motor shuts off before throttle lever reaches "STOP"

[redlinj]

My mid '50's Johnson 7 1/2hp runs pretty good. When starting, I place the throttle lever to "start", pull the cord and bingo--it starts right up. However, I can get it to run slower but the motor will stop well before the throttle lever even gets close to slow! Is there an adjustment, or some other problem, or, should I just leave well enough alone. Seems like it could run slower but since it dies before I get the lever to "slow", I've nothing to judge it by.

 

[Tim Frank]

In my experience, those motors if running OK, will slow to the point that you can see the prop turning and almost count the RPMs.
The actual markings on the twist grip are seldom bang on, so that is not an issue, but if it is not idling smoothly or slow enough, there are a number of causes possible.
Including an easy one....slow speed jet adjustment.

 

[OptsyEagle]

If you can slow it down enough to shift gears and bring it into the dock, then I would leave it alone.

If I recall, those motors do not have a kill switch so if it didn't die when you reduced the throttle, how would you kill it? You shouldn't have to choke it.

 

[nwcove]

as Tim stated, pay no attention to the markings on the tiller.....run it by ear.

 

[Chinewalker]

About the only things I would do would be to confirm that the ball gears at the tiller joint are aligned correctly, and the gears aft of there where the linkages go vertical are aligned. Beyond that, as noted above, if the motor runs well, leave it be...

 

[Sirrobin53]

My '57 18 HP has NEVER lined up with the throttle legend nor have I ever seen one that did
Chinewalker said it best IMHO