Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

[CalicoKid]

Hi all, man this board got busy! I'll add to the soup too. Just ran the motor for the first time this season like everyone else. I ran it on muffs in the driveway for around 10 minutes to burn off the fog oil and check everything else out. After it was warmed up a little I noticed that the tops of the Starboard heads were cooler to the touch than the Port heads. Niether was hot, I could hold my hand there all day long.<br /><br />I've read here on this forum something about my kind of motor having issues with temp. control that can cause big trouble. My Pop rebuilt a 115 that had a blown piston and scored cylinder he says was caused by a stuck t-stat.<br /><br />I've also read that replacing the t-stats on my motor is a pain...<br /><br />Should I be worried about taking it out even once? I'd like to take it out tomorrow for a test run. I don't know how much you can tell idling on muffs running ice cold water through the motor, would it be a good idea to run it like normal on the lake and check temps then? What would be a good way to check the temp.?<br /><br />My motor is a 1988 110 hp V4 with the VRO working. This motor has very low hours on it. I have the correct plugs in it. Always runs great except the last run of last season it suddenly killed on me at WOT, restarted got up to WOT 5600 rpm and it killed again as I trimmed up (I can turn 5800 RPM). Wouldn't restart, got towed for 30 minutes and it started at the dock. I haven't been on the lake since but it runs fine in the driveway. I'm only throwing this in incase it might be related to the teperature. And I'd like to test it tomorrow to see if it's going to happen again after snugging up all of my wiring terminals and grounds. Think I'm safe? Should I do T-stats sometime, soon, ASAP or RIGHT NOW! ?? I have a Clymer manual, is this OK for the job?<br /><br />Thanks yall, I wouldn't know jack about boats if it weren't for this furum!

 

[OBJ]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

After re-reading your post, (my bad), why not start the engine up in the drive way and then start trimming up and see if it quits'? Your original post said that it quit while trimming up. This may be associated with a problem in the wire harness.

 

[OBJ]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

Mine does the same thing Kid. Nothing to be worried about....if the starboard bank isn't running at water inlet temp and not warming up at all. The V4's will do this....maybe one of the other guys will correct me...but the intake water reaches the starboard head before the port head. Mr. D. (Dhadley) has posted about this before. (maybe he'll jump in here and add to the post....)<br /><br />If you got got ignition spark to the starboard head and it's warming, should be good to go.

 

[Sherman]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

I would expect it to stop again. Something is wrong and the gurus on this site can really help. I have about the same motor and my wrench told me that my starbord head was running 30 degrees cooler that the port head. But, he didn't know why. He sold me a new powerpack to install on the cool side but it turned out to be a combination of problems solved by a new timer base assembly and fixing a pinched off hose that on my engine ran from the air box to the block. Since you have VRO I'm not sure you have this hose.<br />Joe Reeves mentioned that it could also be caused by a bad thermostat since these engines have a separate thermostat on each side. They are a real pain to replace. Go to the lake but don't get far from the dock.

 

[Basscat 1]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

This post may help. It talks about venting trapped air in the starboard head. web page <br />If you havent changed the t-stats and water pump in a couple of years, I would suggest you do it.

 

[tonyscj5]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

If your motor is like my 95 130, the Tstats are a snap. You can take them out and test them by placeing in hot water and watching them expand.<br /><br />good luck

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

Thanks you guys for the input and suggestions. If I'm interpreting the common V4 temp issue correctly it seems the Starboard heads run hotter when there is an issue, mine seems cooler. Well I plan to get it out on the bay tomorrow (weather permitting) and see how it runs and feel up the heads again. I'll post a note on what I find.<br /><br />My water pump is entirely new. I've replaced impellers every season for three years because my water pressure has always been lowish and I run in shallow water and a sand bottom. My skeg has no paint on it just like everyone else around here. Last season I replaced the impeller, pump body and liner and whatever else came with the OMC kit. My pressure gauge reads 1 or 2 pounds at idle but will rise to 6 or 7 if I plug the indicator hole with my finger. At higher RPMs I'm getting over ten pounds of pressure. The indicator frequently stops peeing until I pull the hose and blow back down it and reconnect it. I usually watch the exhaust ports for water indicating the pump is working.<br /><br />As far as the killing issue goes, good idea on trimming it while running to see if it's related, although I don't think it is. The first time it killed I was running WOT at nearly full out trim for a good fifteen minutes before it died. I'll try that tomorrow though while idling around a few hundred yards from the dock before I venture further. I really suspect my ignition switch is bad or there is/was a loose connection or bad ground somewhere. I found a few ground ring terminals that were in need of snugging up on the engine block. Everything else wiring wise LOOKS good. The whole motor looks like new really (except the skeg).<br /><br />Thanks again, I'll be back here tomorrow or Saturday and update my status. Have a good day yall!

 

[Basscat 1]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

If I'm interpreting the common V4 temp issue correctly it seems the Starboard heads run hotter when there is an issue, mine seems cooler.

No, the Starboard heads run hotter, period, unless there is a problem with the port side.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

I have a pair of 1987 1.6L V4s @ 110 hp. Water pressure at idle is 6-8 lbs and 18-20 at WOT with 1 year on the water pumps.<br /><br />And yes replacing the thermostats is a bear but can be done by the driveway wrench. Check the red search at the top of the page as there are a number of posts on this.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

Hello, I ran her on the bay today. My water pressure was about the same as yours SoLittle, I guess the muffs don't give a good reading. Actually when idling in nuetral the gauge reads about 1 pound (unless I plug the indicator, then it's 6-7) but jumps up to 6-7 when in gear at around 1000 rpm. Anything over that and I'm getting around 20 pounds so I think I'm OK there.<br /><br />I warmed the motor up and then made several half mile passes at WOT for about 15 minutes. I trimmed the motor out on each pass and was able to obtain 50 mph at 5800 rpm like usual. The motor ran flawlessly, never died or sputtered.<br /><br />A storm is blowing in so we beat it back to the ramp and trailered it. I pulled the hood once on the trailer and felt the heads. Both sides were warm but the port was warmer and the starboard cooler. I could hold my fingers on them both without any pain or anything but the difference between heads was noticeable, maybe 20 degrees. And both sides were much warmer than when on the muffs. I suppose I'd get the best indication if I would turn off the key immediatly after a WOT pass and check the heads with some sort of thermometer, but I didn't. How would a tech or mechanic do it?<br /><br />Basscat and OBJ, you seem to be contradicting each other on which side tends to run hotter. I'm going to search the forum a little and see if I can find more. <br /><br />Anyway I'm planning to put a fer sale sign on it this weekend (not because of the above) and I want to make sure I'm not giving the next lucky owner a headache. I've just been thinking of getting a boat I can walk around on more, the Baja bowrider is pretty tight on interior space. But I'm asking premium price for it so I might end up keeping it for the year so I need it running right for me too. I am not offering this boat to any iboats members BTW just letting ya know what's going on.<br /><br />Thanks once more, any more insight would be much appreciated. Maybe I'm fretting over nothing, I hope so! Enjoy the weekend evryone!

 

[OBJ]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

Maybe me and BassCat otta' meet somewhere inbetween Ohio and Texas and just fish and drink a load of beer....LOL.....I'm going to take the 90' out this weekend (weather permitting...and right now it don't look real good... ) I'll do a check and see which side runs cooler. Then me and BassCat can square off.....Longneck Buds at 10 paces.......don't wanna' drop any....that'd be alcohol abuse.....LOL> In any event, we'll let ya' know what's going on.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

HaHa OK, I'm not going to worry about it too much but I'd like to know what's going on and what SHOULD be going on. I'm likely staying off the water until maybe late Monday afternoon. That's when the Wisconsin Illinios border starts to move south again. I really appreciate your attention to the matter and your willingness to put yourself in harms way (dueling with Buds) for my sake. Hope the weather works out for you, our forecast has been improving somewhat just lately. Take care.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Johnson 110 V4 Starboard heads cooler than Port?

Had the boat out again today. I was out for most of the day, mostly floating around but burned up a few gallons of gas going from spot to spot. Never died, always fired right up. That's a good thing except I felt like I needed to stay close to home incase I had a breakdown. The ramp was a spectacle. My favorite was a guy with a Pontiac Grand Am and Bayliner combo complete with compact spare on the trailer clogging the West ramp up with a dead boat battery. No jerks out though, everyone was being great and helping each other. Made for a nice day, perfect weather too!<br /><br />I think it's beer time.. the T-stats can wait another day....