I give up!!!

[James Keller]

i bought a 1984 Johnson 115 hp that ran like crap.....I tore apart and cleaned up the carb witch looked in good shape. Still runs like crap!! New trigger.... New stator... New power packs.... New coils, plugs and wires!!! Still runs like crap!!! I took the carb back off and noticed that one of the top "jets" or "vents" not sure what they are called has been soldered shut!! their located just before the butterflies.....I cleaned out the solder and it is a smaller size than the rest of them... I'm lost here why would some one do that?? I'm guessing to compensate for something else but what???

 

[V153]

How does it run now ...? Kidding.

Did you remove the jets while cleaning the carbs? Do the numbers match?

That motor should have type III carbs. Meaning idle, mid, and high speed jets.

Technically the one's yer referring to are called "idle air bleed orifices". But "jets" will suffice ...

 

[James Keller]

LOL....I did not remove them.... I just sprayed carb cleaner through everything... Over looked it when cleaning... It is a smaller size than the others....

 

[James Keller]

I also just found out from the previous owner that the Motor had been rebuilt.... Would that be why they did that sence the motor has need bored out.... Maby to get more fuel???

 

[V153]

Umm ... plugging a jet would result in less fuel? Contrary to popular belief boring a cylinder oversize don't mean ya gotta rush out'n buy new jets. You're really not increasing the displacement by all that much?

 

[gm280]

Isn't this a repeat post on the very same subject? I think I responded to this same subject recently...?

 

[V153]

Isn't this a repeat post on the very same subject? I think I responded to this same subject recently...?

Thanks GM. I thought so too. But my memory ain't so good these days ...

 

[James Keller]

Sorry guys!! This is from a recent post ... I replace the jet so every thing is correct size now ( .034) but no change.... Just trying to pick everyone's brain again.....I even put the old soldered on back in thinking some one was trying to compensate for something I'm overlooking....

 

[MTboatguy]

Define, "runs like crap" telling us that it "runs like crap" is not a good way to describe what your motor is doing, low end is bad, high end is bad, won't idle, give us a little more to go on and perhaps we can help you figure out what is going on. There is a whole bunch of things that can make a motor "run like crap"

 

[racerone]

So it was rebuilt.------What are the compression numbers today ?----Orange wires to the top coils are both with a blue stripe ?

 

[Joe Reeves]

What you're doing is simply throwing parts at that engine with no idea of what the problem is. You need first to trouble shoot the engine in order to pinpoint the problem area.... mechanical, ignition, or fuel. Then, and only then can you start to solve the problem.

1 - Remove all spark plugs and take a compression reading of all cylinders. What are the individual compression PSI readings? The reading should be in the area of 100 psi and fairly even to each other.

2 - With all the spark plugs still removed, rig a spark tester whereas you can set a 7/16" gap for the spark to jump. The spark should be a strong blue lightning like flame... a real SNAP! Is it?

3 - Now, if the above two areas are as they should be, the remaining area would be fuel.

If you do not perform the first two troubling shooting steps, we cannot help you.

NOTE.... Any jet that is located in thre open air measures "air", not "fuel", and as such, downsizing or plugging the ID completely enrichens the fuel flow!

 

[James Keller]

I replaced the trigger cause it had cracks in it. The stator also had big cracks. On the regulator you could see the green board under the Epoxy was corroded and soldered looked melted. The one power pack was bad and every one said that if I replaced that I should replace both. One coil was bad one had a crack and one was melted and oozing its epoxy down the back side. All of the wiring had cracks. So i replaced everything. I wasn't trying to thro parts at it ....tho my check book felt like it. I put new gas lines, vacuum lines and primer bulb. Compression is 105. Timing is set at 24. When I say it runs like crap here is what I mean... Hard to start... When I get it started its hard to explain but i would call it a "sneeze" and some times is just dies.....

 

[James Keller]

So it was rebuilt.------What are the compression numbers today ?----Orange wires to the top coils are both with a blue stripe ?

Compression is 105 and orange wires yes no blue on them.... They are all new after market

 

[James Keller]

Define, "runs like crap" telling us that it "runs like crap" is not a good way to describe what your motor is doing, low end is bad, high end is bad, won't idle, give us a little more to go on and perhaps we can help you figure out what is going on. There is a whole bunch of things that can make a motor "run like crap"[/QUOTE

It's hard to start ... Once started runs rough and its hard to describe but I call it a "sneeze" and sometimes it just dies....

 

[James Keller]

What you're doing is simply throwing parts at that engine with no idea of what the problem is. You need first to trouble shoot the engine in order to pinpoint the problem area.... mechanical, ignition, or fuel. Then, and only then can you start to solve the problem.



1 - Remove all spark plugs and take a compression reading of all cylinders. What are the individual compression PSI readings? The reading should be in the area of 100 psi and fairly even to each other.

2 - With all the spark plugs still removed, rig a spark tester whereas you can set a 7/16" gap for the spark to jump. The spark should be a strong blue lightning like flame... a real SNAP! Is it?

3 - Now, if the above two areas are as they should be, the remaining area would be fuel.

If you do not perform the first two troubling shooting steps, we cannot help you.

NOTE.... Any jet that is located in thre open air measures "air", not "fuel", and as such, downsizing or plugging the ID completely enrichens the fuel flow!

Enriches..... That meaning more fuel?? So when they soldered that air jet they were trying to give it more fuel?? Or am I backwords on that?

 

[1983 ercoa 21']

Sounds like a lean sneeze. Are all the air bleeds (jets) at factory size ? Make sure someone hasn't changed them for a altitude adjustment. Have you checked your fuel pump?

 

[rothfm]

Go back to Joe's Post #15...Prove things good one at a time. Methodical troubleshooting. Tell us the result of those questions.

 

[James Keller]

The jets are all factory sizes ( idle ones are #34 and the mids are #27 And the fuel pump is new..... I did notice that if I keep choking it at the key or the red lever at the choke it runs better....... Thoughts???

 

[1983 ercoa 21']

Get on eBay and get a set of carbs . If you have clened the carbs and still have fuel issues there could be something in a passage you will never get out . Have you checked for play in the butterfly shaft they will wear there and cause a vac leak . One thing I would do is remove the silencer all of it ,start it and spray around the shaft and base with wd40 or carb cleaner if rps change when squirting in a certain area that means you have a vac leak which will cause the lean sneeze.

 

[racerone]

Having to use the primer to help it run simply SCREAMS that there are carburetor problems.----But carburetors respond to air being drawn through them.-----What if the motor is not pulling air through them.---Proper trouble shooting needs to be done !