Re: Johnson 5hp TD20 ignition timing facts & figures?

[legendre]

Howdy Frank,

I figured you were referring to the TD, but as you point out, virtually everything you said would apply to the HD line as well. The present service manual covers numerous older models, and isn’t all that well organized – so over the last few weeks I’ve become better acquainted with the TD’s friends & relatives than I’d initially intended.

The bulk of my work experience is with 2- and 4-stroke motorcycles, mostly the latter, though I’ve had my hands on and in lots of other stuff over the years. But outside of these two TD20s and a Mercury 4.5 (CDI model), I’ve never had much call (or desire) to work on an outboard motor. As you note, they are a bit touchy – but not any more so than a lot of the items I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with.

Speaking of losing your shirt on a job.. if you were an obm / small engine tech, I’m sure you’ve known the deep desperation that is the good-as-gold but thoroughly dispirited teenage kid who shows up with their French or Czechoslovak-made moped? Talk to me about touchy machinery.. 😉

Thanks for all of your input on this, it’s sincerely appreciated. I’ll get back after I’ve had a chance to measure the timing on the ‘good’ TD and compare the two – need to satisfy my mind. Weather went to heck again, and I’ve got these set-up outdoors.. so set it aside for a day.