TOPIC: Value and reliability of 18HP Seahorses 5X...?

I'm looking to purchase this 18HP Seahorse, seems to have a different foot on it. He's asking $400, and it seems to be late fifties if Im guessing correctly. Don't these use pressurized fuel tanks or did the stop in the late fifties? He claim's it runs good, and from the pictures seems to be in really great shape for it's age. Whats the reliability of this particular family of Johnson's, I know it's a bigtwin and I have a bigtwin Gale thats bulletproof. Thanks!

Johnson used pressure tanks till 1958 on the 18 and lower hp. That motor is a great motor. it looks to be a 1958 (more white then color)

Looks to have a LU from a 59 Johnson (all white) or a rebuilt

DO NOT run that motor on 50 to 1 mix..needs to be ran on a 25 to 1 mix. To add a fuel pump is not that hard to do and then you could get away from having to buy a pressure tank. Gale was about 5 years ahead on the fuel pumps over Evinrude and Johnson

If I remember righ that type clam sheel hood was on the 1956s. I have 2 of the same color but are 35hp. If the compresson is over 80lbs it will run like new
Mike aka the pirate

ZOOMING IN ON THE FUEL FITTING
it appears to be a single non pressurized type

pathfinderz1 wrote:

If I remember righ that type clam sheel hood was on the 1956s. I have 2 of the same color but are 35hp. If the compresson is over 80lbs it will run like new
Mike aka the pirate

In 1956 Johnson did not make a 18 hp nor a 35 hp. They were 15 hp and 30 hp

Johnson made the clam shell hood from 1954 to 1958 for sure For I have motors from those year (not sure about 1953)

However in 56 they had the paint reversed more maroon then white. In 58 what was maroon on the 56 became white. and what was white became maroon

The 18 hp with the clam shell hood was only made in 1957 and 1958. The 1957 still have more maroon then white

And yes it does look as either someone changed the motor to a fuel pump system, or order the factory upgrade for the single line system

Well. If there is one hose going the carb it uses the single line tank. If there are two hoses connected to the fitting it uses the pressurized tank.

It does look like a 58, they are great motors but not part of the big twin family. They have a 22ci engine which in later years with some tuning hit 25hp. I don't know where you are located and how hard it is to find motors but $400.00 seems like an awful lot of money for a motor that I would only score at about 4 out of 10 for the following reasons:
It has been converted to single line
paint is poor
decals missing
may need coils carb kit and waterpump
Personally I would not pay a cent over $100.00 unless it can be shown to be running and have all the new parts that I listed above then MAYBE $175.00, for $400.00 you can do a LOT better
Al

Yep, the motor has been converted to fuel pump - pump is visible on the intake port. The 22-cube family is among the best OMC ever came out with. Strong runners, reliable as all get-out, good parts availability, and easy to maintain. That said, $400 is steep unless the motor is perfect, which that one is not. It's been painted, repaired, modified, etc. Might be a good runner, but if you're looking for a good vintage motor, you could probably do better... If a good runner, maybe closer to $250-$300 in my neck of the woods...