Don't you just cringe

As I sit here typing this, my next-door neighbor is running his 85hp Johnson for the first time this year. It must be taching 8000 RPM, in gear, on muffs, in the back yard. It's not coming apart so I guess that's a testament to Johnson.

Re: Don't you just cringe

what's even more fun is when the do it without muffs, and wonder why it runs hot.

Re: Don't you just cringe

It is amazing what they can take. Had an old 65hp years ago that got away from me in the yard. I got the rig with the house I bought and thought I would crank her up on the muffs. Cranked right up after sitting long term. Then the rpms started going up...never stopped. Turned key off...nothing. Pulled kill switch lanyard...nothing. Pulled battery cables (I know, I was in a panic)...nothing. She was in a full thermal runaway. Finally pulled fuel line, and after what felt like forever, she quit. Knew a rod should have come through but didn't. Carb linkage fell off. Butterflies opened on their own. After a week gathering my nerves back up from the ground, I fired her up again. Perfect idle, no knock. Ran it another year without even replacing the impeller until I sold it. I won't even attempt to go into lessons learned. Amazing what these motors can take.

Re: Don't you just cringe

Short stroke, small pistons, no valves to float, no valve train and no timing chain. Takes a lot to make outboards throw a rod. The model engine 2 strokes regularly go up to 20,000 and higher in racing applications--running nitro and alcohol with synthetic oil and plain bearings on the rod big end.