Carbs/Float???

[Xandre]

Re: Carbs/Float???

there are a lot of experts here, they will help out.

Yeah I'm surprised nobody else has chimed in.

If it was just trash and I find it was flushed out and fine today I'll be thrilled. I just put the boat in the water for the season and don't want to take it out again.

 

[Xandre]

Re: Carbs/Float???

I couldn't find the model number on the motor. I must be looking int he wrong place....?

I put seafoam in the tank today and tried to get things running. Started right up but still wasn't moving much. I motor out a bit and for a moment or two the engine had life and I was planing but then she died back down. Gas still coming out of the carb.I anchored for about 45 minutes and then started her back up. Starts up perfectly...idling better than ever. I start to move and WOW she is FLYING faster than she has gone in a long long time!

BUT...then the motor dies out again. I have to wait another 30 mins to get things started back up and make my way back to the dock.

So a question is how much gas with Seafoam in it do I need to burn through for the Seafoam to have an effect? The fact that I was going faster than I had in years, if even briefly, makes me wonder if I need to let the Seafoam keep running through the engine for a while longer?

I could keep things from stalling out easier if I turned the high speed knob 90 degrees clockwise....

I doubt I even used 1 gallon of gas/oil/seafoam mix when I went out tonight.

Any thoughts or experience out there with seafoam?

I know that the carb is going to need a rebuild and I'm working on that but am trying to fiddle with things in the short term until Monday.

 

[Daviet]

Re: Carbs/Float???

I run sea foam in everything all the time. Some on here will call it a snake oil fix, and don't beleave in it. Many engines that I use around the place don't get run sometimes for a month or so and I beleave it helps.

 

[Xandre]

Re: Carbs/Float???

I run sea foam in everything all the time. Some on here will call it a snake oil fix, and don't beleave in it. Many engines that I use around the place don't get run sometimes for a month or so and I beleave it helps.

So should I go out tomorrow and let it burn through the rest of the tank to see if it makes a difference?

If the float were stuck then I wouldn't be getting the engine to open up now then, right? Must be a dirty carb?

 

[Daviet]

Re: Carbs/Float???

Go ahead and run it.
The float can stick and then break loose, could be the sea foam helped clean the needle/seat.
Keep running it and see what happens.

 

[kolkovich34]

Re: Carbs/Float???

hey man, this issue seems like the problem i was just having. i have a 1979 johnson 35hp. i took it out the first time, ran great. 2nd time, took it out and i had issues keeping it running, cleaned out the carb but than i didn't change out the old cruddy gas lines. replaced the gas lines and looked at the carb again to find out that where the float is hinged, there is a very small point that only goes up and down by gravity, it's about 1/2 inch long. this point was actually sticking and not falling back down like it should have been, (so the bowl would fill up as i primed it, than i could start it up and it would seem to run for about 2 minutes, than same thing would happen.) so we pulled it out and it had a white creamy film on it. carb cleaned the hell out it and the rest of the carb. just took it out and had no problems. ran about 30 minutes than it got dark no lights.

not sure if this will help, but hope it does

 

[Xandre]

Re: Carbs/Float???

Go ahead and run it.
The float can stick and then break loose, could be the sea foam helped clean the needle/seat.
Keep running it and see what happens.

OK, I'll do that thanks.

What about the model number? Typically, where on the motor is this located?

 

[kolkovich34]

Re: Carbs/Float???

OK, I'll do that thanks.

What about the model number? Typically, where on the motor is this located?

either somewhere on the motor itself (around the carb area) or on the underside of the motor cover.

 

[Xandre]

Re: Carbs/Float???

hey man, this issue seems like the problem i was just having. i have a 1979 johnson 35hp. i took it out the first time, ran great. 2nd time, took it out and i had issues keeping it running, cleaned out the carb but than i didn't change out the old cruddy gas lines. replaced the gas lines and looked at the carb again to find out that where the float is hinged, there is a very small point that only goes up and down by gravity, it's about 1/2 inch long. this point was actually sticking and not falling back down like it should have been, (so the bowl would fill up as i primed it, than i could start it up and it would seem to run for about 2 minutes, than same thing would happen.) so we pulled it out and it had a white creamy film on it. carb cleaned the hell out it and the rest of the carb. just took it out and had no problems. ran about 30 minutes than it got dark no lights.

not sure if this will help, but hope it does

Hey thanks for sharing! Were you experiencing fuel coming out of your carb and spilling?

A concern here is that my float is stuck but I have yet to take the carb apart. The boat is in the water and I don't want to work on it while it's docked. Getting it out and on a trailer is a logistical problem due to the location of the boat, the trailer and the launch.

Gonna run it tmw and see what happens but looks like I'm gonna have to rebuild the carb and I'm nervous to try.

 

[Xandre]

Re: Carbs/Float???

either somewhere on the motor itself (around the carb area) or on the underside of the motor cover.

Thank you. I will look again tmw morning. gonna need that carb kit

 

[kolkovich34]

Re: Carbs/Float???

i did not have dripping. first things first, do the easy stuff, u have a "drain" plug at the lower part of the carb, make sure that's tight along with the other screws (4) around it maybe? could be a seal? pull it apart first and look at the seal to see if there are any cuts or tears, doesn't take much to cause a leak

 

[Xandre]

Re: Carbs/Float???

i did not have dripping. first things first, do the easy stuff, u have a "drain" plug at the lower part of the carb, make sure that's tight along with the other screws (4) around it maybe? could be a seal? pull it apart first and look at the seal to see if there are any cuts or tears, doesn't take much to cause a leak

I haven't noticed a drain plug but I will be sure to look for it first thing tmw morning. I don't want to take too much apart while it's in the water. I might have to wait until next week to pull it out on a trailer and take things apart.

Which seal are you referring to?

 

[kolkovich34]

Re: Carbs/Float???

as you pull the carb apart, there's a main seal that goes around it. cant miss it

 

[Xandre]

Re: Carbs/Float???

OK Thanks. Looks like I better order the rebuild kit!

 

[Xandre]

Re: Carbs/Float???

I run sea foam in everything all the time. Some on here will call it a snake oil fix, and don't beleave in it. Many engines that I use around the place don't get run sometimes for a month or so and I beleave it helps.

So you put Seafoam in every tank of gas you use? There is no adverse effect on the motor from this?

 

[stanleyclan5]

Re: Carbs/Float???

i just bought a carb kit from crowleymarine.com for a 73 40 horse johnson was like 20 bucks came with everything float and all .

 

[Scubaproh20]

Re: Carbs/Float???

You'll have to pull the carb in order to fix your problem no amount of sea foam will dislodge a chunk of cork or fix the needle seat. It sounds and looks intimidating but once you've done it you'll feel good about not bringing it in and spending hundreds.

 

[Xandre]

Re: Carbs/Float???

You'll have to pull the carb in order to fix your problem no amount of sea foam will dislodge a chunk of cork or fix the needle seat. It sounds and looks intimidating but once you've done it you'll feel good about not bringing it in and spending hundreds.

I know....I think I'm coming to terms with the fact there is no way around this.

Just looked at your photos on photo bucket..WOW...sweet boat! You customized it for diving? Very cool.

 

[lindy46]

Re: Carbs/Float???

If motor is electric start, you'll probably have to loosen or possibly remove the starter to get to the starboard bolt which holds the carb on. Then remove the port side bolt, the linkage and gas line and the carb comes right off. I've done it many times while the boat was in the water. Once off, tear into the carb on a workbench. Clean out all the passages real good, remove the welch plug on the top of the carb and clean the idle circuit below the plug. I use a twistie tie wire to clean out the small orifices. Use lots of spray carb cleaner and blow everything out thoroughly. Install the new carb kit and put the carb back together. You can check to make sure the float isn't sticking by blowing into the fuel inlet. With the carb upright, air should flow through, with it upside down, no air should flow.

 

[clemsonfor]

Re: Carbs/Float???

Carbs are not hard. Im a handy man and was intimidated at first but these are nothing like an auto carb, much simpler. Take a good digi cam and take pics of the linkages if worried about where things go. Print them out at home as refferences when you get back. Buy the kits and floats. Even if you buy aftermarket kits you can buy the float seperate, its not like OE is the only maker of them. You can do it take you time and pay attention to what you do. Take the first apart slowly and lay everything out and then replace those parts with new ones from the kit. If you have bulk cleaner its best to soak it. Even soaking in gas will help some. Then blow everything out with compressed air. I have done so many Johson single float carbs i could do them with my eyes closed. Im sure there is a video on Youtube, i even think i have seen one linked to on here somewhere.

Most will tell you to get a manual, they are a huge help you can get them on ebay keep checking, but there not essential for carbs as there so easy.

NO you fooling with the lean/rich knobs has nothing to do with your problem. Once you understand how these simple carbs work it will make sense. There just controlling a needle vavle for AIR flow either at idle or WOT. These controls have nothing to do with the float or fload postion or the needle valve in the fuel inlet. Be very leary of that Mechanic, he may have misunderstood you but why lie? I would hope he could fix it, its just kind of odd?

I had a problem restarting after sitting for say 30 mins it was due to flooding, i had a paint chip holding a needle valve open causing it to flood, running no trouble unless you throttled down to fast and you would cut out from overfueling.

You can do this. Dont worry about dropping stuff over the carbs are in the front and basically almost hang over the boat. The model number is on the bracket where the motor bolts to the transom. Its a metal serial number tag like school districts use for property. On newer motors say 80s on there are freeze plugs located somewhere on the heads. They also have the model numbers of the engine on them. There about the size of a quater and made of AL, at least thats the color they are.