What year did they change how they measure HP from the shaft to the prop?  I am trying to figure out how a 1982 60HP Johnson should compare to a 2000 50HP Johnson.  I broke something the other night and am trying to decide on an upgrade (2000) or repair (1982).  

While at wide open throttle (30mph) the prop quit spinning and the RPM kept going up.  Reverse used to have a clicking sound as if trying to engage but never would work, now nothing in forward or reverse.  Just revving the engine.  

Spun prop? Broke gears?  This is a new area for me.  Any advice and insight would be appreciated.  I am scared to put more money in to a 25year old engine.

Take your oil check screws out. One will have a magnat look for chunks. Look at the prop there might be little pieces of rubber between the hub and spline.

Should be lots of lower units around cheap.

Garnet

Hp rating; Johnson changed in 1986. The 1985 235 became the the 1986 175. The 1985 135/140 became the 1986 115. The 85 115 became the 86, 90. Most of this was due to the change between rating off the flywheel and rating off the prop shaft but some of it was because they detuned the motors by dropping compression on most and going to smaller carbs on some.

Performance wise, doubt you will see a difference between the early 60 and the later 50 if they are both two cylinder motors. If the 60 is the three cylinder then it would be a lot stronger than a 50 two cylinder.

Sound like your linkage was out of adjustment for reverse.  YOu could have spun the hub.  Put it in gear, spin the prop and see if the prop shaft spins also.  If it does, there's something wrong internal.  If it doesn't spin it harder and see if the prop slips on the hub.  This may or may not work because sometimes you can't get enough torque on the prop to make it spin on the hub.

The same thing happended to me.  In lamen terms, a nut that kept the prop and the shafts that spin the prop backed off enough to where gears inside weren't contacting each other.  Hopefully after this happened you didn't play with it enough to grind the gears.  It wasn't too much to fix.  I think it cost around $150 for labor to repair.  

I would have the linkage checked.

IF the linkage has come loose or disconnected somehow leaving the gears in neutral just that will happen... nothing...... that will be the case..... no forward or reverse.

I would also check the shifting adjustment that may be out of sync......

At the price of a new motor today, I would surley try and keep what I had going for as long as I could. I priced a 40 hp Etec the other day and was nearly 5000.00 dollars. I still love my Johnson 25 hp.... ;D

Good luck.....

Hp rating; Johnson changed in 1986.

Performance wise, doubt you will see a difference between the early 60 and the later 50 if they are both two cylinder motors.

Nice. That sweetens the deal.

I will look into those basic things and hope it is a $150 fix. If it is a $500 fix I will be less confident about spending the money. The 2000 motor is only $3000 with my exact same hull attached to it. Newer, better shape, trim/ tilt, 2005 trailer. Definitely an upgrade. I know which rout I want to go, but... it would be a hit in the wallet.

Update.

I finaly got some time to pull the foot off of the motor and found the drive shaft was sheered at the water pump. :'( I am goin to to look around for a few day for a whole new foot asymbly for under $500. If anyone knows where to get one please let me know.

If not then I guess its new boat time.