Are my symptoms consistant with bad coils?

[Mike Giglio]

I'm quessing maybe my coils are breaking down. My motor started a few times and ran well enough for me to travel 5 miles. i fished for about 5-10 minutes and tried to start the motor. I had to tilt it to get it started. Then the motor ran well once I got it started five miles back. I had trouble starting it again, tilted the motor and then the motor ran real crappy, bogged out in gear, total loss of power. I played with the low speeed adjustments a bit, and the motor started to take the throttle in gear, probably just a coincidance, since it ran so well in gear on the way out. I'm thinking my problem may not be carbs,it may be coils. They are 35bucks and at this point, i'm gonna buy two to eliminate them as a poss-ibility. The green housing on the two lower coils seems to have a crack on the motor side of the coil. One coil looks pretty new. This is a 72 65hp johnson. Are my symptoms consistant with bad coils?

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Are my symptoms consistant with bad coils?

If you can start the engine simply by changing the vertical position of it, that would have absolutely nothing to do with the coils or any portion of the ignition for that matter.<br /><br />In tilting the engine, what you are doing is changing the level of the carburetor floats, and also creating a difficult fuel flow to the pistons.<br /><br />It sounds like you have carburetors that are flooding the crankcase with fuel. If so, the cure would be to remove, clean, and rebuild all of them.

 

[Mike Giglio]

Re: Are my symptoms consistant with bad coils?

I have had the carbs apart a few times. They seem super clean inside. I put new floats and needle vavles in. There is no low spped jet to take out, just a needle valve. Did I do the floats wrong Reeves. I adjusted the float so the tip of the float opposite the hinge pin was<br />even with the base of the carb when held upside down. The float was bent slightly lower and when viewed from the end, withouth the gasket in place,and holding the casting upside down, you see the surface of the casting and the float with no airspace. I noticed your post said it should be slightly higher than the hinge pin. Mine is slighlty bent down from the hinge pin with the base held upside down. Did I do this wrong Reeves. I believe your post said to bend the float slighly higher, so holding the casting upside down, the float should be slightly higher than the hinge pin. I have run the motor with the floats level originally, then adjusted them slightly lower. What I did is opposite what youy said I think. I'm so sick of tearing the carbs down, Ive had them off three times and can take them off rather quickly. Sorry I'm so spastic Reeves, I tried to follow your low speed adjustment procedure and when I turned the low speed screw in on the two top carbs, the motor didn't sputter. Maybe because my floats are all screwed up. The low spped needle comes out but is there a low speed jet to clean, take out, change, etc.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Are my symptoms consistant with bad coils?

When I had a coil problem with mu 85 Evenrude, it ran fine for about 10 minutes, then it failed while running. I think they show failure more often after they get warmed up.

 

[Goodoleboy]

Re: Are my symptoms consistant with bad coils?

This is for other people new to the forum. Please dont make new post when you are working on the same engine.<br /><br />When you have two or more post on same motor, Most all the really good wrenches lose intrest real quick.<br /><br />When you clean carbs its very very important to clear all passages with compressed air.<br /><br />Removal of welch plugs is also very important step.<br /><br />A spray can of engine tuner from Johnson dealer works real good for cuting crud from carbs and follow up with compressed air.<br /><br />Also check for lose lead shot plugs. If you can wriggle them with a sharp probe, You can bet they are sucking air around them. Tighten em up with flat tiped punch.<br /><br />When useing air hose to clear carbs. Dont ever think its a good idea to give the reeds a shot or two of high pressured air blast. It will destroy them.<br /><br />Useing a small dia. wire to clear jets is also a good idea. But be sure its not a tight fit, If it breaks off inside jet then you have another problem.<br /><br />I wouldnt spend money on new coils just yet. Not until you are absolutley certian carbs are good as new.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[billaranguren@yahoo.com]

Re: Are my symptoms consistant with bad coils?

Tilting the engine may be changing the backpressure. <br /><br />Other than the tilting part, my son-in-law had somewhat similar symptoms on a 1980 Rude 175HP. Cleaned the carbs several times. Finally took it to the dealer. Dealer replaced 3 coils and engine is back in tip-top running order - for a 25 year old engine.

 

[Mike Giglio]

Re: Are my symptoms consistant with bad coils?

Thanks for the info on posting and letting me know not to have multiple posts on the same motor. I apologize for not following the forum rules and will pay attention to that in the future. I must sound real desperate, having had the carbs off a few times, not being able to follow low speed adjusting technique, and missing out on some fine bass fishing and weather in ny with this motor trouble. Sorry for being redundant. I'll try cleaning the carbs again real good and setting the floats properly, check the low speed needles for damaged tips and take it from there. Thank you guys for being patient.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: Are my symptoms consistant with bad coils?

When you have had these carbs' apart, did you replace the nylon bearing at the seat of the low speed needle valves, what about the needle valve retainer? How did you install that? If you did not replace the low speed needle seat, it is probably turned to mush on this age engine, and is doing nothing at all. The float is set level with the carb casting. Slightly up, or down will make little, or no difference on your engine, so just set it level. Sync, and link is important on this engine. With the engine at idle, loosen all carb throttle link screw's. If the idle change's, you are not in sync.What manual are you dealing with?

 

[krb113]

Re: Are my symptoms consistant with bad coils?

I just read this post and as Goodoleboy says it is real confusing to re-do a post. I went back, read your other post and found out what you were originally talking about and now I know where we are.<br /><br />Been there and played this game with my 20 Johnny! Started out of nowhere and made me want to cry! NOTHING I did made it quit ( all of the above that you are sayin'/tryin'). Then I used the SAME plastic gas tank on another motor and I'LL BE DIPPED IN A PLASTIC FUEL TANK!! if that didn't make THAT motor run stupid too.<br /><br />Hooked it back to an original metal tank and you could walk up the bank to your truck and get some items with that motor just idling as smooth as it WAS before hooking to the plastic tank.<br /><br />To make a long story longer, CHECK that fuel supply more times than you think necessary!!! Could be that there is nothing wrong with your engine, just $5 (goodies?) that screw you up.