Fuel Connector on 1959 Johnson 35 HP Doesn’t Fit Modern Fuel Line Connector

[h20lew]

I’m checking in if anyone has background info on this. I purchased a 1959 Johnson 35 HP last fall and went to go start it this spring and could not for the life of me get the fuel hose to connect to the motor. When I looked at it closer, I noticed that this connector did not have the reduced size shaft at the end like some of the connectors on my other motors had. When I took a measurement to it, sure enough, it’s a larger diameter shaft on the ’59. When I went to Marine Engine – the part they show has the smaller size shaft end…. is 377308 the original part number for this? When did the shaft size change?

• This topic was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by h20lew.

[rmhxruss]

OMC and BuRP have never changed the size. What you have is a sleeve stuck on the left connector. The sleeve came from an old connector.Get a pair of pliers and twist it off. Fixed.

[frankr]

rmhxruss wrote:

OMC and BuRP have never changed the size. What you have is a sleeve stuck on the left connector. The sleeve came from an old connector.Get a pair of pliers and twist it off. Fixed.

That’s what I first thought too, because I’ve seen those sleeves come out lots of times. BUT, it is an incorrect diagnosis in this case.

h20lew, you have me totally scratching my head. In the first place the one you show on the left isn’t a 377308—it’s a 376154 and shouldn’t even bolt up to your ’59 Yes, 377308 is correct for a 1959 35hp and has the elongated mounting strap like your picture shows.

Now for that necked down fuel prong, with the cross-drilled holes. That necked down prong was a change many years ago. The change came about because the original one like you have would nick the o-ring in the hose connector as it slid past the holes. The new design with the necked down feature takes the pressure off the o-ring as it passes by, thus preventing the nicking of the o-ring. In either case, the o-ring does not seal till it gets past the cross-drilled holes. So, yes the new replaces the old and is better.

Summing up, there is nothing wrong with your original connector, other than being the old design. You might polish it up a bit to make the parts slide together easier. And if it won’t connect, check the o-ring in the mating part. It may be hardened and petrified with age.

[fleetwin]

Just trying to understand, so it is the newer connector piece that has the thinner diameter, correct? The newer piece certainly doesn’t look like it would bolt up correctly anyway. The sleeves, when they come off, get stuck on the other side of the connector, the side with the prong.
What is wrong with your original piece? Just clean it up and reuse….

[frankr]

Correct, the newer one has the reduced diameter where the cross-holes are.

[h20lew]

The one that was mounted on the motor when I got it and mounts as it should is the one on the right. The one on the left is just shown for the comparison on the ends – but yes, different style on the mount. I ended up using one like the one on the left since I had a couple of those. I just have it dangling loose for now until I make up a bracket. I will try Frank’s advice and polish the old one up a bit and see if I can get it to work that way – or just buy a new one with the correct mount. Thanks guys.

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