Lifting Johnson OB
 

I need to lift my 1985 Johnson 150 outboard off the transom to get access to the last bolt in the tilt motor. Problem is there is no lifting eye like on my Yamahas(they call them "engine hangers"). Whats the best way to rig it? I was thinking of going under the cylinder heads with a strap.

The way my luck is going i do not want to take a chance and drop this motor. (as much as i would really really really love too right now)

I DO NOT know about Johnsons, even though I have one bolted to the back of my boat, but on my Mercury they use a lifting eyebolt. You unscrew the nut holding the flywheel onto the crankshaft, and you screw the eyebolt onto the crankshaft in that location.. then you attach your lifting device to that eyebolt. Maybe the Johnson's are like that? Just a thought. I'm sure that Spare or Ferm will fill us in on the way it's done when they come online. (And I Sooooooo understand the desire to drop the thing.... preferably off the side of a 1000ft cliff) :beer:

I use a piece of chain about 12" long with 2 5/16X24 grade 8 bolts threaded into 2 of the 3 holes in the top of the flywheel.

first off, on a merc, you don't screw the crankshaft nut off before fitting the lifting eye, it goes on with out removing the crank nut. You might get a surprise. On OMC's , they use the three bolts in the flywheel to lift the engine, I have a lifting plate that bolts up using the three threaded bolt holes. You can make a lifting plat by using the plate of a three bolt puller and a bolt thru the center to attach a chain. I've lifted some OMC's with two bolts and some chain, I didn't like doing it that way, but we got it lifted with out incident. I was always worried about the bolts breaking off because of the uneven force of just two bolts. We picked a Honda 90 up the other day using a strap wrapped around the underside of the steering bracket, probably not the safest way to do it, but we got it done

Look in the top of the flywheel you'll see three threaded holes (5/16 fine thread I think). If you have access to a welder, cut a plate and lifting eye, weld them together.
With cardboard, place over the holes for a pattern by lightly tapping with a ball pein hammer. Drill or cut the holes and transfer the pattern to the lifting plate.
Careful to use the correct length bolts. Don't run them in too deep and damage the stator or the like.




dang, FERM and spare bet me to it. I'm getting slower and slower trying to post

Thanks everybody. :clap:

I will probably use Ferm or Spares idea. I do not need to lift it too long. It should be hanging maybe 2 minutes to take a bolt out. It will take longer to set up my lifting apparatus (pipe and clamp scaffold.)

Whups... Spare is 100% correct... It's been years since I used it and I should have looked at my device closer. The Mercury lifting device is a two function item with inside and outside threads. You use it to either lift the entire engine or, with the crankshaft nut removed it becomes a jacking tool to remove the flywheel. In all cases, I see by the replies that the proper(?) way to lift the Johnson is to use the threaded holes in the flywheel. I'm thinking that if/when I have to take mine off I'll make up a lifting plate on the lathe, then use transfer screws in the flywheel holes to locate the holes. :head:

i made my own OMC lifting hook that actually fits my Merc 150 as well. i had a comealong go bad so i chop sawed it up and made a motor lifting eye out of it. been using it for about 10 yrs now. works great. i used the end of the comealong that would rotate so i can spin the motor on the hook plus tilt it.

Ferm the 5/16x24 is a perfect fit, you saved me alot of trouble trying to figure out the treads! Lowe's does not sell fine thread 5/16 Grade 8 bolts, i used Grade 5 instead. They came in a pack of four so i said, what the hell lets use all three holes in the flywheel.

I got it hanging back on the transom temp for now. I couldn't get my bracket trimmed all the way down so i had hell getting the bolts back thru. Ended up using a ratchet strap on the cavitation plate to my lifting bar to angle it correctly.

I appreciate everybody's help! Now i know how to get her off when i find my new motor. :clap:

I was thinking of making my lifting plate on the lathe, and then threading the center hole to the same size threads as the outside threads of the merc tool... that way if I wanted to lift the merc I could just do it normal, but to lift the OMC I'd just thread the Merc lifting device into the centerhole in the plate, thread the 3 bolts thru the holes and into the flywheel and I should be good to go. I use a cherry picker, but I like your idea of the swivel hook for rotating the engine. I think I'll get one and put it on the short length of chain on the picker. Hopefully I'll never have to use it.. :head:

I know its been a while since this last post, but have you taken your 85 johnson outboard 150 apart? i have to tear down this engine i have just womdering if you have any input on removal. i have the service manual,
thanks jet

Jet...suggest you start a new thread for this question...sometimes hanging a new question on the end of an old thread gets lost...if you have the manual it should go fairly easily...except for if you have frozen bolts...

I have not taken it apart. Its on an 18 Fish as of yesterday for demo so i can run it for buyers. All i can say is PB Blaster is your friend.