Champion Outboard Motor Serial Numbers

Levoy Drive, Suite 100 Taylorsville, UT 84123 1-800-869-1686 001-801-571-0071 (Outside the U.S.A). The frame serial number is found on or near the stern bracket, stamped into a metal plate. The number uses the form 'BXXX-XXXXXXX' and may also be referred to as the product identification number. If you can't find the model name or frame serial number, contact a Honda Marine dealer for help. 1955 Champion 16.5 HP These parts are all at our North Carolina location which is open from October 1st thru March 27th. All the vintage Champion outboard parts listed on these pages have been carefully removed from select outboard motors. PARTS FOR 1946 to 1952 CHAMPION 4.2 HP OUTBOARD MOTORS. The parts from these motors (#1J, #1K & 2LHD) are at our North Carolina location which is open from October 1st thru March 31st. NOTE: Our shopping cart adds shipping charges for domestic orders only. We will ship internationally after a request for a shipping quote is made. Firestone Outboard Motors The Firestone brand was distributed through the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. The Firestone Tire Company sold outboards under the Champion brand from 1939 - 1942. These were produce for Champion, by a small Tool and Punch Press company owned by C.E. Atwater of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

If these little motors could talk, imagine the stories they could tell, just lay back on a sunny day, close your eyes, let your mind wonder a bit. Kind of makes you want to take an old flat-bottomed rowboat with one of these on the stern, put on a old pair of jeans, a straw hat with a spear of grass in the corner of your mouth then just do a lazy day on the lake trying to drown a worm. In the years they were made, they provided lots of unhurried recreation at a modest cost.

These little motors were normally found in either a 1.2, 1.5 or 1.7hp, (same basic motor), but the 1.7 used a larger piston and different head. The hp increased as the years/models advanced. They were made by Muncie Gearworks (Muncie Transmissions for all you Chevy fans) and were basically unchanged from about 1938 to 1974. Only weighing in at 17 lbs, they were great for 8' or 9' prams. They were nicknamed by a few as 'Egg Beaters'.

I won't go into the history of these little motors to much, but will provide a link to what someone smarter than I and has been in the business longer, has already put it together CLICK HERE. And for a link to another website that covers all the year/models from 1930 to 1991, price they sold for and carburetors/specifications, CLICK HERE.

Briefly, the company started in Muncie Indiana in 1910, by 2 brothers whooriginally made automobile transmissions and were associated with Warner Gear Division of Borg Warner. When that market dried up after the start of the 'Great Depression' in the fall of 1929, they got into the outboard motor business in 1930 and came out with a small line of inexpensive outboard motors in 1931. Then in 1938 they copied the discontinued popular single cylinder 1.2 hp Evinrude Scout motor.

All model numbers started with 'OB'. They made some for the Sears Roebuck catalog under the Motor Go and Waterwitch label, but still used OB in the model number. This was in place through 1937. In 1938 they dropped the OB prefix and went to 3 or 4 numbers followed by a A, B, or C. Two of the numbers were the year built with the other number being the horse power of the motor. Those with an A were plane motors called Muncies. The B models were deluxe outboards called Neptunes, and the C models were built for third party catalog sales. In 1940 the models started with 10, 1941 models started with 11.

No motors were built from 1942 through 1945. Their outboard motor production ceased during both WWII and the Korean conflict because of government contracts for war components.

After the war they put the A or B as a suffix after the year designation followed by the horsepower.

Unfortunately, Neptune pissed-off their dealer organization back in about 1950 by offering to sell direct to the public. Sales plummeted as dealers dropped the brand, and Muncie Gears Works shut-down production of Neptunes for about 4 years. They then began selling Neptune the 1.7 hp motors under the Mighty Mite name about 1955 but only by mail order through advertisements in the likes of Life magazine, Boys Life, Popular Mechanics etc. Word was that you could earn a Mighty Mite by selling a specified number of subscriptions to magazines.

The business moved and sold a couple of times with the last in 1978 but production slowed and it appears to not have seen production after that date until it folded about 1990. They were pretty much akin to the Volkswagen of automobiles at that time.

Price in the mid 1950s was $79.50.


Mechanical Description ;The 1.2 and 1.5hp had the spark plug protruding to the RH side of the head as witnessed by the bulge in the side cowling of the LH header photo above. The 1.7hp had the spark plug relocated at the center rear of the head. The early model numbers seem to have incorporated the years into the model code. After 1952 or so then the model numbers was different.
These motors were single cylinder water cooled motors. The water pump impeller was a close fitting aluminum centrifugal pump. No thermostat was used. The ignition was magneto type using points and condenser made by R. E. Phelon of East Longmeadow MA. Carburetors were Tillotson of a couple different versions depending on vintage. There was no neutral or shifting and steering was approx. 270 degrees. All of the early motors were bare sides, but the some of the late motors used a cast aluminum side panels. All but the real late motors used a wrap around rope on top of the flywheel to start the motor with. There was no choke, but a 'tickler' on the top of the carburetor to slightly flood the motor with fuel. The carburetor used a inverted main jet attached to a cork bowl float.

The fuel tanks appear to hold 2 pints which had a run time full tank 1 hr. 20 minutes. They were made in about 3 different shapes, with the teardrop being the most popular. Later tanks were bobbed off at the rear allowing for the motor to be stored laying on this part of the tank.

Restoration Project ;A goodly number of years ago a friend offered me some of his deceased father-in-law's old junker outboard motors. Of the lot I picked was 3 of these little jewels. One was seized up, another had a broken clamp bracket that had been welded of sorts, the other's exhaust pipe had badly bent and beat up. All in all, for this project, I picked out the what appeared to be the newest, most easily repairable one for this project, being a model AA1 then cannibalized parts off the seized motor, which then made it somewhat complete for this restoration project. However it did have the broken skeg. These motors had sat for in a garage for probably over 25 years.
I first removed the flywheel, removed the points, flushed the timing plate off with lacquer thinner, filed the points removing any oxidation, reassembled everything on the timing plate. The coil looked OK, but how to tell if the condenser would function. I reassembled the flywheel, held onto the spark plug wire and cranked it over. NO SPARK. So back to the drawing board.

After doing some web surfing I found Doug Penn appears to have bought out the remains of the manufacturer some years after they finally shut the door. Also on his website, he shows on a video how to test both the coil and condenser of older OMC outboards. CLICK HERE for a coil testing video, and HERE for a condenser testing video. I figured that these magneto parts were basically the same as the OMC parts he was lecturing on, so checked out the coil using his method which it then proved fine. Not possessing the equipment to test the condenser, I just inspected the wiring, found that the condenser wire was standing high enough to rub the flywheel magnets. Re-routing this wire solved that problem. It now shocked me if I held onto the plug wire when cranking the motor over, so spark appeared OK. But it would not fire off.

In talking to an experienced motorcycle mechanic that was well accustomed to seeing older magneto type ignition bikes, he related that

(1) most condensers are replaced simply because the cost is low as compared to labor for trouble shooting the electronics later if it doesn't run.

(2) His method of telling if a condenser is bad, is look at the points, if they are pitted badly, it is because of a failing condenser. However if the points look evenly worn, just clean them with lacquer thinner, drag non-waxed paper like a brown paper bag thru the contacts a few times, adjust them and 99.9% of the time it will run great.

OK, do what I should have done first off, check the compression. Only got 40#, after 3 pulls, which I doubt was enough to make this little single cylinder motor run. I pulled the head, tipped the motor up so the cylinder was upright, and with the piston up above the port holes, poured in 1/2' of Seafoam. After a day it had all soaked down past the rings. A clean up of any oil in the cylinder then a strip of 100 grit emery cloth rubbed rotationally inside the cylinder walls with the piston bottomed out did a cheap hone job. The compression was then raised to 70# after 2 pulls, which I thought was quite respectable.

However if you do need rings, replacement rings are available now from the company linkedHERE.

Inspecting the fuel tank revealed some rust inside. I then poured about a 1/2 a pint of gasoline along 2 handfulls of abrasive triangle tumbling stones inside, tightened the cap and began shaking when ever I got near the tank for 2 or 3 days. This got out most of any loose rust that I figured would ultimately loosen up.

Almost ready, but this time I used a spark tester set at just over 3/16', when cranked over it light up like a Christmas tree. Choking it by tickling the carburetor along with using a bit of starting fluid sprayed in the carburetor throat, it popped on 3rd pull, started on 4th pull. Now to adjust the carburetor settings.

One point of interest, if you are used to newer twist grip throttles found on most other motors, you assume that the throttle/timing plate moves right handed. However with these motors that do not use a twist throttle, the timing plate increases the speed as it is moved to the LEFT. To start these motors, you need to position the timing plate knob slightly beyond center and to the left otherwise you may be cranking for a while.

In the photo on the left below shows this restoration motor right after I got it running but before any cosmetic work being done other than replace the welded transom mounting clamp and a 1/2' aluminum rod for a tiller handle.

I have not been inside the gearbox yet and since this motor has a broken skeg, when I do, I will make a new skeg out of 1/8' aluminum sheet, copying one of the other originals then heliarc weld it onto the gearbox. The reason is, that the one I would cannibalize is broken in a worse area to repair plus I may want to restore the other somewhat complete motor at some later date.

It is hard to get good real life photos of these motors because of the abuse they have suffered over the years. It appears that some of the tank colors may have been different depending on the models and years.

For a pdf exploded view of the WC-1 & AA-1A motors CLICK HERE

Statistics ; For the 1.7 hp motors
Cylinder diameter 1.562'
Stroke 1.500'
Bearings, bronze bushings, both mains & rod
High speed jet, one turn out.
Idle jet 1/2 to 3/4 turn out.
Fuel mix is 16:1
Point gap is .020
Plug gap .025, Champion J6C or J8J plug.
Tillotson carburetor #AJ-21A on the model AA1
Flywheel key .125' X .200' X 1.00'
Motor is primed by depressing the float pin where it sticks out of the top of carburetor float chamber (sometimes referred to as a 'Tickler'.
From what information I can piece together the following is close (and may have some possible omissions) to the year/model for this style of the single cylinder motors which later became known as the 'Mighty Mite'. There were others made prior to this date, but they were of a different style, or were twin cylinder motors.

You may notice some collation between the model numbers and the year of manufacture up until 1942 during WWII, then a carry over in 1946 with the models again resuming this in 1947. Then there was a carry over of model numbers into years some later years. From 1948 on was a different story.

I have not been able to track down any serial numbers however.

1936-37 OB-11, 12,
1938 2A38, 1B38
1939 2A39, 10A2 ?
1940 10A1, 10A2, 11B2
1941 10A2, 11A2, 11B2
1946 11A2, 11B2, 14B2, 15A1, 15B1
1947 17A1, 17B1, 17B2
1948-55 A1, A2, AA1, AA2, B1
1956 AA1
1957 AA1-A
1961-69 WC-1
1970 500
1978 700
1980-86 800, 800B, Mighty Mite III

It seems that on a motor model that the 2nd letter being another letter (as AA-1) possibly designates a deluxe version, in this case probably was supplied with side cowlings. I know of at least two motors that has an X as a last model number. But have no idea of what that means.
The original recommended fuel mix at the time these motors were made was 16-1 as the bearings are just bronze instead of the newer roller type.

Using new full synthetic oil you should be able to get by quite well with 24-1 or possibly 32-1, which will also prolong the spark plug life.

In the photo below this particular motor has had the shaft shortened considerable, apparent to fit in a more compact display.

Recommendations ; At the end of your running these motors, it is a good idea to turn off the gas and run the carburetor bowl empty prior to pulling the motor out of the water. Also make sure the screws are tight on the handle and all around the engine. If not, they will vibrate loose, ending up in the water. Pack the gearbox with marine wheel bearing grease. It may also be a good idea to put rubber or nylon washers on the gas tank mounts to ease vibrations to the tank. This motor tends to crack the gas tanks.

Observances ;I have a feeling that many of these motors if supplied with the side covers, after a while the owners discarded the covers, as it appears they were hard to keep tightened. And the motors ran just as well without them.
http://www.nymarine.ca/colours.html

http://www.discount-marine-parts.com
Carburetor kits #3345 available from
The Carburetor Shop LLC
204 East 15th Street
Eldon, Missouri 65026
Decals available from @ $34.50 a set
American Outboard Motors & Salvage
12611 Ocean Gateway
Cordova MD 21625
410-862-1740
http://www.americanoutboard.com/decals/neptune/master_neptune.htm

Hard core parts for some of these outboards are getting more difficult to find as time goes on. Many older outboards used common Ignition and Carburetor venders for that period. Discount Marine Parts has Ignition and Carburetor repair kits for most all of these older outboards. If we don't have what your looking for, we have many sources to locate your part. Obviously some parts are just not available. We can sometimes find it used and often we have the part made if there is enough demand. Discount Marine Parts has a large inventory of parts for most brands of American made Outboards, Inboards and Sterndrives. We also have most parts and service manuals available.

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Originated 03-02-2011, Last updated 11-29-2020
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1922 to 2007 Johnson Outboards at 85!
In 2007 the Yankee Chapter of the Antique Outboard Motor Club celebrated the 85th anniversary of Johnson outboards. Johnson was the featured marque at the Yankee Chapter Formal Meet in September 2007. Herewith below is a brief overview of the beginnings of the Johnson brand and some helpful information to get those old Johnsons running again!

Johnson Outboards 1922 - The Beginning Years

Johnson outboard motors made their public debut at the New York Boat Show in January 1922. It is unlikely that the Johnson brothers; Lou, Harry, Clarence and their brother-in-law Warren Conover, had any idea of the impact their little outboard would have on the world of boating.

The Johnson brothers were cut from the same cloth as many of the great American engineers of the early part of the 20th century. From relatively humble beginnings in Terre Haute Indiana, the Johnson’s became some of the premiere engineers of their day. The manufacturing of their small two cylinder outboard would not look very grand on their resumes when compared to building the first American monoplane, aircraft engines and record setting inboard speedboat engines, yet outboards would be their most lasting achievement.

The small 2hp outboard that went on sale in 1922 had its roots in failure. After their aircraft and engine factory was destroyed in a storm, the brothers concentrated their efforts on a small two cylinder air-cooled motor that they adapted to be used as a helper engine on a bicycle. These Johnson Motor Wheels sold well for several years, but the economies of scale with which Henry Ford and others could produce automobiles rapidly eroded the market - after all, who would buy a motorized bicycle for the same cost as an automobile?

Typical of the determination Americans had at the time, Lou Johnson was able to adapt some of the Motor Wheel’s engine to a new purpose; an outboard motor. The water cooled 2 cylinder outboard would weigh in at only 35lbs, this was about ½ that of the typical cranky rowboat motors of the day. Six pre-production motors are believed to have been produced, full-fledged production began with serial number 507. There can be no doubt that the Johnson’s hit a home run when sales for their little $140 outboard topped 3324 units their first year.

Champion Outboard Boat Motor

Why was the Johnson's little outboard such a tremendous success? In addition to being lighter in weight, the Johnson Waterbug or Light Twin (Both names were used in the advertising) incorporated many features that we take for granted today but were revolutionary in 1922. A key component was the reliable flywheel magneto from the Quick Action Magneto Co of South Bend IN - later to become part of the Johnson company. Many outboards in 1922 used battery ignition and some still had large gear driven magnetos like the ones used on cars & tractors. The Johnsons Quick Action Magneto was small, compact and among the most reliable ever constructed. This magneto proved so good that the majority are still working 85 years later!

Another feature was the use of a rope to start the motor. Here again, Johnson set the trend over the competition who used “knucklebuster” knobs, leather straps or required the operator to wrestle the flywheel to start their outboards. (These were the days long before OSHA!) The rope start was simple, relatively safe (as long as you don’t whip someone with the cord!) and effective.

There were a number of other novel features incorporated in the Johnson outboard; the easy to use and reliable carburetor with three settings; Choke, Fast & Slow. A simple piston waterpump to cool the motor was employed for many years. And to keep the motor on the boat but still make it detachable in a jiffy, secure screw-type transom clamps were used. (Some outboards required you to bolt them on the transom!) The ability to tilt the motor up when beaching or in shallow water was also a rare on other outboards in 1922. While these features may be commonplace today, the Johnson brothers were the first to combine all of them.

One of the most welcome and useful new features on the Waterbugs was the ability to turn (or swivel) the motor through a full 360 degrees. This gave the operator much greater maneuverability and a positive acting reverse for bringing the boat into the dock. While this feature had been used for some time by the European brand Penta, (the Johnson’s licensed it from them), Johnson was the first US company to popularize it. This feature met with immediate public acceptance and is still incorporated on many small outboards today.

The success of the Johnson outboard and its variants; salt water (brass & bronze), canoe mount and even the very rare Model F inboard, was immediate and far reaching. Almost overnight the Johnson’s were producing more outboard motors than anyone else in the world and they worked hard to keep the lead.

The Model A received an update in 1925 becoming the A-25 and also received a single cylinder brother the J-25 the same year. In 1926 a larger motor called the Model P and rated at 6 horsepower, was introduced. Each subsequent year more models and higher horsepower models were produced, outboarding having caught the publics fancy in a big way! Competition from rivals like Ole Evinrude’s second company Elto, Lockwood and the original Evinrude firm, created a swarm of advancements in technology & horsepower. Johnson lead the way with many new features in the late 1920’s; rotary valving, higher horsepower and, possibly their crowning achievement, the smooth alternate firing A and K models of 1930. (1929 was the first time the famous Sea Horse logo appeared!)

The success of the Johnson brand right from the start set the pace for decades to come. Even after becoming part of Outboard Marine & Manufacturing Corporation (later known as OMC), Johnson was still the one with the firsts: first with remote fuel tanks, first with full gearshift, first manufacturer to make 1 million outboards and many others!

Model Identification

Johnson outboards from the 1920's and 30's will have their model and serial number on the top of the flywheel stamped into the rope sheave. (See photo below)

The newer hooded models will have the number stamped into the front of the gas tank or on the port (left) bottom side of the block about ½ way between the front & back of the motor. (You may need to remove the cowl to see the number)

Click on the .pdf file below to see a listing of all the Johnson models from 1922 to 1942. (You will need the Adobe PDF viewer to see the link)

The age of a specific motor can be obtained by simply reading the serial number and comparing it to the chart below. It has been observed that some serial numbers will fall into a different year from the model they depict, this is because a motor was produced at the end of the calendar year for sale in the new year. (An example is the webmasters HD-39 that has a 1938 serial number) Also different will be Canadian Johnson motors - the below is only for South Bend or Waukegan produced motors:

Caring For Your 1922-42 Johnson Outboard Today

Due to the number of models produced from 1922 to 1942 it is next to impossible to completely cover all the service and maintenance differences unique to each. Here is a very brief overview to consider should you be looking to put one of these motors back in service.

Magnetos and Spark Plugs

The early Johnsons all used Quick Action magnetos and these have proven to be very durable and reliable. In most cases the coils themselves are fine however it is likely the condenser will need to be replaced - any 2 microfarad equivalent will work. It is also recommended that the spark plug wire be replaced since most will have deteriorated to the point of cracking. Be sure to use only copper cored sparkplug wire, the modern automotive carbon core wire will not work. The points on almost all models should be completely disassembled and thoroughly cleaned since oil will often have soaked into the insulators causing them to short. Most Johnson models had a point gap of .020” and spark plug gap of .032”. The Johnson ID Chart gives the original sparkplug recommendation, you can cross reference this to a modern plug at the Champion website. Timing on all Johnson outboards in this period will be variable since the magneto plate moves to advance and retard the spark as needed.

Lower Unit & Water Pump

Old Champion Outboard Motors

The early Model A and J Johnsons and even the later 1930’s motors used a piston pump with small check valves. The piston must be free to move and the check valves have to be able to do their jobs to have the motor pump water.

Starting in the late 1920’s all but the little Model J single Johnson outboards had a very simple pressure/vacuum cooling system that used the prop wash to force water up into the block and down and out ahead of the propeller. For this system to work all the plumbing must be 100% air tight and obviously there is no tell-tail – your only system check is how hot the cylinders get! Even after other waterpump systems were developed the pressure/vacuum system was used on many of the higher 9, 16 and 22 horsepower Johnson outboards up into the 1950's.

In the 1930's another water pump using an eccentric cam of brass and later a rubber rotor was used on the smaller 2-5hp motors. These have been found to perform well typically with only a good cleaning. Should you need a new rubber rotor for one of the HD or TD series, AOMCI member Bob Long in WA makes replacements - Bob can be reached at the following email address: flyingscott91@yahoo.com. (Bob also makes replacement impellers for newer motors but the old impeller hub must be supplied on an exchange basis.)

Checking the water lines and cylinder water jackets for blockage is good practice. The cast iron cylinders on the early Johnson outboards will often have rust scale that will block water jacket and cause them to overheat. The liberal use of compressed air, picking at the blockage with wire and a lot of flushing are really the only options to fix this problem, short of disassembly of the cylinder and removal of the freeze plugs.

The lower unit should be filled with grease and always checked for accumulated water after each use. Many people like Lubriplate 105 for the lower unit grease, though often something heaver may be required due to the simple seals used on most of these motors.

Fuel System, Oil Mix & Starting

The float type carburetors used on most early Johnson models are simple and reliable. Many times a good cleaning of the bowl and tank is all that is required to put them back in running condition. Due to the corrosive effects of modern gasoline it would be wise to recoat the cork float in the carburetor with a modern fuel-proof coating – discuss this with your local hobby shop owner, they will be able to offer the best alcohol proof solution.

Be sure all fuel fittings are tight and leak free. Most solid fuel lines can be reproduced using copper line and compression fittings still found at hardware an plumbing stores today.

The fuel mixture will vary from model to model, most use a fuel mix of 1/2pt of TCW-3 outboard oil per gallon of gasoline. CAUTION: A few of the budget motors and all the performance motors in the 1930's may require 3/4 and even 1 pint per gallon! Be sure to use a quality regular grade of gasoline, lead free is fine and actually what was originally recommended (then known as Marine White Gasoline). Only use a quality grade of 2-cycle oil marked TCW-3, never use automotive type oils.

The Johnson A, A-25 and many of the other early motors have only a single needle valve. Begin with this at 3/4 to 1 turn open from the lightly seated position and adjust it when the motor starts to the best running position. Once the fuel tap is turned on in a few seconds you should see the needle shaft rise out of the bowl cover. If the motor is cold you can tap the needle a couple of times to 'splash' some raw gas into the carb to assist in starting - don't over-do it, or you will flood the motor. Place the carb lever on 'C' for choke and advance the magneto handle to the center of its travel (See the model ID photo above for the approximate location). If the motor does not start after 3 rapid tugs on the starter rope place the carb lever on 'F' for fast and try 3 more tugs. If the motor still will not run then shut off the fuel tap and continue with 3-5 tugs on the starter rope - once the motor starts be sure to turn the fuel valve back on!

Lost or Broken Parts

Unfortunately, if you have a 1922-42 Johnson outboard you can’t go to your local Johnson dealer and expect any help. The AOMCI Webvertize are free ads and deliver amazing results if you are looking to buy parts or find a good home for an old Johnson outboard. You can also try one of the many on-line auctions like eBay or Craigs List but for our money the Webvertize is better!

Some vendors we have for related parts are as follow, click on the link and it will take you to the website. (Please note we do not have any affiliation with these folks)

Brillman Co.(Ignition supplies)

Otto Gas Engine Works(Stock and custom piston rings)
Champion Spark Plugs(Spark plugs and old plug conversion )

Art DeKalb's Site(Reproduction parts)

Lee Pedersen(Ignition wire and terminals)

American Outboards(Decals)

Bob Long Impellers(Waterpump impellers for TD series and later)

Information for this web-page was obtained from the AOMCI publication FOUR MEN FROM TERRE HAUT by J.M. Van Vleet, THE OLD OUTBOARD BOOK 3rd Ed. by Peter Hunn and from 40 years worth of Bob Zipps' excellent articles on the Johnson A's in the OUTBOARDER (Magazine of the AOMCI). And a special thanks to Bob Zipps for proofing and editing this page!

Previous Feature Outboards:

Old Champion Boat Motors

Champion Outboard Motors Serial Numbers

Yankee Chapter: Making Waves With Old Outboards