
so the "over speed cut-out switch" wouldn’t cause the engine to miss while
cruising. Is this a potential problem being I have only "one" mercury switch?

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August 15, 2018 at 12:12 am #81162
RICHARD A. WHITE
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Lifetime Member
If memory serves, you choke this one to stop it….

http://www.richardsoutboardtools.com
classicomctools@gmail.com
August 15, 2018 at 2:06 am #81173
Buccaneer
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Thanks Richard. Just had a thought……. wonder what the owner’s manual says
about shutting off the engine…….. any have one?

quote Richard A. White:

If memory serves, you choke this one to stop it….

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August 15, 2018 at 2:42 am #81176
chris-p
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They are choke to stop
August 15, 2018 at 2:45 am #81177
Buccaneer
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US Member
Just found an Owner’s manual online for a RD-17,
and it says to turn twist grip to "STOP" to shut off
the motor. I assume it retards the timing so far that it dies?
Is this correct?

http://www.fiberglassics.com/library/im … rs1955.pdf

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August 15, 2018 at 3:12 am #81179
outboardnut
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I was planning on putting a kill switch on my RDE-17
August 15, 2018 at 10:22 am #81192
frankr
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quote Buccaneer:

Just found an Owner’s manual online for a RD-17,
and it says to turn twist grip to “STOP” to shut off
the motor. I assume it retards the timing so far that it dies?
Is this correct?

http://www.fiberglassics.com/library/im … rs1955.pdf

Yes, just slow it down till it stalls. On the other question, your motor does not have the fuel saver function, so it does not have the situation that required a dual mercury switch.
August 15, 2018 at 10:32 am #81194
chris-p
Participant
Would be easy to add the kill switch while you have it apart already. I don’t like setting mine up so that they die when the throttle is lowered. I like them to run at a slow, sewing machine idle. I choke to stop, or install a kill switch. Just my preference.
August 15, 2018 at 11:16 am #81198
nj-boatbuilder57
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Kill wires (and switch) are so easy to do…..if you want one, there’s no reason not to.
August 15, 2018 at 12:16 pm #81200
Buccaneer
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US Member
Thanks for the replies. Had I thought of the "Kill Switch" when I had it all apart,
I might have added some convenience to shut it off. Should I actually get
a boat big enough to run a 25 hp on in the future, it might be nice to add
a panic button to the dash! I’m waiting for a cheap aluminum runabout
to appear for sale in the hood……. not sure how many years it will take though!

I’ll have to read up on the "fuel saver", how they functioned and if they really
saved fuel!

Next step is to get some gear lube in the gear box. Putting the drain plug
on the very bottom of the gear case, while logical for draining,
don’t cut it for adding to the bottom…… especially when the skeg is
inches from the floor and "tilting" the motor isn’t a good option.
Going to rig up a fitting, a hose and a bottle of gear lube to see if I can
gravity feed the gear lube in the bottom. Will have to invest in one
of those $10 gear lube bottle pumps. Do they work okay?

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