1970 Johnson 6hp sea horse

snookerman1

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Apr 1, 2002
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My little motor sat for probably 4 years collecting dust.<br /><br />I cleaned up the diaphram, carburator. Spark plugs looked fairly new so I simply cleaned them up a bit (No rust or corrosion).<br /><br />Hooked a tank to it and the motor fired up on the 3rd pull and ran choked, but as soon as I take it off of choke it dies. It will not start while the choke is off but put it back on and it starts again and runs great (As well as expected choked)<br /><br />The impeller was replaced right before I placed it in storage and is pumping water out the exhaust.<br /><br />I plan to buy a carburator rebuild kit this evening and see if that helps. Should I also purchase a diaphram rebuilt kit, do they even sell those?<br /><br />The lean/rich knob was bumped at some point so it is not set right and I have to mess with it just to get it started in choke.<br /><br />I am sure the carb needs rebuilt, but is there anything else I should look at?<br /><br />Sorry for all the questions but I am uncertian what could be the problem other then the carb needs rebuilt (Gaskets etc...)<br /><br />Mark
 

JB

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Mar 25, 2001
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45,907
Re: 1970 Johnson 6hp sea horse

Howdy, Snookerman.<br /><br />I think you are on the right track. One thing to check before you tear down the carb again.<br /><br />Pull the fuel input line off of the carb and put it in a plastic bottle. Pull her through a time or two and ensure that you are getting healthy spurts of fuel from the pump.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB :)
 

G. Patton

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Mar 20, 2002
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34
Re: 1970 Johnson 6hp sea horse

Snookerman..... If pumping the fuel primer bulb (in effect, acting the part of a fuel pump) solves the problem, you have either a fuel pump problem or a air/fuel leak somewhere. If pumping that bulb makes no improvement, the carburetor is fouled/clogged and will require cleaning and rebuilding.
 

snookerman1

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Apr 1, 2002
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Re: 1970 Johnson 6hp sea horse

Hello and thanks for the replies.<br /><br />I rebuilt the carb this morning and replaced the spark plugs. And it had no improvement.<br /><br />I have checked the fuel input line into the carb and it is squirting fuel out pretty good.<br /><br />I see loads of fuel in my carb after I get done cranking on it so I am thinking it is flooding out for some reason. <br /><br />It still only cranks while the choke is on, but now it is even harder to get it going since I rebuilt the carb.<br /><br />I guess I will start checking for air leaks since I see no fuel dripping to indicate a fuel leak.<br /><br />Any other ideas or moral support? ;-)<br /><br />Mark
 

snookerman1

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Apr 1, 2002
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Re: 1970 Johnson 6hp sea horse

An update :) <br /><br />I have bypassed the diaphram and ran the gasline straight into the carb inlet and that didn't change much except the ball will not stay hard now and the carb bowl empties out while I am cranking on it. It is no better though and it now spits once in a while when I am cranking on it.<br /><br />I know it runs because it will run once in a while for like 5 seconds off idle now then just dies and will not restart right away even choked.<br /><br />Mark
 

snookerman1

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Re: 1970 Johnson 6hp sea horse

I think I have found the problem....<br /><br />I took the fuel connector off the motor and hooked a clear line from it to the diaphram/pump and started pumping the primer ball but guess what. The fuel does not even go up to the motor and has air pockets all in the fuel line. Does this indicate a air leak within the fuel tank itself? If I pump it up, the fuel will go half way up to the motor but will not go all the way before the ball gets hard. So I am thinking it isn't nothing on my motor at all causing the problems but actually the tank itself. Any idea?<br /><br />Mark
 

rwise

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Jul 5, 2001
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3,205
Re: 1970 Johnson 6hp sea horse

snookerman1<br />air bubles in the fuel line would say to me that there is an air leak, Lines, bulb, fittings, pickup, somewhere. Not letting the gas into the carb, says that the carb is either full of gas thus the floats is holding the nedle valve closed, or it is stuck or clogged!<br /><br />Richard
 

snookerman1

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Apr 1, 2002
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Re: 1970 Johnson 6hp sea horse

Ok this will be my last post concerning this.<br /><br />I bought a new tank and primerball today and same problem, so I took the carb off one more time and took it apart. I thought I had cleaned it cleanly so I did a quick once over, then I noticed some tiny holes in the carb so I decided to make a tiny tool that could clean those holes and sure enough one was clogged. As soon as I put it back on the motor and tried it, it was working correctly! I had to do a little adjusting of the rich/lean knob but all went well :)<br /><br />I thank all of you for sticking to your story that the carb is probably clogged ;-)<br /><br />I plan on testing it out on a local lake Sunday<br /><br />Mark
 
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