engine KICK??

[saracenswing]

hey there, i've completely overhauled an old 74 johnson 35 outboard. it idles very smooth, but as soon as i throttle up it starts to "kick" every now and then. the more throttle the more frequent the kick. is this a timing problem, gas tank vent issue, malfunctioning points/condensers?? any help would be great. thanks. Mike

 

[jtexas]

Re: engine KICK??

is it a hi-speed miss? or does it feel like you're hitting a stump? if the answer is "stump" you're looking at a worn clutch dog. or possibly a shift cable adjustment.

if it's a hi-speed miss, might want to re-check your float height adjustment.

Also, please check on the year/hp, maybe give us a model number - by 1974 I believe all these motors had electronic ignition, and there wasn't a 35hp that year anyway. But I knew the year was a typo, soon as I saw the word "old" used to describe a 1974 Johnson.

welcome to the forum.

 

[saracenswing]

Re: engine KICK??

yeah sorry, it's a 1976 35hp Johnson. I can get you the model number later. But it's exactly as you described it, "hitting a stump". Im going to check the cable first then clutch dog. It only seems to happen when the motor is torqueing. At a troll it never kicks, as soon as i throttle up it kicks a bit. At full throttle it kicks every two seconds or so. Thanks so much for the help. Im learning as im going. Mike

 

[F_R]

Re: engine KICK??

That's a classic clutch dog and forward gear description. The more it kicks the more it wears. It pays to fix it early-on before it beats the linkage apart too.