Help identifying correct Johnson engine year
 

Hi guys. I'm hoping someone can help tell me what year engine I have. When I recently bought the boat, I was TOLD that it was a 1996. After doing more research, I found out this series of engine was only made in 91, 92, and 93. There are differences between each one. It is a 175 HP Johnson Silver Star series. I looked all over the engine itself and couldn't fine the model number. I looked on the mount bracket and found a tag that had model, serial, etc, but it was so faded it was illegible. Can someone tell me where to look if I'm missing it. It runs great, but I want to get the proper Seloc book, and also want to make sure IAttachment 4318

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I can't help you just by looking at it like some others on here may be able to, but you should be able to find the serial number stamped on a silver plug on the block somewhere. Once you have the serial you can find the year out online.

Hope that helps.

-Svence

I will look at the block again tomorrow. I searched it pretty thoroughly, but I wasn't looking for a stamp on a plug. I will try there next. Thanks for the info.

look at the model number, it transcribes to the word "introduces" with #1 relating to I, #2 to n, #3 to t, you get the idea, use the last 2 letters in the number, that will give you the year

It's a 91+ looper from the cover. It looks to have been repainted, and decals are easy enough to come by to make the cowling say what somebody wants. Post up some engine pics and maybe we can help narrow it down to a year, but through the years so many parts can be interchanged it can be impossible to tell exactly what it is.

I threw up some pics that may be able to help. There may be something to this "Looper" engine that was mentioned by THEFERMANATOR. It says "Loop charged" on one of the pics.

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I have the exact same motor except it is a 150 hp, 1992. I've had it for 7 yrs. now and the only problem I've had with it was that ethanol fuel fouled the diaphram in the fuel pump. That was 3-4 years ago....outside of that it is a good reliable motor. I was never able to find out what "silvers star series" meant......probably nothing other than fancy decals.

forgot to say that I have the factory manual from omc, sometimes some of those "generic" manuals give you 90%- 95% details....it's the missing 5-10% you're going to need, murphys law.

A looper is just shorthand for loop-charged. They are the same thing. Basically there are two different main types of 2 cycle engines. a Loop-charged and a Crossflow. It's the shape of the pistons and a few other things that determines which is which. Both have their pros and cons.

After I get off work this afternoon, I'm going to go and check to see if I can find the model number on the plug. I also suspect that someone may possibly have changed out the engine cowling which cold be throwing me off with the "Silver Star" series versus something else. When I bought the bought, he was adamant that the engine was a 1996.

We shall see, I suppose.