Johnson 48 trouble?

Jbridered

Seaman
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Messages
50
I have a 1993 johnson 48 and while going full throttle it suddenly went down to about idle and then would kick back up to normal. It then went back down and stayed. I pumped the bulb while running full throttle and it made no difference. I pulled the boat out of the water and clean the carbs that were already clean just to find that wasnt the problem. When i put it back in the water and cranked the motor it idled rough until i pulled the lower plug wire. How can my motor run smooth or better with the bottom plug wire pulled. Could this be a powerpack issue? This motor has never compared to the speed and power of my old 1983 evinrude 50 with the same prop.
 

bktheking

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
5,057
Re: Johnson 48 trouble?

Did you try pulling the lower plug and inspecting the plug? Could be a bad plug, wrong plugs, bad gap, bad plug wire.
 

kenmyfam

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
14,392
Re: Johnson 48 trouble?

Time for the basic health check.
Compression
Spark
Fuel delivery
Plug condition
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Johnson 48 trouble?

OK, you need to mark you flywheel and test with a timing light. you will find the timing pointer next to the flywheel, not pull you plugs, hold a pencil in the plug hole rotate the flywheel until the piston is all the way out. put a mark on the flywheel at the pointer. do the same on for the other piston. now with a induction timing light. see of the plugs are firing at the same time. this does happen occasionally, and it is a power pack or timing plate problem.
 

Jbridered

Seaman
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Messages
50
Re: Johnson 48 trouble?

Yeah i had some plug wires from my old 50hp and it made no difference. Both spark plugs looked fine but i guess i could try some new ones. I really think its a tiiming problem and thanks for all the advice.
 
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