'63 40hp Johnson

[RJWells]

My '63 Johnson 40hp outboard (recently purchased) starts up easy. It won't idle down. It will only run about 2 - 5 min. before it dies out. It sometimes surges. I started it up in a barrel of water after the last time out. I got a whole bunch of oil on top of the water ... old black oil. Does anyone have a clue what is going on. Shoud I dump this outfit at the used car dealer??

 

[jfm1]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

no dealer yet lol #1 do a compression test #2 do a spark test post back the results, what you see in the water is unburned fuel they all leave some behind.

 

[lark2004]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

Welcome aboard, <br /><br />you have a very popular motor with many of us here. With some even collecting them!<br /><br />Could be carb problems too. Get a kit (the one with a plastic float) and rebuild the carb. Be sure to get everything spotlessly clean, soak the parts in carb claener and blow out with compressed air. Do not re-use any old gaskets.<br /><br />Also check for leaking vacumme hoses, and make sure all the fuel lines are in good condition.<br />Since you only just got motor, replace the water pump.<br /><br />When you do the spark test, make sure that the spark can jump at least 3/8". If it fails to do this, then the spark will fail under compression.<br /><br />Also make sure that you run a 24:1 fuel to oil mix, using tc-w3 oil and regular gas.

 

[RJWells]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

It's probably more than unburned fuel, JM. We ran it in the barrel again, this time longer. It now is better described as sludge on the water! <br /><br />24:1, lark? Wow! I thought I was running it kinda' rich on oil at 40:1!<br /><br />BTW, I am a novice at this stuff.<br /><br />Thanks for the input so far.<br /><br />RJW

 

[jfm1]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

unburned fuel will look like sludge in a barrel.

 

[RJWells]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

Originally posted by jim matthews:<br /> unburned fuel will look like sludge in a barrel.

You are right. It smells like gasoline.<br /><br /><br />Compression: 90psi, both cylinders. Good spark. Plugs are wet w/gas.<br /><br />RJW

 

[Bill from canada]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

About 20 years ago, I bought a 1963 40 hpr Evinrude. I like the rolling wake it throws. It also has a distinctive lower rev sound.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the gas tank & lines we use are as old as the motor.

 

[lark2004]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

Rebuild the carb. As I said. Get a kit that contains a new plastic float, and when you install it, make sure it sits level with the casting when you hold it upsidedown.<br /><br />Lightly seat both top and bottom needles (don't tighten them right up, you will damage the taper). Then back the top one (idle) out 1-1/4 turns, and the bottom one (high speed) out 3/8 turn.<br /><br />This will have you in the ball park. After that you will need to adjust the needles to suit your engine. Only make small adjustments, and give it minute to respond to the change.

 

[RJWells]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

Originally posted by lark2004:<br /> Rebuild the carb. As I said. Get a kit that contains a new plastic float, ...

This web site does not have a carb kit for the '63 40hp that has a float with it. Do you know where I can get a kit w/float? Also, for the water pump, only the impeller is available on this site. Any help is appreciated.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />RJW@

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

You may get one from your local dealer (only a couple bucks more) or from an online johnson/evinrude dealer like maxrules.com. The aftermarket kits don't come with a float.

 

[RJWells]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

Jim Matthews said to do a compression check and post back the results. Did that: 90psi in both cylinders. Does anyone know if this is good, bad, or somewhere in between??

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

That's pretty normal. Consider yourself good to go.<br /><br />When you get the engine running good, you should think about giving it a good decarb (see roscoe's post in the FAQ forum). Often you'll pick up a few PSI as one or more piston rings may be stuck from carbon/coke.<br /><br />Does pumping the primer bulb while it's idling help/harm/do nothing?

 

[RJWells]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

Originally posted by Paul Moir:<br /> Does pumping the primer bulb while it's idling help/harm/do nothing?

I don't really know! I've only had this boat a couple of weeks, and only out on the water once. I knew the last owner, so I knew it ran OK. The one time I had it on the water I found that it won't idle and that it surges once in a while and it dies out after running about 5 min. <br /><br />Thanks for the reply. Now I am pretty certain that I only have to do some normal maintenance to get her running good.<br /><br />RJW

 

[oldboat1]

Re: '63 40hp Johnson

I think that motor has the hot water choke. They seem to work really nicely (had a '61 Lark), but I've never had to troubleshoot one that wasn't working. I bring it up because the choke might be a problem on your motor. Maybe Lark2004 or one of the other listers could help there. Since the choke operates off water temperature, a working thermostat would seem to be critical. I'm guessing that the choke would remain in the full choke position if the t.stat was stuck in the open position (i.e., no hot water to the choke, or at least a delay in getting sufficiently hot water to open the choke).