1977 Johnson Sea Horse 55 hp fuel problems?

[jiggineyes]

I Just got this motor a couple months ago. After fixing the starter last week I took it out wednesday. Went to go fishing this morning and couldnt get it to run. It fired up right away but would die without feathering choke. After it died twice, it wouldnt start back up. It kept sputtering and dieing. I tried starting fluid. It would run for a minute with the starting fluid but seems to die as soon as its burned up. Seems to be not getting fuel. Is that a good assumption with it firing with the starter fluid? Ballcock is holding good pressure. I checked the lines And dont seem to have any leaks. Should I be able to blow air into the carb via the fuel line rom the filter? Im assuming it the fuel pump but not sure. Any ideas? Thanks for the help.

[tashasdaddy]

remove fuel line at the carb, turn the motor over, you should get strong sputs of fuel. if so i would look at the carbs. stuck floats. DO NOT USE STARTER FLUID, use premixed gas & oil.

[jiggineyes]

Thanks. So ill get fuel coming from the carb or fuel pump if I turn the motor over? The fuel pump on this isnt electric powered at all. Its more of just a screen. Theres no mechanical parts except the springs. Was thinking it was more likely the carbs as well.

[tx1961whaler]

The fuel pump is a diaphragm type pump that is driven from vacuum pulses from the engine. It's very simple, but it has to be working right.

[jiggineyes]

I gotcha now. I primed the ball then disconnected line at bottom of top carb. I turned it over and it spit a bit of gas out of the line. So this means it working. correct? I ran some seafoam through it to see if it would clean it up. It ran for a minute then went back to the same.

So to fix the float, Ill have to drop the bowl out,right? The float controls the gas coming in right. Is it in the bowl. I know a little about carbs but have never opened one up to know the true narure of the beast. Thanks

[jiggineyes]

bump

[tx1961whaler]

THere's a good post about rebuilding carbs in the "Top Secret" file at the top of the forum.

[jiggineyes]

I was looking at it today. In the top secret post it says if it will attempt to run by adding gas mix directly into carbs its the fuel pump. yet you suggest the carb floats.

If I blow into the fuel line to the carb no air passes through. Doesnt that eliminate the stuck float?(accordng to the checklist on rebuilding carbs)

I took apart the fuel pump and noticed a small tear in the diamphram lining. Could this be the cause?

Also, the day it quit running it was holding good pressure at the ball. Now if I squeeze the ball it lets up pressure and seems to be pushing gas into the port behind the pump. I imagine thats due to the tear in diaphram/ Thanks for the help!

[domwebhost]

--Update --Sorry.. I just read the rest of your post. A tear in the diaphram could definitely be your problem ( as it can not equate and regulate the pressure coming from the crankcase..etc) I would change it before trying any further troubleshooting



If the float is stuck closed (up) it will cut the fuel supply, if it is stuck open ( down) then it will overflow fuel. I don;t know abou the "blowing" into the carb, but I would think that if the float is stuck closed then it is cutting the fuel supply and you would not be able to blow through it. Maybe take the fuel line off where it goes into the carbs if you are going to "blow" in it to bypass the diaphram ( which uses varying pressures of the crankcase) and see if u can get anything through. At any rate, dropping th bowls should be simple enough for you, and cleaning them out has NO down sides When I can't get fuel to the carb (after ruling out the fuel pump) it has either been a stuck float, clogged port...etc.. It might be worth pulling off the bowls and look in them before you dump them.. If one has a lot of sediment inside then focus your float inspection around the float pin..etc.. to ensure that nothing is wedged between

Just my $.02