Silly Carb Question 1961 5.5Hp Johnson CD-18

[OptsyEagle]

OK, so I am cleaning my carb. All is going well. I have my high speed jet out about 1 turn from gently seated and I have come to a silly problem. My carb has the knobs for both high and slow speed adjust on the slow speed needle. Behind the knobs is a metal bar that connects the high speed knob to the high speed jet, below it. In cleaning the carb I disconnected the bar from the plastic piece on the slow speed jet and left the bar dangling on the high speed jet, since it seemed difficult to remove and it didn't seem necessary.

Now I have noticed that with the bar dangling on the jet, it will not fully turn in since the bar gets stopped by the bottom pan of the motor. So my question is. Does this bar pull out of the metal piece that is connected to the high speed jet. It seems to be sealed in tight with some plastic and I don't want to break it. The other option is a screw that is in the end of the high speed jet that can be used to turn it from the outside of the motor. The problem here is that it is very tight and I don't want to hurt this needle. It is currently in the jet and cannot be unscrewed out due to my problem above ... without removeing the carb from the motor again, which I would rather not do, if it can be avoided.

Has anyone encountered this issue. Am I missing something here? I would appreciate your help.

 

[F_R]

Re: Silly Carb Question 1961 5.5Hp Johnson CD-18

The screw in the end of the needle is tapered, and when you tighten it, it expands the (split) end of the needle, locking the adjusting lever to it. Loosen the screw and the lever will come off and can be reinstalled in any position you choose.

 

[OptsyEagle]

Re: Silly Carb Question 1961 5.5Hp Johnson CD-18

Thanks FR. I will give that a try. I know mine is tight because I already attempted to unscrew it but I will try again.

I am assuming one needs to leave that link disconnected until the needles are set right and then connect them up. Let me know if there is another way.

 

[OptsyEagle]

Re: Silly Carb Question 1961 5.5Hp Johnson CD-18

OK, so I got the carb back together and fired the motor up and after warming it up in a barrel I set the slow speed adjust where she just purrs like a kitten and idles down perfectly. I will set the high speed needle when I get the motor on the water.

The next day however, I noticed a small puddle of gas in the pan of the motor. I think it is coming from the high speed needle area. I noticed it when I was just leaving the cottage and will look into it this weekend. Would this most likely be just a matter of tightening up the packing nut? Not sure how tight these nuts should go. Also, I used two packing washers. Should I have used 3 or would it matter? Since I haven't adjusted the high speed needle (currently it is out about 3/4 of a turn from seated) would this leak go away when I turn that needle in?

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Silly Carb Question 1961 5.5Hp Johnson CD-18

I leave all linkages disconnected until I have the needles tuned. Then I install the dials/linkages so that the dials are pointed in the center, so as to be able to know if they moved. As you found, you can only move them so far when installed, so hard to tune like that. It is a safety feature to prevent the needle from vibrating too lean, damaging the motor.

Once set, I tighten down the packing nut tight so that the needle doesnt vibrate and move on me. I make is so it takes some good finger pressure to turn it. Shouldnt easily turn.

I have found alot of times it requires more than 2 packing washers. Some of the Big Twins I put 4 on the high speed, and 2 or 3 on the low.