1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

[T_J_B]

I have a 1964 5.5 Hp Johnson jthat ust wasn't running right. It would run great but with out warning it would just quit. It had a weak spark and a frayed coil wire so I replaced both coils, plugs and checked gaps. The spark improved but now it doesn't run for more then 3 seconds. The motor will spit and pop then die on almost every pull. When I use the choke it doesn't fire at all. Thinking it was running rich I adjusted the carburetor needle clockwise but it didn't make a difference. Any suggestions on what to do next?

 

[bktheking]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Are you pumping the primer bulb hard then retrying it? If it was already running no choke needed (in a perfect world). Screw the needle in till seated, back it out a turn and a half and try it.

 

[T_J_B]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Thanks... I will give it a try and let you know how it goes.

 

[T_J_B]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

I gave it a shot and sure enough it started on the first pull and then stopped after 3 seconds. This time I couldn't get it started again. I pulled the spark plugs, which looked fine but I quickly realized that they wouldn't spark on every pull. I rechecked the coil connections and gaps but it did little to improve the situation. Any ideas on what would cause that?

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Clean your points thoroughly and make sure they are gapped at .020

Firing sometimes, sounds like a point issue.

 

[bktheking]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Weak condensors can also lead to erratic spark and dirty points, do what Zeph said, get em shiny and gapped @.020. If the points are really bad just replace them along with the condensers, cheap fix.

 

[T_J_B]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Thanks for the help! Checked the gaps, added new condensors, and redid the coil/plug wire connections. It was a cheap fix and now it runs like new.

 

[T_J_B]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Not sure if I should continue on this thread or start a new one but my 1965 18Hp Johnson was having a similar problem as the 5.5 listed above. I added new coils, checked the points, added new spark plugs, and because of your suggestions I also added new condensers to this engine. I checked the spark on the top cylinder and it was bright and constant the bottom cylinder was bright but not always constant. Using the same plug to test the results, I tried switching coils, points, and plug wires between the two cylinders and nothing changed. Is there something I am overlooking?

 

[bktheking]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Points have to be shiny and clean, slightest amount of dirt will cause problems. Loosen them and take some emery cloth and sand them clean, adjust to .020 and retry.

 

[T_J_B]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

I will try using the emery cloth. There is some corrosion on one of the two points. I just didn't think it was an issue because when I switched everything to run on the opposite cylinder the bottom cylinder was consistantly the only one with problems. Thanks for the help this is getting a little fustrating.

 

[bktheking]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

They can't have ANY corrosion, hense the spark issue, the one thing you didn't switch was the points

 

[T_J_B]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Thanks.... at this point a normal person would say "screw it". Just order new ones and quit messing with the old ones. I will let you know how it turns out.

 

[T_J_B]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Yup.... new points solved the problem with the 18hp and helped with the 5.5hp. The spark greatly improved for both of them and when they run they purr like kittens. The 5.5hp is however still not running more then 5-10 seconds before it quits. Given the great spark, could I now be dealing with a fuel problem? I noticed that the fuel pump is pumping fuel. (I disconnect the output hose while the motor was running and fuel came spitting out of the pump). I am not familiar with carbs. but could that be the problem. For giggles I tried screwing the idle pin beyond the 1.5 turns to almost 5 turns out and the motor actually ran longer before quiting. I was surprised to see that the plugs were dry though???????
Any suggestions?

 

[bktheking]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Yes, a carb service is in order, not a difficult job at all. Turning it out 5 turns shouldn't have to happen.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Just before it dies try pumping the bulb to see if you can keep it running. If so, then the fuel pump is not pumping enough. Dry plugs could show it's running out of fuel.

 

[T_J_B]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

I tried a lot of things to keep it running and that happened to be one of them. It didn't seem to make a difference, if anything the bulb still had pressure. I tried using the choke and/or throttle and it seemed to make it worse. Any throttle resulted with instant kill.

Is there any preferred method to cleaning a carb? Is an aerisol spray better for blowing out all the different channels?

 

[bktheking]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

To do it properly- get a kit. Remove all the parts, bowl, float, needle and seat, welch plugs and soak it over night in carb cleaner. Then wash it with water and blow it out and reassemble.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Yep. separate the parts, clean em all and blow it out and reassemble. Spraying carb cleaner on a together carb does little.

 

[T_J_B]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Seperated the parts, cleaned, and replaced. Got it running but now I seem to have the opposite problem. When the engine quits gas pours out of the carb barrel. What might that indicate?

 

[phineas]

Re: 1964 5.5HP Johnson quits after 3 seconds

Did you change the float? My 64 still had a cork float, I have had some success drying them out and painting them with shellac. If is soaked with fuel it won't float up enough to let the needle seat. And gas pours out. Look at the needle the float moves, is the taper still good or does it have a groove worn in it? Also the float should be parallel to the carb body if you hold it upside own, adjusted by bending the metal tab. When you clean the carb, before you put it back hold it in the up position and blow into the fuel intake tube, air should go in, then turn it upside down and blow in it, you should not be able to blow in if the needle is seating properly. The kits from sierra don't come with a float, the kits from BRP do. The float needles now come with a rubber tip, and have a little clip that hooks on the float tab , the clip pulls it down so it doesn't stick closed , the older needles never had a clip.