'73 85HP Johnny stalls in gear

[fmanerchia]

My 85 HP 4 stroke sat out the last two seasons (L/U problems.) We put it in the water 3 weeks ago and just drove it from the slip to the dock, it started right up and drove without a problem. Last weekend, I got prepared to take her out. She started right up but as we pushed off, she kept stalling when I put her in gear. My brother-in-law, who's great with car engines, started messing with the screw on the idle arm for the upper carbs (there is no screw on the lower carbs' idle arm.) Now, you need to really goose the warm up lever to get her to start. Then, she's either over revving or stalling. I'm pretty sure that I've got to service the carburetor. Will I just need to soak it and blow it out or should I put a repair kit in? Six years ago, when I first bought the boat, he put kits in the carbs and adjusted the ignition advance screw, not really knowing what it was. As a result, the idle speed adjustment screw is screwed all of the way in. It ran OK (as far as I knew) all of that time. Which should be done first, the carbureter work or a link & sync? How should I start the link and sync? The manual says that the full spark adjustment screw should be out 1/4 to 3/8", mine is out 1/2 to 3/4". Should I make adjustments to this screw first?
Thank you in advance,
Frank

 

[jtexas]

Re: '73 85HP Johnny stalls in gear

I don't think anybody was making 4-stroke outboards in 1973.

If you're taking carbs apart, get the kits. I'd recommend the cheaper kits, without new floats - they're probably ok. If you've decided to do the carbs, no point doing the link & sync first. If it sat out two years without running, the carbs probably need to be done.

If you (or someone you know) adjusted the spark adjust screw without knowing what you (or he) was doing, you'll probably need a timing light to get it back where it should be.

Get the kits, clean the carbs, then go through the link & sync step by step per the manual. If it's not the original factory shop manual, I highly recommend getting one, they have 'em at kencook.com. Then if you have questions along the way, post 'em here.

I would strongly discourage you from running it like it is - if a cylinder or two is lean at idle, then they aren't getting sufficient lubrication. And if the timing is far enough out, it could end badly. But don't worry, you can do it!

Let us know how it turns out.