1989 Johnson 8 hp loses prime and dies after 10 minutes

lfranklin

Recruit
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
2
1989 Johnson 8hp losses prime and dies after 10 minutes. Will stay running for another 10 minutes if primer ball is pumped up fast enough before it dies. Starts again with no problems after re-prime. Any Ideas?
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: 1989 Johnson 8 hp loses prime and dies after 10 minutes

Could be a bad fuel pump. If it is a bad pump, you can still get repair kits for them.
 

OptsyEagle

Lieutenant
Joined
Sep 13, 2006
Messages
1,356
Re: 1989 Johnson 8 hp loses prime and dies after 10 minutes

Could be a bad fuel pump, a bad fuel hose, an unvented tank, a sticking inlet valve on your carburetor or simply an air leak somewhere along your fuel lines, usually the connectors. 1st check look at all the connections for the fuel and make sure you are getting a good connection. Make sure the screws holding the fuel pump together and on the motor are all tight. I would then run the motor with the tank's cap off to eliminate an unvented gas tank. If you have another fuel hose, try that next. If those items are all working, then I would remove the fuel line from the carburetor and pull the starter cord of the motor (remove the plug boots if you don't want the motor to start) and see if fuel pumps out. If it does, then I would have to assume that the problem is in the carburetor's inlet valve that is stopping your fuel flow. To be sure, before you pull the carb you could try to jerryrig up a system that connects directly to the carb that allows gravity to feed the carburetor. If it doesn't work then, it has to be the carb. I suspect, however, that your problem is most likely before that.
 

lfranklin

Recruit
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
2
Re: 1989 Johnson 8 hp loses prime and dies after 10 minutes

Tried with cap open and tried new fuel hose with the same results. There is a possble air leak at the tank (neither old or new hose seem to fit just right) -- is it possible for the tank connection to be dammaged or problems with "vent pins" at the connector? Next options are rebuild fuel pump or buy new tank -- where should I go first?

I also not that there is a "Primer" in place of a choke? There are 3 positions (in and out) on the primer and also twists. inside the hood there is a hole in the primer shaft. What is the proper "run" position for the primer -- all the way in? hole up/down or side/side or dosen't matter? All the way out appears ot be the "choke position" is halfway the hlf/cold choke position?
 

pn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 20, 2013
Messages
374
Re: 1989 Johnson 8 hp loses prime and dies after 10 minutes

just do what everybody's mentioned and report back.
 
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