Reply To: 1955 Johnson RD-17

[frankr]

Buccaneer wrote:

You might want to see if you have slop in the wrist pins, as far as the knock goes.
The other thing you mention, I believe is a “lock out” so you can’t engage the starter rope
if the throttle is too far open, and most likely in gear.

Agreed. Those engines were prone to wear out the wrist pin bearings early. Later, they went to needle bearings in the 30hp, which also gave troubles. After several years, the finally got it right with the big roller bearings used right up through the V-4s