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

[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.