newbie need help-idle issue Older Johnson 5.5

[bugnut55]

All it is a Johnson cd-15 5.5hp sat in the barn 10 years. Unearthed to put on 15 footer.To date new coils, 1 new plug wire, points and condenser were beautiful-no pitting, rebuilt carb, new impeller, new carb kit with old corkfloat, spits water good--will start in the start position with the high speed one turn out & low speed 1 1/2 turn out. Idles okay in the start position. Put it on the water today and nothing changes when i adjust the low speed idle. High speed nearly closed 3/4 turn in approximately, runs okay-not great-at wot. I have checked with a homemade spark checker and have white arc about 3/8 inch. Roller does not contact timing plate trying to go to slow or shift position. Timing plate contacts roller at start position. Idles for hour in the tank no issue-Have not done compression check. I have had the carb off three times and checked out everything-looking for help and maybe a picture of low idle speed adjust. Help me what do I do next? Getting frustrated. Thanks

 

[Scaaty]

Re: newbie need help-idle issue Older Johnson 5.5

All it is a Johnson cd-15 5.5hp sat in the barn 10 years. Unearthed to put on 15 footer.To date new coils, 1 new plug wire, points and condenser were beautiful-no pitting, rebuilt carb, new impeller, new carb kit with old corkfloat, spits water good--will start in the start position with the high speed one turn out & low speed 1 1/2 turn out. Idles okay in the start position. Put it on the water today and nothing changes when i adjust the low speed idle. High speed nearly closed 3/4 turn in approximately, runs okay-not great-at wot. I have checked with a homemade spark checker and have white arc about 3/8 inch. Roller does not contact timing plate trying to go to slow or shift position. Timing plate contacts roller at start position. Idles for hour in the tank no issue-Have not done compression check. I have had the carb off three times and checked out everything-looking for help and maybe a picture of low idle speed adjust. Help me what do I do next? Getting frustrated. Thanks

Try setting the carb float again...have it so it will accept more gas..( set upside down and a little more down towards the carb body)...have a 5.5..hard to start..raised the float level for more gas, and zero prob since..first pull

 

[samo_ott]

Re: newbie need help-idle issue Older Johnson 5.5

It sounds like you've done pretty much everything. But it still sounds like it's in the carb so try Scatty's idea...

 

[bugnut55]

Re: newbie need help-idle issue Older Johnson 5.5

update-today I checked the float level-looks good to me. Reassembled dropped in tank and started unchanged from previous. It idled rough at the post rebuild settings. Tried turning in the low speed unchanged then i reset it and started it again tried adjusting the high speed again I had to nearly cut off the gas flow to get the motor to do anything. After this I checked spark while idling if i removed the top plug wire little change, if i remove the bottom plug wire she died. So because I had a set of points & condensers i tore it a part and put them in. When reassembled prior to doing anything i tried to spark test. Got 1 flash of blue spark and then nothing from either plug. My spark checker is a homemade wood and wire jig, but it works for other things. So it now has new coils, 1 new plug wire, new points and condenser, rebuilt carb with old corkfloat, new impeller-will start in the start position with the high speed one turn out & low speed 1 1/2 turn out. I also did a compression check about 85/90 on both cylinders. I went out in to the building and turned off all lights closed doors and then tested the spark-no spark on either cylinder. So what do i do now. All new parts are from napa. Need more directions-Sorry so long winded.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: newbie need help-idle issue Older Johnson 5.5

Toss a new set of coils in (looks mean zip), and after, run an emery cardboard fingernail file in between the points to polish them clean

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: newbie need help-idle issue Older Johnson 5.5

check that the plug wires, going into the coils are making contact with the center core of the wire, they have to be perfect. set the points so a .020 guage goes thru and a .022 will not. make sure the kill wires have not shorted out on something.

 

[F_R]

Re: newbie need help-idle issue Older Johnson 5.5

Little change with the top wire pulled off should be a clue. There is something wrong with that top cylinder. The carb feeds both cylinders, so it isn't that. Put your spark tester on the top wire while running on the bottom cylinder (spark plugs in so you don't start a fire). Is it giving good consistant spark while running?

You say the compression is good. Are the main bearings good? Grab hold of the flywheel (not running, duh) and see if you can move it fore and aft. It shouldn't.

It is possible that you have scored pistons, even though the compression is good. The piston skirts seal the exhaust ports off from the crankcase. Scored pistons will mess up crankcase compression.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: newbie need help-idle issue Older Johnson 5.5

In the last few years, I have came across WAY MORE OLD 2 CYL JOHNNYS THAN I CARE TO ADMIT with a lousy/no spark, and EVERY one had a great bottom spark, and the culprit was the top cylinder...I have NO idea why...and I mean ZERO..working on my 61 5.5 now, and throws a good bottom spark, again, the top is not pushing the same (large) gap as the bottom. And I'm talking the TD's, all the way into the 60's...has me baffled..and I have switched coils on a lot..

 

[F_R]

Re: newbie need help-idle issue Older Johnson 5.5

Scatty, I know that you know this, but for anybody else out there reading this, where the two plug wires are clamped to the plate by a common clamp, 90% of the time when one arcs out it is the top one. It gets pinched harder by the clamp. When the path of least resistance is to the clamp it will zap through there instead of the plug.

 

[bugnut55]

Re: newbie need help-idle issue Older Johnson 5.5

UPDATE AGAIN Came home took it apart-again-looked everything over. Put in two new spark plug wires, removed the part that holds coils and points, threaded wires in from bottom side and pulled out to insure they were centered to the pin out of the coil. Replaced the plug wire clamp from a basket case parts motor, viola i have spark and ignition and on both cylinders. The bottom wire was NOT a stranded wire the top was steel. New ones are stranded copper and new boots. Spark looks great and the motor sounds much better. I again removed the top and bottom wire while running and BOTH made the motor run rough to the point of stalling so I think I got it. Ready for a trip to the lake to find out if I can set the idle. Now onto a very easy problem I am sure others know how to solve. I bought dual line for the pressure tank at the local Johnnyrude shop. I was able to get it all the way on to the tank side. But I cannot get the tubing to slide all the way up on the plug? I attempted a 10 minute soak in teakettle hot water no luck, then I left the flare of a tool jammed into the end and it still would not work, even dripping with WD40. Please help me out...Thanks for all the input-This has saved my bacon!!