Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

[Emile Husson]

Sequence of events is as follows: Engine was tilted up when I pumped gas from the can. Saw about a teaspoon of gas spill out of engine. Started engine with choke open and throttle open wide. Ran it for typical warmup time, then closed choke. Engine died. Ran engine again with choke open for a while. Sprayed carb cleaner into air intake and engine ran with choke closed for the time it took to burn off cleaner. Power and revs are erratic when engine does run.<br /><br />Can anyone make sense of this? I really don't want to take it to a shop.<br /><br />Emile

 

[wayne h]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

do u mean choke closed the engine runs ? because its supose to run with the choke open. and be carfull runing the engine on carb cleaner there is no oil in that so u are running your engine dry. if the engine runs only with the choke CLOSED sounds like it might be time for a carb rebuild

 

[Emile Husson]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

You're right. I was backwards. When the handle is pulled all the way out, the engine runs marginally. When I push the handle in (normal operating position), it dies. I only sprayed the cleaner in to try to clean the system, and noticed as a side effect that it ran with the choke handle in the normal position.<br /><br />Is it possible to remove the carb without taking the engine off the boat? (knowing in advance that small parts may be lost overboard).

 

[cvx35]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

Yes, remove manual starter and air silencer. remove flathead screw above right side carb mounting nut. The screw holds on a wire ling and cam roller. Remove 2 nuts that mount the carburetor. Pull carb. off of 2 studs. Remove fuel line. Disassemble and clean carburetor. Be sure to remember how everything goes back together. Good luck...carb cleaner sprayed directly into crankcase will cause pistons to corrode if engine is not flushed with proper fuel and oil mixture while running.

 

[PDS]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

Just for the heck of it, how old is the gas? Last year I had a small outboard(2.5hp) that would only run with the choke mostly closed until I replaced the year old gas with fresh stuff. Oh, and I'd take the motor off if you do the carb.

 

[MarkCz]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

I had a similiar problem with a 1985 9.9 h.p. Johnson. It turned out the small black fuel tube in the carberator had a hole in it. Got a rebuild kit and fixed it.

 

[Emile Husson]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

"carb cleaner sprayed directly into crankcase will cause pistons to corrode if engine is not flushed with proper fuel and oil mixture while running."<br /><br />Thanks, I did let it run as normally as possible before pulling the fuel line off and letting the bowl empty.

 

[Emile Husson]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

Originally posted by PDS:<br /> Just for the heck of it, how old is the gas? Last year I had a small outboard(2.5hp) that would only run with the choke mostly closed until I replaced the year old gas with fresh stuff. Oh, and I'd take the motor off if you do the carb.

Gas is not new, but I topped off about two gallons of old gas with a gallon of brand new, 50:1, etc., because I wanted to avoid something like this.

 

[Emile Husson]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

UPDATE: Okay, okay. It was the gas. I took the carb apart and found water in the bottom of the cup. (sound of self-flagellation). I'm not so hot to rebuild it any more, but as long as I have it out, I'm going to see if anyone is game to do the job in the next few days.<br /><br />Thanks for all your input.<br /><br />Emile

 

[Emile Husson]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

UPDATE: No joy, no joy. I rebuilt the carb myself, put in new plugs, used brand new gas, brought everything to specs, but the problem persists. I'm now forced to suspect the fuel pump, but that thing looks like it's impossible to take off without major surgery. Any Ideas?<br /><br />By the way, it's a 1991, I found out.

 

[knobby]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

EH, check out this site on your motor;<br /> http://www.pugetsoundanglers.org/Fishing Info/Johnson 9.9_15.htm

 

[emckelvy]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

Did you blow out all the jets and fuel passages while you had the carb apart?<br /><br />What year is this motor and does it have a metal or plastic float bowl? The later ones with plastic float bowl have a perverted plastic jet fixture with the little black tube mentioned earlier, also a very small fuel passage in the plastic fixture that's easily overlooked. This is where the idle fuel comes from and it won't run too well unless this is free and clear. The passage is so small that you can barely pass one strand of copper, stripped out of a piece of electrical wire, through it.<br /><br />If you have the older carb with metal bowl, be sure to unscrew the main jet, check for clogging, and blow the carb out with air. Remove the idle mix needle and blow air thru.<br /><br />If it'll run only with choke, best be tearing back into the carb.<br /><br />Does the idle mixture screw have any effect as you move it to rich and lean? Pull the knob off, screw the needle all the way in CW (lightly seated only), then back out approx. 2 turns. You should see some effect in the way the motor runs when you adjust the idle mix from that point. If not, you've got problems in the idle circuit.<br /><br />HTH...........ed

 

[Emile Husson]

Re: Johnson 9.9 sailmaster Only runs with choke closed

Ed Mc., <br />Funny you should mention that!! I talked to the local shop about taking the engine in, as I was ready to give up, and he said he wouldn't be able to look at it for a week. He said in the meantime I should take another crack at cleaning the carb and make sure I got all the ports. When I had it apart this time, I happened to look at the very thing you mentioned (plastic float bowl with perverted fixture). I ran a strand of wire through it, and lo and behold, gunk, wonderful gunk! A little Heimlich maneuver for my carb! I can see light through that jet now, and it explains most of the problems I was having. Question: would that also affect the choke issue?<br /><br />On another front, I figured out how to remove the carb without taking off the auto-rewind starter of death. I removed the top plate from the carb, unscrewed the cam follower mechanism, replaced the top plate to protect the metal body of the carb, and voila! I could squeak in a small wrench to loosen the nuts to finger strength. Just be careful not to lose the nuts, or have a long piece of stiff wire ready to recover them from the bottom of the power head housing.<br /><br />I'll be testing it again on Friday.<br /><br />E