Hard starting 90 hp 1990 Johnson VRO

[spankey1004]

My 1990 90hp Johnson has been starting harder and harder recently. Seems to be flooding out. Once it is running it runs strong and well unless Idled for long periods. Took carbs off and noticed plastic float bowls were warped. Haven't replaced yet. Vro pump was disassembled and all looks fine there. Compression is 130 on all cylinders. Don't see any fuel leaks in system. Can the bowls being warped cause bad sealing around fuel inlet port causing flooding without external leakage? Any help/suggestions appreciated.

[Solittle]

130 on all four and running strong indicates the basics are sound. I'd rebuild the carbs & replace all the bad stuff - - should start/run like new.

[Rick.]

I've been reluctant to comment as I don't know anything about your specific motor. Anyway you didn't get a lot of replies so here goes. I'm just going to tell you about my experience with a 1995 Johnson 40 HP. It was new to me last year. Started giving me troubled starts right away. Never got out all that much but in the end I was convinced it was a flooding issue as whenever I pulled the plugs(when trying to start it) they were quite wet. I would dry them, try again and it normally started after this, sometimes I would pull them again and dry them and it would start. In the end it always started but was embarrassing and frustrating. My last trip in the late fall it refused to start but was on a small lake and we just used my kicker for the day (fishing). It was very cold that day. I had long decided to rebuild and clean the carbs. but wanted to wait till winter. I cleaned the carbs. and put in new kits and wanted to check timing prior to using it this year. When I went to check the timing late this spring, I discovered I had no spark. After a bit of messing around I took it in to have the electronics checked and the mechanic told me it was my power pack that had failed. Well since I replaced the power pack the motor has started flawlessly every time. I am convinced now it was always my power pack that was my problem. Last year after a few/bunch of cranks it must have warmed up enough to work right. They last day it would not start at all and it was also a very cold day which I think the temperature had a lot to do with it. Sometimes it even ran on one cylinder for a minute and then the other would kick in. Again another symptom of a flooded cylinder. Sorry for the long story but I would do a spark gap check right at the launch just to be sure you have good spark. Yours might be doing the same as mine did. Also, once mine did start it was good starting all the rest of the day. Best of luck. Rick.