15 hp Johnson won't restart after running out of gas.

[pepe.k]

Howdy Folks
I've just got this motor back in water after 2 yrs in storage.had probs with tank and hose....used neigbour's tank and hose and worked perfectly.Knew i was low on gas but took chance an extended my little cruise and sure enough motor conked out and I rowed back(not far).
Went for more gas,bought new hose/ball line,and filled my other tank that's identical to nieghbour's ....and no start....pulling forever...like there's there's no gas.Followed gas..,ball is hard...,fuel is in inline filter and followed line to engine and took apart(dunno name)what looks like screen filter on side of engine block where gas enters engine block....and there is fuel there...
That's where i'm at a loss...it was a 1 or 2 pull start before ,and now it acts like it's not getting any fuel(Possible blockage?)but where?,gas is getting to engine..
Have new Champion plugs but changed them anyways and no difference.
...any ideas? ...hate to use this moter as an anchor...

 

[jtexas]

Re: 15 hp Johnson won't restart after running out of gas.

what year motor? Is it equipped with an emergency lanyard?
After all that rope work, are the spark plugs wet or dry?

remove a spark plug, reattach it to the boot, hold the threaded part against the engine block and look for a spark while somebody turns the motor over with the rope (use an insulated or plastic tool). repeat for the other one.

"gas is getting to the engine", means that the carburetor bowl is full of gas. Now it just has to get from the carb through the manifold into the cylinder.

After 2 years of sitting, the carb will have a lot of varnish left over from evaporating gasoline, which will make it difficult for gas to get where it needs to go.

Also, if your tank is a metal tank, it may have a lot of residue, not to mention rust particles from water in the fuel, which will get through the screen filter and stop up the carb.

Finally, if you were using ethanol-free gas before, and are now getting E10, the alcohol in the gas is dissolving the aforementioned residue and using it to clog your carburetor, and also breaking down the inside of the fuel line and depositing that in the carb as well.

If you get no spark on one or both cylinders, report back for the next troubleshooting steps.

If got good spark, you'll need to rebuild the carb. Follow the "carb cleaning and rebuilding" link from the "top secret file" at the top of this forum.

Keep us posted.

btw, the part with the screen filter on the front...that's called a "fuel pump"...

 

[pepe.k]

Re: 15 hp Johnson won't restart after running out of gas.

Jtexas ! Thanks for you help !
...in answer to your questions,...
...dunno year,looks loke '70s model,will look at tags this weekend.
...dunno what emergency lanyard is.
...plugs seem slightly damp,but not like it's been flooded alot,it was running fine 1 hour before I looked at plugs...been choking and unchoking while pulling rope.
....and,oh yeah...metal tank,which was empty for close to a season before i put gas in it,and possibly some crud from tank bottom went thru engine...that's what I'm afraid of...I'm thinking "carb cleaning/rebuild"
...will keep you posted...thanks again !
btw , fuel pump,huh???...amazing..the things you learn...hope I didn't need those leftover parts I tossed overboard...just kidding...

 

[jtexas]

Re: 15 hp Johnson won't restart after running out of gas.

70's motors dint have emergency lanyard..."dead man switch"...emergency kill switch. In those days if we fell overboard, the boat just kept going......

at some point in the 70's, they stopped using condenser/points and switched to electronic ignitions.

 

[ousooners1baby]

Re: 15 hp Johnson won't restart after running out of gas.

77 :d

 

[bktheking]

Re: 15 hp Johnson won't restart after running out of gas.

Make sure the choke is fully closed when you pull on the choke rod, imperative that it work or it will not start. After a while the rod can come loose and not work properly. Verify spark as well.

 

[EricJRW]

Re: 15 hp Johnson won't restart after running out of gas.

I'd be curious as to what happens if you put your neighbor's (re-filled) tank back on.