Johnson 90HP not starting

[alexedit]

Hi -
I have a 2000 V4 Johnson on a 17' boat.
today I took my boat out and something very strange happened.
I tried to turn the motor on and it would turn but it wouldn't start..I kept trying and trying...so I took the spark plugs out and dried them out...nothing...so after 30 minutes of trying I gave up, put it back on the trailer and tilted it up...after tilted up, I tried it cranking it one last time and it turned right on like if it was new......what could this be?
so it turned fine when tilted up....I took it back out on the water..tilted it down..and everything was fine...and normal....it was like magic or mistery...any ideas?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Johnson 90HP not starting

dirty connections. 90% of starter problems are bad connections. remove and clean both ends of the battery cables, so that they are shiney, also the cable from the solenoid to starter. check for nicks in the cables. and make sure the connectors are on the wire good. the cable tend to corrode from the inside out, if nicked, corroded wires, and connections, heat up and cause resistance to the follow of electricity, thus the starter doesn't get enough. you can also take jumper cable pos battery post to large post on starter. with a good connection, the engine should spin. then if the starter is good clean everything and retest. then trouble shoot solenoid. starters can be rebuit at a starter/alternator shop, much cheaper than a new one.

also have the battery load tested at the auto parts store, free, i've had new batteries go bad


or you have stuck float needle valves, not letting gas into the carbs.

 

[alexedit]

Re: Johnson 90HP not starting

Thanks tashadaddy.
I think you misunderstood me.. the motor spinned fine it just wouldn't start...it would spin and spin but not start the after i trimmed it up, i tried it one last time and it started fine..and the motor worked flawlessly all day after that....