blankenship
New member
Hi all! Just bought a 1978 Johnson model 15R78B 2-stroke to go with a 12ft Gregor aluminum I picked up last month— I'd really appreciate some help getting it running right so I don't wind up stranding my nieces and nephew in Nehalem Bay this summer.
I just posted a video of motor running here...today was the first time I started it.
[media]https://youtube.com/shorts/GO7WBKN16us[/media]
I've never worked on an outboard, and am pretty unfamiliar...but have worked on some 2-stroke '70s dirt bikes back in the day.
I put new plugs Champion L78V into it, replacing the L77JC4 resistor-type plugs that came in it !?
Seemed to start up fine, but unsure if water is coming out of all the right places and if it's supposed to be so...*bouncy*?
Motor dies at idle, and the idle speed knob on the side of the motor doesn't move anything when you turn it.
After reading online, I'm very scared of 'over revving' the RPMs when the motor isn't in the water...unsure how concerned I should be.
Another issue is that motor doesn't want to shift in/out of gear -
Depending on where the prop is, it will not shift into forward or reverse occasionally unless you turn the motor over slightly (with pull cord or by turning the prop by hand).
When in gear with motor off, spinning the prop by hand turns the motor over regardless of which way you turn it; unsure if this is normal?
Prop actually turns (as seen in video) even when in neutral.
I unscrewed the 'lower unit' screws a bit and oil that came out of shaft wasn't milky...seemed pretty viscous and had slight green tint...I'm assuming good gear oil.
Observations, resources, and advice appreciated!
Excited to have found the forum and to own my first craft.
I just posted a video of motor running here...today was the first time I started it.
[media]https://youtube.com/shorts/GO7WBKN16us[/media]
I've never worked on an outboard, and am pretty unfamiliar...but have worked on some 2-stroke '70s dirt bikes back in the day.
I put new plugs Champion L78V into it, replacing the L77JC4 resistor-type plugs that came in it !?
Seemed to start up fine, but unsure if water is coming out of all the right places and if it's supposed to be so...*bouncy*?
Motor dies at idle, and the idle speed knob on the side of the motor doesn't move anything when you turn it.
After reading online, I'm very scared of 'over revving' the RPMs when the motor isn't in the water...unsure how concerned I should be.
Another issue is that motor doesn't want to shift in/out of gear -
Depending on where the prop is, it will not shift into forward or reverse occasionally unless you turn the motor over slightly (with pull cord or by turning the prop by hand).
When in gear with motor off, spinning the prop by hand turns the motor over regardless of which way you turn it; unsure if this is normal?
Prop actually turns (as seen in video) even when in neutral.
I unscrewed the 'lower unit' screws a bit and oil that came out of shaft wasn't milky...seemed pretty viscous and had slight green tint...I'm assuming good gear oil.
Observations, resources, and advice appreciated!
Excited to have found the forum and to own my first craft.