Johnson 85 takes forever to start and get warmed up

[Ilovefishing]

First off it is a 1978 Johnson Javelin 85, when I first put in the water it will take 5 or more minutes to get it started and idling. Then once it does idle for 5 or so minutes sitting still when we take off like yesterday I had it WOT and we were going 5 MPH for a good 5-10 minutes before it started finally picking up more RPM's and opening up (I don't know how many RPMs because the speedo and tach doesn't work) I used a GPS for speed. Any idea where to start looking for the problem? This is my first big outboard (Only other was a 9.9 Johnson) Also once it warms up the first time it starts with a bump of the key, but it does always take a little bit to get on plane, the previous owner told me that before I bought it, I thought a hydrofoil would help it but it didn't. I am not as worried about the time it takes to come up on place as I am the getting it started and warmed up.

A little more info, its on a 1983 Skeeter 16'

 

[Ilovefishing]

Also should mention and I may be doing it incorrectly. My choke is a toggle switch under the key (Factory evinrude controls) I only push it up and I hear the click in the engine then try to start it, then I will do it again after a few tries, Am I suppose to hold that choke toggle up or just click it up?

 

[racerone]

Yes you are supposed to hold the switch on while cranking and till motor fires up..---That holds the choke plates closed for near instant starts on these fine motors.---If motor does not start quickly there is something wrong !!

 

[Ilovefishing]

Yes you are supposed to hold the switch on while cranking and till motor fires up..---That holds the choke plates closed for near instant starts on these fine motors.---If motor does not start quickly there is something wrong !!

Thank you!!! I got to thinking about that after I got home from lake yesterday. I would only pull the switch up and hear it click and let off of it and then I would try to fire it up. That makes me feel alot better and can't wait to get back to lake next weekend. Like I said I wondered what could be wrong because after initial getting it started it starts fine rest of day.

Any idea why it takes so long to warm up after it is started? It was atleast a full 10 minutes after I got it started yesterday that even WOT we were only going 4-5MPH until it finally started picking up any speed, then once it started going we ran 36 MPH with a boat full of gear, 2 men over 200 lbs.

 

[racerone]

These motor warm-up very quickly !!------I suggest you check the thermostat or verno-therm if it has that.-----Also do a compression test and report your numbers !

 

[1983 ercoa 21']

Are you using the fast idle lever also ?
this is a little lever that is located on the controls that advance the timing for better cold starts and warm UPS .
seeing how the boat is new to you you can never co wrong with a carb cleaning for the carbs are the life line of these motors they don't only supply the fuel they also supply the oil.
make sure you are mixing 50:1

 

[Ilovefishing]

Thanks, yes I have been using the warm up lever when I get it started. I will do some research and searching on how to check the thermostat. I haven't checked the compression but I will see if I can borrow a tester and report back. I been wondering on cleaning the carbs or just thought may wait till this winter and rebuild them, I found the rebuild kits here on iboats for $20 each. Yes I am mixing 50:1.

 

[1983 ercoa 21']

As far as winter maintenance
carb rebuild
new thermostats
new water pump
new lower unit oil
personally I clean carbs every year and seal air intake at the end of every season. Sealing the intake prevents spiders and wasp from building a home in the car a. I also change lower unit oil every year.

 

[ondarvr]

The not going more than 5 MPH at first part has nothing to do with warming it up, you should be able to go full speed after about 30 seconds, I'm not say you should do this, or that it's good for the motor, only that nothing about the motor should stop you from being able to do it if everything is right.

 

[emdsapmgr]

If the engine was ever stored with the engine tilted up, that can be part of the starting problem. Once tilted, the carbs on that older crossflow will leak a little fuel out the front, and down into the lower airbox. It accumulates there, till you try to start it the next day. There is a drain hose which will re-circulate that unburned fuel/oil back into the bottom cyl via the airbox drain hose. That will temporarily overfuel cyl #4 until it finally clears out as it runs. Could take a minute or more and may smoke like crazy during that time.

 

[Ilovefishing]

The not going more than 5 MPH at first part has nothing to do with warming it up, you should be able to go full speed after about 30 seconds, I'm not say you should do this, or that it's good for the motor, only that nothing about the motor should stop you from being able to do it if everything is right.

What should I do or do you think would be causing this? Because it was a good 5-8 minutes heading down the lake at 4-5 MPH before it cleared out and picked up speed

 

[Ilovefishing]

If the engine was ever stored with the engine tilted up, that can be part of the starting problem. Once tilted, the carbs on that older crossflow will leak a little fuel out the front, and down into the lower airbox. It accumulates there, till you try to start it the next day. There is a drain hose which will re-circulate that unburned fuel/oil back into the bottom cyl via the airbox drain hose. That will temporarily overfuel cyl #4 until it finally clears out as it runs. Could take a minute or more and may smoke like crazy during that time.

OK I do leave the engine tilted up as soon as I take out and it sits tilted up all week until the following Saturday when I take it back out. It doesn't smoke excessively once it starts but that all makes total sense. I will start letting it back down once I get the boat home from the lake every week.