1997 40 HP Johnson, smoking a lot.

I noticed the last couple times out that my motor started smoking excessily, runs fine, but there is a big blue cloud following me around on the water. I run always and only run amsoil for my oil.<br /><br />I also have had a couple alarms go off for a short period of time in my last couple outings, it eventually stopped, both times my oil was on the low side, but nothing extreme, both times I ended up adding oil, and the problem seemed to stop..... <br /><br />So it got me to thinking a couple things, please correct me if I am wrong.<br /><br />1. When most oil pumps start to fail the fail rich for some period of time, thus my motor is suddenly using way, way more oil, which oil use alone doesn't bother me, it's the change, that now it suddenly does. I also learned today there is a filter on the oil pump unit, that has never been cleaned or changed. <br /><br />2. The alarm I recieve I *think* was a constant beep, not intermitten, I thought that was an oil warning, but it seems I may be wrong there too (oil warning are on, off, on , off, correct?), I could actually be 2 things. One I've noticed my primer bulb is not staying firm like it is suppose to, and the constant beep I think has something to do with fuel pressure, and not oil like I thought orignally. <br /><br />3. My impellar is orginal, bought the motor new, in 2001 ( though it's a '97), the the water comes out of the motor still very good, and I don't normally run the motor for too long so I question that it could be overheating, I really don't think it is.<br /><br />Time for impellar replacement anyways. <br /><br />So my orginal thought that the oil pump was failing, I'm now questioning, I was going to have it replaced, but maybe I'll just replace the filter with a new one, and replace the alarm stuff on the oil tank, which I think is come with a new filter, though I'm not sure.<br /><br />Any thoughts or comments?<br /><br /> -Nick

Re: 1997 40 HP Johnson, smoking a lot.

Could be a whole bunch of things wrong with your motor.<br /><br />As for not running it too long ... how long is not too long ?<br /><br />I'd start with the water pump,as that is usually 1st to go.<br /><br />But no matter how you look at it your motor is almost 10 years old.Non use is not a factor on many parts.Age is.<br /><br />DHP

Re: 1997 40 HP Johnson, smoking a lot.

I'd say if I'm running my main motor I'm not running my motor for more the 5 minutes are a time most of the time, and it seem like I get these alarms shortly after starting the motor up and motoring away. <br /><br />I should clarify a bit too, at time the motor really smokes, and other times it's "normal" Now say I was just trolling along at idel speed, in gear, one minute it's fine next it's smoking again, next it stops the excessive smoking. I also try and make sure after trolling for some time, to run the motor up to speed for a bit, clear it's throat so to speak.<br /><br />I do run seafoam rather frequently though the motor, and try to always run the motor atleast 20 minutes straight before I load in on the trailer, It seems I get these alarms early on, when the motor has not ran for some time, like just afer I pull it off the trailer, and when I start the boat up again to go in, after motoring around with the trolling motor for the last couple hours.<br /><br />The more I talk about this, the more I'm leaning (no pun intended) towards a fuel problem, and not an oil problem...