1997 Johnson hard starting after sitting 3 weeks

[gradyrod]

I could not use the boat for 3 weeks, and when I tried to start the boat yesterday I had a lot of trouble! Is this a common occurence after letting the fuel sit for as little as 3 weeks?? I do treat the fuel with a stabilizer at each fill up. I had about 35 gallons in the tank(which holds 80 gallons). Could it be water, or separation of the fuel resulting in burning alcohol?

Another symptom was a lot of smoking after it finally did start. It would start and quickly shut down several times, then not start at all for quite a while.

BTW engine is 1997 175 hp Johnson Ocean Runner with about 350 hours., new power pack and new optical sensor this summer. Engine ran great 3 weeks ago, and ran great yesterday after the initial battle to get it started.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Rod
1985 Fisherman 204

 

[Marty grady 272]

I had Johnsons 175's carb engins on my old 252 GW Sailfish. They were hard to statt after sitting overnight, just as hard starying after a week or more. I just got used to it and made very sure that my batteries were in tip top shape. I purchased solar cell battery charger/maintainers from NAPA for about $50.00 for the 2 and clipped them on. NO worries about electrolysis due to a 120 volt battery charger.

 

[CatTwentyTwo]

I have a 94 175 that sits for long periods of time and had a similar problem last year. It would start-stall, start-stall several times along with an embarrassing cloud of smoke. After a couple of minutes, the smoke would finally clear and it would run great. It finally got so bad that it just would not start. I took it in to my mechanic and he said that the VRO pump was leaking oil by while the motor sat unused and that I was ending up with almost as much oil as gas in the carbs. He replaced the VRO pump and it has been starting and idling fine since then with just the normal amount of smoke on startup.

 

[GW VOYAGER]

I have a 1996 -225 hp Johnson Ocean Runner and when I first start it I pump the bulb tight with the motor trimmed all the way down then turn the key on and push the choke in without turning the motor over for about 20 to 25 sec.then I start it.
You may already do this but it works for me.

 

[Seahunter]

I had the same problem with mine for quite a while. I rebuilt the carbs with some improvement. Then I decided to take a look a look at the primer solenoid. I took it apart and cleaned it. Replaced all the hoses running between the solenoid and the cylinders. Better but still not 100%

Sat down and read the manual one night. Found out that I was not choking the motor as prescribed in the manual. Modified my starting procedure (see below) and things have been good since. It’s been 3 weeks since I last used the boat and I'll guarantee it will start on the first try.


Unlike a Mercury outboard, holding the key down does not "choke" the motor until you engage the starter. No fuel flows to the cylinders until you actually crank the motor.

Starting procedure "by the Evinrude book"
Pump bulb until hard. Move key to the start position while pushing in the key in at the same time. Continue to hold key in until it starts. Once started, if it starts to faultier, push key back in to "choke" it.

 

[sfc2113]

Does the fuel primer buld get real hard?

If not,

check your fuel evaporator tank, it is on the fuel comp bracket, If the float needle is bad you will get the problems you are describing. Replace the seals and needle and seat. The tip is plastic and it swells from ethanol.

If the valve does not close the fuel will come out the top vent line in the baffle, remove the baffle and prime the bulb, watch the line if liquid fuel shoots out this vent line, that clould be your problem.

I have a had similiar problem and this was the culprit both times,
Ethanol makes a mess of this thing.

First time the ethanol warped the cover and it leaked.

Sec time the needle swelled and would not seat right.

 

[gradyrod]

Pls explain further..

Great Grady Cap-

Thanks for the info-- I just don't quite know what the fuel evaporator tank is or whtat the "fuel comp bracket" is and where it is located. Are these items inside the Outboard ? Do I need to remove the air filter housing to get at them?

Thanks!

Rod

 

[sfc2113]

Re: Pls explain further..

Great Grady Cap-

Thanks for the info-- I just don't quite know what the fuel evaporator tank is or whtat the "fuel comp bracket" is and where it is located. Are these items inside the Outboard ? Do I need to remove the air filter housing to get at them?

Thanks!

Rod

Actually that is not an air filter, that is the baffle that covers the carbs.

Take it off, there are 2 hoses connected to it, one on the bottom and one on the top. The other end of top hose connects directly to the top of the vapor tank.

With the baffle off looking at the top vent line that inserts into the baffle , prime the squeez bulb hard, if any drops of fuel come out that is not supposed to happen only air or fuel vapors. Also make sure there is no fuel comming out of the seal on the top part of the vapor tank either.
There is a rubber seal and ethanol swells it.


If everything it ok with this system, then it may be the vro fuel pump that is your problem .

 

[gradyrod]

Vapor tank

Great Grady Cap-

Thanks for that explanation-- now I think I get it!! I will do as you say and see what happens!

Rod

 

[JUST-IN-TIME]

drain the carbs after using it

 

[gradyrod]

All ok now

Did not find any problems and the motor seems to start up like a champ after that one time with problem starting. perhaps it was just the fuel separating or something else causing an oil-saturated condition.

thx for all advice!

Rod

 

[sfc2113]

Good to hear Rod, But j.i.t may have a point , With that engine model, drain those carbs often.

If I am not going to use the boat for a week or 2 I drain the carb bowls out
Just remove the big brass plug on the bottom of the carb.

and reprime and run before going out again to make sure all is well. It does not hurt anything. The bottom carbs are a little hard to get into even with a snub nose screw driver,

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=92630

Use one of these, or similair it is much easier.

 

[92explorer]

Here's how I started the 225 Johnny with carbs till I upgraded to my efi

1 Pump bulb full
2 Bump up throttle a tad off idle
3 Turn ign on and hold in key, count to 8
4 Re pump bulb
5 Turn key all the way, 3 cranks and it was running every time
no matter how long or how cold. After initial start though, it would fire right up all day long

Might want to try that procedure before u start monkeeing with draining. I only did that at end of season.

 

[BobP]

With the fuel stabilized, if you let the boat sit for 6 months it should fire right up under constant choke, those motors seemed impossible to flood.

As said, it may be getting too much oil (smoke blue or black?).

I always made a cloud on cold starts with the Johnnie 200s. Took a while to clear up.

If you find nothing wrong at motor end, the ignition switch may be on the way out. The igntion on motor is always on, when you shut off motor the switchs grounds it out, so if the gound at switch doesn't clear while in "on" position, it will tend to want to kill motor. Sometimes the opposite happens when one can't shut off motor.

 

[gradyrod]

good idea re ignition switch..

but I already covered that one! Replaced the old switch this past spring!

Thanks for still thinking of me! All is running fine for the moment!

Rod