1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

[Jacob645]

Today, I tried to take off after the boat had run perfect all morning and it bogged down and died. I noticed the kill switch had come off. Put it back on and still wouldn't go. It would start and die immediately. Got it home on the muffs and after sitting a while it started and smoked like crazy!!!! Looked like it was burning off oil. It would run good for about a minute then start missing and die. Then after turning it over a few times it would run some more then slowly die out after about 30 seconds blowing out tons of smoke when it first started after bogging down. What would cause this to happen. I know it's getting fuel and oil. Could it be a coil? I replaced both of them about a year ago as well as a new powerpack. This is the first problem this motor has given me since a coil went out last year. It is in great condition and usually runs/starts up with no problem. It was just strange that all this happened right after the kill switch came out. Maybe a coincidence though.

 

[bernd64]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

check the copresson and see if you crack a sleef and you pulling water to the motor

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Have you checked the spark and compression?

 

[Jacob645]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

I haven't done anything yet. Should I check the plugs for oil?

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Always do the easy things first, you can check the plugs but then check the spark and compression.

 

[boobie]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Pull the float bowl drains on the carbs, pump the primer bulb and see what comes out.

 

[Jacob645]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

I pulled all the plugs. All were soaked. Do you think that trying to floor it with the kill switch pulled could foul them all that bad? I guess I'll need new plugs anyway. Anyone know the gap for them?

 

[Jacob645]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Ok, so after putting on new plugs, the engine started and ran great. Then the "no oil" alarm came on. It was obviously getting oil because there was faint white smoke coming out the exhaust. I shut it down after the alarm sounded. I started it again and it ran for about 2 minutes then idled way down and died. Could the VRO be acting up?

 

[Jacob645]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Ttt

 

[Jacob645]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp falls flat/bogging down

Come on guys! This is killing me! Does it matter that the fuel bulb does not stay tight like the oil bulb does?

 

[Jacob645]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

Ttt

 

[wilde1j]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

I would recommend you put oil in the gas pronto until you determine oil is actually being used. The fuel primer bulb will not stay hard after motor starts ... this is normal.

 

[Jacob645]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

Thanks Jim. Do you think the kill switch could have anything to do with this? I actually pulled it while it was running yesterday and the engine didn't cut off. It's just weird that all this started when I noticed the kill switch was pulled.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

I don't think the kill switch issue is related to the 'no oil' deal. You will need a wiring diagram (in the OEM shop manual) and a meter. I would attempt to verify oil use by putting a mark on the oil tank at the current level and running the motor for several hours. You can the fill the oil with a measured amount and determine if of use is proper. Separately, check the oil alarm and shutdown circuits.

 

[Jacob645]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

Went out there this morning and it would only run for a few seconds then sputter and die. This is driving me crazy!

 

[Jacob645]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

Ttt

 

[wilde1j]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

Your immediate problem may be a fuel delivery problem, which can have a number of causes, such as:
. check fuel pump output by taking off outlet hose and cranking engine over (make sure it can't start). You should see long, strong pulses of fuel. If not, pump is bad.
. air leak on pump suction side (bad clamp, cracked hose, cracked tank pickup tube, etc., etc.)
. malfunctioning anti-siphon valve
. plugged tank vent
. trash blocking tank pickup screen
. plugged fuel filter
. collapsed fuel line

 

[Jacob645]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

Ok, so I took the air breather off and there was quite a bit of oil residue on all the holes. Is that normal? I also noticed drops of oil on a few wires/hoses. Couldn't find a source. I also noticed that almost all the hoses were fastened with zip ties. One was so loose I could twist and move it. I'm assuming this isn't a good thing. It was attached to the piece directly behind the air breather that had two hoses coming out the top of it.

 

[watergecko]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

Zip ties are used/recomended by the manufacturer. Theyre use is acceptable/prefferred. They should not be loose though. Id replace all hoses and ties so that you have a known variable, rather than an unknown.

 

[DoubleJ713]

Re: 1997 Johnson Fast Strike 115hp "no oil" light

I had the exact same problem just two days after you. I have a 1997 Johnson 115 Oceanrunner. Went out for the first time this season the last Monday of June and the engine worked great. Took it out again on the 4th and it would run for a short time then quit. Had to slowly pump the primer to keep it going long enough to get back to shore. I trouble shot it for most of the month and am happy to say I finally figured it out. I tried new fuel, replaced fuel lines and filters, changed out spark plugs, tested the VRO (vacuum/pressure test), checked the anti-syphon valve, and even rebuilt the carbs... nothing. I finally took apart the VRO and noticed that the metal "cylinder" for the oil pump had pulled out of the plastic casing. Looked like the cylinder slowly pulled back until the oil piston extended beyond the cylinder and yanked the thing all the way out. What this was doing was limiting the travel of the fuel side of the VRO so that eventually the fuel in the carbs would run out and the engine would die. I just pulled the piston out of the cylinder and pressed the cylinder back into the plastic housing. Seemed to fit pretty tightly still. Put everything back together and she started running again. Just took the boat out today and she ran fine still. I did get the no oil alarm, but the way the alarm works is junk anyway. I was able to figure it out from taking the VRO apart. The oil piston draws oil in then pushes it through a integrated check valve to the mixing chanber. When the oil is forced in it causes a little piston in the path to push up on a tiny rod that extends out to a spring loaded switch and closes a contact. It only pulses periodically so there is a time delay on the alarm. Anyway, I would just recommend taking off the oil end of the VRO and taking a look. You can get to the 4 torx screws with just the engine cover off. The top two screws would allow you to pull off the cover to the area with the no oil switch. Once you pull off the entire oil block look at the oil piston (black, about the size of an eraser) and the metal cylinder it travels in. If it looks like you have the same problem then you will need to pull off the fuel component bracket so you can get the VRO off to dismantel it. Good luck (if you haven't already fixed it).

Happy to be back out in the water,
Jon