New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

[Whayne12]

I recently purchased a 1993 stratos with a Johnson 150 fast strike on it. On the first trip that I took it to the lake it ran great, on the second it done good all except when I got it up on plain running around 35-40mph it would cut out and jerk hard. and ever since then it keeps getting worse, it seems as though now it is getting hard to start as well. The last trip I had it out it was around 50mph and shut completly off as if I turn the key off, But once I put it nuetral it started right back and went ten feet and quit agian. A few of the times that it has cut out, it set off the chirper, but its just one little chirp like it does when you first turn the key on. I have talked to a mechanic and he seems to think that it is fuel related, but I really think that its more elctrical because there is no missing it just shuts off. Also the last time I had it out I noticed the exhaust was coming out from the two holes around the pisser. Any help that could be offered would be greatly appreciated

 

[boobie]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

Get an open air gap spark tester at any parts house, set it at 7/16" and check your spark when it quits. As a guess, you may have a power pack going bad. That was a guess.

 

[Whayne12]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

Thanks. Can you test you air gap spark in the water. The way it cuts out would be hard check.

 

[boobie]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

Yes, had to do it many times. You have to catch the problem when it's acting up.

 

[MaPaHa]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

By hard to start you mean it cranks over fine but does not hit? or it has problems turning over? I'll assume the first one for this remark. I have a '96 175 fast strike that was really random about running good and starting. It would cut out at random when running on plane at just about any speed. By cutting out I mean it would fall down but not die usually. Sometimes it would just loose a few hundred rpms, other times a thousand rpms or better and most of the time it would pick back up and go. It got to where it would not start a couple of times but spun over fine. Whenever it would die on take off it would start right back up and got to where putting it in gear it would die. It would idle only. I messed with the fuel supply and didn't really make much of a difference. I finally cought it with a spark tester and one bank would not fire at all. Was lucky enough to have a power pack from a '94 150 and swapped it out and fixed it.

 

[Whayne12]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

Thank you for the reply's. But yes it cranks fine but want hardly start. What are the different symptoms between a power pack and a coil pack

 

[boobie]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

The same, no spark. You have to trouble shoot which one with a DVA meter.

 

[s.wxman]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

Whayne12,
The following is my 'story' I relayed to another forum member when he was experiencing somewhat similar problems. I am no great mechanic or troubleshooter, I am just relaying my story. FWIW replacing the Powerpack fixed my problem and the problem of Stalker, who I was originally replying to with the following post.

"Stalker
I hope this does not lead you in the wrong direction. I had a recent experience with my 1995 150 (looper). It had run great for years without anything more than basic maint. Last year it began having episodes where it would just shut down. The first couple times it happened i checked the kill switch because it shut down like it had been pulled. No stumbling or warning; it just shut down. In the beginning it always started right back up and ran fine. Eventually it began to be difficult to restart and i even had to use the trolling motor to get back to shore a couple times.
Still it wouldn't happen every time out. I have a Stratos F/S. I could go out pulling kids on the tube for three hours and never have problem, then next time out fishing it would die two or three times in the 3 minute ride across the lake.
Over the course of a few months I had it in to two different 'Evinrude Certified' boat shops. They concentrated on fuel and carbs (and making money). Well, after weeks in the shops and $1200 I still couldn't get across the lake.
I began checking everything I could because I thought it was electrical since it shut off so suddenly. I have a Clymer and OEM manual. Anyway, I checked ignition switch, kill switch, neutral switch, the black/yellow 'kill wire' for shorts, harness wiring.....
In the end the only thing left was the PowerPack. 30 minute install of a new PowerPack and the problem disappeared.

I truly wish you well on this. Intermittent problems are a pain.
Wxman "

Again, Good luck

 

[Whayne12]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

Thanks for all the helpfull tips, but another question I have is about the exhaust coming from the two ports on each side of the pisser. It is something I have never noticed.

 

[MaPaHa]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

I'll have to clearify one thing on my post. I swapped the entire power pack and the coils as one unit from the other motor which fixed it. Now I'm wondering which one is bad because I've still got to buy new parts before spring for the one I robbed to get my pontoon boat back running. There appears to be 6 coils in this unit and one power pack.
So is it possible that the one or more of the coils is bad? I had assumed it was the power pack.

 

[boobie]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

You know what assumption is ?? LOL.

 

[MaPaHa]

Re: New boater with a Johnson 150 fast strike

YUP!! BTW, has anyone used a meg-ohm meter to check ignition coils for winding break down? We use the for A/C motor windings as a indicator for insulation break down.