Won't stay running

[bobbfrommn]

Did a search and couldn't find anything. I am trying to get an outboard going and could use some help. The guy I got it from said it was running a year ago and hasn't used it this year. His brother winterized it for him last fall. It's an '89 Johnson Tracker Pro, 60hp, oil injected (from external box).

Symptoms: It wants to run but seems like it keeps running out of fuel. It will start idle for 1-3 seconds and die. When it does run it's smokey as %^@. I prime the ball and she'll start, after it's dead I check the line and I need to prime again there is no pressure in the line.

What I've done:

• Replaced the gas with new fresh stuff
  
  Replaced the tank line (hose, ball and connections) and the tank connector
  
  Tank cap vent is open
  
  Pulled cover and sprayed carb cleaner aggressively in the carbs, it does seem to run a second or two longer after this step
  
  Pulled the plugs, while they aren't new, they looked ok. My next step is replacing them.
  
  Cleaned the connectors on the plug wires.

There doesn't seem to be any leak on the line to the VRO (where oil and gas are mixed). There also doesn't seem to be a leak from the VRO to the carbs. At least nothing I can smell. I suppose it could be a fuel pump but I'd think nothing would be getting to the carbs, and if it was a clogged fuel filter it would sputter more. Any suggestions would be appreciated. It's a bit of a run to town so I plan to go buy plugs and anything else I might need.

 

[marlattrr]

doubt its the plugs if it runs and then shuts off.

Float stuck not refilling bowl?

Fuel filter is an easy one just to be sure.

 

[DaleH]

Sounds like the bowl is being drained, but not refilled. Note spraying carb cleaner direct into the throats misses that part of the circuit. I've had best luck by doing the agreesive 'Dunk Decarb' that is posted on here under my name. And heed the advice Pappy added. NOTE that the "wait & soak' time is most important too! Don't be impatient, and is best done on the water, not muffs (no backpressure).

https://forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=39239

Or buy OMC/Bomardier Engine Tuner and do theovernight 'treat & soak'.

FYI, you can diagnose if a fuel pump by pumping the buld when she 1st begins to falter or stutter, if priming the bulb brings it back and keeps it going, it could be the FP.

 

[bobbfrommn]

Thanks Dale. If I can get it running I'll give the decarb a try as well.

 

[DaleH]

I’d at least drop the carb bowl and take a look …

 

[bobbfrommn]

Update:

Part of the problem seems to be the tank intake. There's a stiff tube that goes down into the gas. As part of my troubleshooting I removed the connector on the hose and put it directly into the tank. The line maintained pressure so there must be a hole or crack in that tube.

I drained the hose and ran a mix of gas and seafoam. Must have been mixed a little thin because I couldn't get it to fire at all so I added more gas. Right now I'm at about 3g gas to one can of seafoam.

I got it fired up and was able to run it by manually opening the carbs by pulling down one the rod that connect the three of them. Smoked like hell for the first 10 seconds and calmed down. I was only able to keep it going for 30 seconds or so, but that's an improvement, at least it ran. It eventually died (probably from me flooding it). The line and the prime ball remained firm.

I think my next step is to go get a new tank and some plugs to start at a base. I might still end up needing to clean the carbs, it looks like a pain in butt to get them off because of the space you have to work with, but it's a start and looks easier than trying to reach the fuel filter which appears to have been jammed underneath the crankcase.

 

[z33tec]

I have a 70hp Johnson. Once you take the air box off, the carbs are pretty easy to remove. Giving them a good clean in all the jets/orifices would be where I would start, just to make sure its not all gummed up or clogged.

 

[JL8Jeff]

I have a 3 gallon tank that just doesn't work also. I'm not sure if the pickup tube is loose, has a hole or something else, but it will not flow the fuel just running off the pump. It primes ok with the bulb, but then just stops flowing. If it's running real rich, the VRO fuel/oil pump may be going bad and mixing too much oil or not enough gas. I think they used to sell rebuild kits but not sure if they still do. I had the VRO pump go bad on a 99 Johnson 40 hp and converted to just a fuel pump and ran premix. The VRO pumps (for engines in the 90's) are kind of expensive and even the conversion kit to the standard pump is not cheap for some of them.

 

[Pappy]

Stop!
Before you do anything else simply remove the air box from in front of the carburetors.
Remove the bowl drains from the front of each float bowl. They are located at the bottom.
While the bowl drains are out pump the primer bulb several times to pump fresh fuel up through the lines and carbs.
Replace the bowl drain screws and pump the bulb to fill the carbs.
Start the engine.

If you still have the VRO system hooked up (was not clear by your description) what may be happening is that during the off season the fuel in the bowls is evaporating and pressurized oil from the oil tank is creeping into the fuel lines from the oil pump side of the VRO and filling the bowls with mostly straight oil. The oil tank has a one way vent that allows air into the tank but not the other way around. As the tank heats every day it builds pressure. This pressure by-passes one of the umbrella valves in the VRO pump and does what I listed above. No...the pump does not need to be replaces as it will actually be over oiling vs under oiling.

 

[bobbfrommn]

Update #2 to the original post.

She's running It was two different issues. The first was the fuel intake hose inside the (portable) tank. There was a crack at the very top so the line wasn't staying filled. The second issue was, as suggested, still some bad gas in the carb bowls. Once drained it fired right up. When it comes out for the fall I might pull the carbs and get everything cleaned out but for now going to add another can of seafoam and head to the lake.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!