Help going nowhere!

[sunbird]

I have a 1990 Johnson 120 VRO. All of a sudden I can't get the boat to plane. Once I get to 3500 RPM's the engine starts to over rev and the boat goes nowhere. I used it yesterday and it was completely fine. Are the gears slipping? How could I check? Could it be just cavitation of the prop?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Help going nowhere!

You may have a spun hub on the prop.If it hasnt cavitated before its probably not now.<br /> Most spun hobs can be repaired by a prop repair shop.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Help going nowhere!

Could be cavitation or a spun prop hub. Easy to check the hub ... put an indelible magic marker mark on the hub and another outside of the black rubber. If the marks move are running the motor and experiencing the symptom, you've got a spun hub ... take the prop to a prop shop and they can press in another hub. It's generally under $50.<br /><br />Generally, cavitation does not continue for very long. Typically, if the motor is correctly trimmed for the boat, most cavitation lasts a few seconds, then the prop grabs and you go. If all else is unchanged, and this suddenly started, it's probably a spun hub.