johnson won't go

[suzukidave]

Hi, I have this 1988 6hp johnson that's making me crazy. Earlier this year I thought I had the problem licked but I found out I didn't when I just went for my 2 week vacation. I now have the whole winter to figure it out, and I have not put many hours on it this summer (no trolling for me but not many salmon anyway).<br /><br />Basicly it's flooding. The symptoms are:<br />1. It won't idle at very lowest revs -- it stalls (idle is adjusted)<br />2. It stalls out frequently during operation, especially as you throttle down after w-o-t. Often the rpms just drop off and you can't get them back before it stalls. Often it won't restart.<br />3. It sometimes just won't start cold.<br />3. The plugs are soaking wet with gas when I check them after a stall / non-start problem. If I clean them it will start instantly but then the cycle repeats.<br /><br />Here's the history:<br />it used to run fine. Earlier this summer it suddenly wouldn't start (we thought because of bad gas)<br />1. I rebuilt the carb then took it to a dealer because it syill wouldn't start. He diagnosed and fixed a faulty kill switch and had it running great in a test tank (in and out of gear and easy to start)but... I had to replace the bottom bowl on the carb because I had cracked it on the rebuild.<br />2. After I replaced the bowl I went far away from a dealer for my vacation when the symptoms above became clear as soon as I put it on the slatchuck instead of in a garbage can...<br />3. I switched the whole external fuel line, tanks and gas with ones which worked fine on another motor. No help<br />4. I checked all the internal fuel line connections<br />5. I cussed.<br /><br />I'm pretty sure I must have screwed up with the carb rebuild but given that it ran great in the dealer after the first rebuild I don't know how I screwed it up by just replacing the bowl (the gasket that seats in the bowl is there). I suppose I should just take it back to the dealer but I figure I've got months to figure this out and it bothers me that I can't suss out why it's doing this. Should I buy another carb kit?<br /><br />Any thoughts other than that I should retire as an outboard mechanic would be gratefully appreciated.<br />Suzuki Joe in Beautiful British Columbia

 

[Villageidiot]

Re: johnson won't go

I am in the same sinking boat that your in. My 85 modle is acting the same way. Hope the boating guru's can help us.

 

[TimW]

Re: johnson won't go

Has it ever run well since you replaced the carburetor fuel bowl? Could you have dinged the float when you replaced the bowl? An incorrectly set float could cause flooding and rough idle. <br /><br />I'm not sure how that specific carb is configured, but are you sure you got all the jets installed correctly in the new fuel bowl.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: johnson won't go

hello I know this is going to sound dumb. did you remember to transfer the old jet to the new bowl? I have seen this mistake in the past <br /> good luck

 

[Solittle]

Re: johnson won't go

Here is some reading for you:<br /><br /> http://www.outboardrepairs.com/carburetors/

 

[knobby]

Re: johnson won't go

Sounds like a high float level. Take the carb off, remove the bowl and check if the float is parallel to the carb surface. If not, bend the float tang, be sure it's still square to the sides.

 

[knobby]

Re: johnson won't go

check that bowl gasket again.

 

[bubbakat]

Re: johnson won't go

sounds like the float is to high or the float is a brass hollow type it has a pin hole in it and letting gas into the float and holding it open.<br /><br />just a thought