95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

jjim30

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Feb 26, 2011
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This is what happen. I was running across the lake around 25mph the engine was run great and then there was like a surge and idle down and surge and engine shut off. I thought I fried the motor. I lifted the motor out of the water and to make sure nothing in the prop. Put it back down and fired up and ran great. Next day no issue. Then on Monday the same thing happened. So this time I did some troubleshooting, first check the bulb and it was hard, cranked the motor and it was turning and not firing. So I pulled out the fuel filter and gas spread out so gas was to that point. I pulled the plugs and all the plugs was dry like if I pulled them out of the truck. So no fuel to the cylinders. I put the filter back in and started pumping up the bulb and it sounded to me like I can hear the fuel fill back up. I put the motor back in the water and cranked on it and it fired. So at this point I didn't go over 7mph and headed back to the ramp. When I heard the surge I would shut off and lift the motor out of the water and then back it and it would be ok. I took it to the mechanic and he cannot get it to do the same thing but he only has a test tank. He is going to take it to the lake to test.

What do you think is wrong? Fuel pump? I did not get an alarm at all when this happened.

Thanks for the help,
Jim
 

SparkieBoat

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

you stated the engine had no spark?? how was this tested?? you seem to be looking hard at the fuel side after you said you found no spark...I would be testing the kill switch, key switch and wiring for a short...
 

jjim30

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

I have spark since the plugs where dry, light brown like if you was to check your plugs on your truck. I'm not much of a two stroke guy but shouldn't the plugs be somewhat wet?
 

SparkieBoat

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

if it is a "phantom" problem..i would suspect electronics, not fuel...i mean if the mechanic had it run with no problem..i would eliminate fuel issues
 

jjim30

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

Please bare with me on this, what electronics wise controls the flow of the fuel? He is only running the boat in a test tank and the issue don't show up for about 20-50 min after running it.

Thanks
jim
 

SparkieBoat

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

forget the fuel....it is most likely an electronic issue..meaning you need to get the motor to mess up again and then do a spark test...an inductive timing light is an easy way to test spark out on the water...find out what cylinder/s is losing spark
 

jjim30

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

Sparkie,
When this happened on the water I pulled all plugs and they where bone dry like you would plug the plug out of your truck. Not saying it's not a electronic issue but if one of the plugs was not firing right won't that one be wetter than the norm> Like I said I'm far from an expert with two strokes.
 

Jayrock

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Dec 19, 2008
Messages
132
Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

Sparkie,
When this happened on the water I pulled all plugs and they where bone dry like you would plug the plug out of your truck. Not saying it's not a electronic issue but if one of the plugs was not firing right won't that one be wetter than the norm> Like I said I'm far from an expert with two strokes.

Looks like you seem to know better than the pros... good luck
 

Fed

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

Relax Jayrock, jjim30 never said he lost spark but for some reason SparkieBoat is insisting he did.
I'm with you jjim it sounds like a fuel problem to me.
Tank vent, antisyphon valve, fuel vacume switch, fuel filter, fuel pump?
 

boobie

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20,826
Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

Has jjim30 ever checked the spark when the prob occured ? It should jump a 7/16" open air gap. Looking at plugs means nothing at this point because something in the ignition system cut off and yet it was running fine before that which will give you that plug color.
 

James R

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2,660
Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

Don't think it is a spark problem. The sudden increase in revs suggests sudden fuel starvation making the revs come up then the motor died. There is a fuel blockage somewhere. Could be in the tank. Try hooking up to another tank and see if you get the same problem. These motors suck a bunch of fuel.Any restriction will cause them to misbehave.
 

SparkieBoat

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

well a spark check when the problem is occurring would eliminate it now wouldn't it??? he said in his first post "he cranked the motor and it was turning and not firing" I took that as a no spark comment..maybe I misread it but it does not matter/..finding out what is wrong with a boat motor is a process of elimination..once he has done a spark test and compression test, then you are left with fuel, I would assume any outboard mechanic would change/check all fuel lines connections and filters and vents. I have not seen fuel problems come and go like this...usually when it is a fuel problem it runs bad all the time...but it could be a bad fuel line connection some where that sucks air only when the hose is pulled a certain way...but lets eliminate the spark and compression first...it is just the way I would do it if it were my boat, and jim just seems to not want to do it for some reason.
 

boobie

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

Remember the old saying of "leading a horse to water"...................
 

James R

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

If there is something floating about in the fuel tank it can cause exactly this problem.
 

jjim30

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

Compression and spark is good. I have replaced the fuel lines from tank to motor and pulled out the fuel sending unit out of the tank to check the filter. Everything is clean and new. The next question I have does anyone know how the fuel is feed thru the VRO. By the blue prints on the website it looks like it goes thru a chamber (vapor chamber) that has a float in it then from there I don't know. When it kept happening I would shut off and tilt the motor up and down and it would run. This was all done at an idle. I'm still waiting on the mechanic to get it out on the lake to run it, he claims it's the pump and wants to replace it with a now oil injected pump which will run about $800.00 plus. That?s him filling the gas tank up and mixing the oil in and replacing the pump.

Thanks for all the info,
Jim
 

SparkieBoat

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

a mew fuel pump is around $350 I think and takes less than 1 hour to change out...they dont sell VRO anymore the newer OMS style will fit and is supposed to be a better pump.
 

Fed

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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

jjim I guess you are looking at the drawings on the BRP website, btw if you click on the part #s it will auto scroll you down to the part description & visa versa, something I only found out recently.
Following from the fuel pump (#2) the fuel goes through hose #9 to filter #75 then into the vapor sep.
From there it exits via hoses #11 & #14 which feed the fuel manifolds stbd & port.
If I were you I'd buy the OEM manual for your motor which will show you how to test all these components, it has to be way cheaper than throwing parts at it and you will have the manual any future problems.
 

jonesg

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Feb 22, 2008
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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

Try pumping the fuel bulb when it starts to fail, if rpm picks up again ?
the pump is probably shot.
 

surrender

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Messages
393
Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

My 88 special did almost the same thing. I thught fuel issue as well because the plugs were dry. I chased the problem for days and finally did a spark test when the engine was hot. Sure enough the Stator was gone. Or should i say it would crap out with the increase in temp. the plugs will look dry when your motor suddenly dies like that due to the heat of the motor(or so a mechanic told me). Anyway, new stator and it has never run better. Been 6 months and all is well. The ignition(spark) systems on these motors ,if old enough , will show signs of failure after they heat up. Just a thought.
 

jonesg

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Feb 22, 2008
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Re: 95 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Fuel Issue.

My 88 special did almost the same thing. I thught fuel issue as well because the plugs were dry. I chased the problem for days and finally did a spark test when the engine was hot. Sure enough the Stator was gone. Or should i say it would crap out with the increase in temp. the plugs will look dry when your motor suddenly dies like that due to the heat of the motor(or so a mechanic told me). Anyway, new stator and it has never run better. Been 6 months and all is well. The ignition(spark) systems on these motors ,if old enough , will show signs of failure after they heat up. Just a thought.

Its a good thought, the problem is no-one has done any troubleshooting when its acting up.
"sounds like" and "could/might be" isn't troubleshootin, those are just edjycated WAG's.
I would not pay a mechanic to install a new pump if he failed to replicate the problem, he's guessin too.
And if he's wrong, who eats the $800 ?

Stator, P/P , fuel pump etc, all good guesses.
A 10 minute check with a timing light when it won't start would show which part to buy.
 
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