What could have happened and why? Motor bogged down after making turn!

Not sure how to describe what happened,but yesterday evening while doing
some boating at a local reservoir,my motor started bogging down just after making a turn. I was not in any weedy area so the thought of weeds fouling the prop would not apply in this situation. It ran fine just prior to making my
turn to head back to the ramp,...but after making the turn,it just would not
get the boat on plane at all. I have a 9.5 HP Johnson on a Sea Nymph 14R
boat. Last time out,I made an adjustment on the motor that at least allowed the motor to get the boat just barely on plane(I set the slow speed adjusment at it's lowest point,...it was up high and was making the motor
run too rich). This time out,it done no good at all to adjust the slow speed
setting. Also,I just filled the tank with gas at 50:1. mix. This motor just will
not go. I have not checked it yet,but I am wondering if I could have possibly fouled a plug,...but I am not sure. The fuel line was not kinked,either. It's
a mystery to me as to what has happened.

Re: What could have happened and why? Motor bogged down after making turn!

You may have a float valve that is sticking in your carburetor; that would stop the flow of fuel normally allowed when the float drops as fuel is required.

The carburetor rebuild with a new kit is very simple and you should add the new spring clip to the float arm so that it has better control of the valve. Click the thumbnail to see how the clip attaches.

You want your lean rich setting such that the warmed engine will not speed up when you pull out the choke slightly. If it does speed up, the engine is set too lean and it can seriously damage the engine.

Start by very lightly seating the lean rich needle clockwise, then turn counter clockwise 1-1/2 turns and warm up the engine. Then, in increments of no more than 1/8 turn, adjust until smooth, allowing at least a minute for each adjustment to register. If the engine coughs while turning the needle clockwise, you have gone too far.

You should always make the lean/rich adjustments warmed and under load on the water idling in gear - you can tie the boat to a dock.

Re: What could have happened and why? Motor bogged down after making turn!

I am concerned that I may have already done some damage to the motor,...especially right after it bogged down after making the turn and would not get back up to speed. If the float valve did happen to stick by
any chance,could that have caused the motor to suddenly run lean by not letting any fuel/oil through? Is that possible for that to occur? If so,then I
may have fried a motor already by continuing to run. I ask that because I have never had anything like this happen before,...not even on my previous
boat. Now ,don't get the idea that I purposely went out to destroy a motor
and give myself an excuse to get a bigger motor. I would not do that,...but
I will admit that my boat is underpowered with that little 9.5 horse Johnson anyway. But that is not the issue here. The issue is I had a motor bog down suddenly and would not get back up to speed. This leads me to believe that
if the float valve did stick,it caused the motor to suddenly run lean and I fear
that permanent damage has been done. Am I correct in my assumption?

Re: What could have happened and why? Motor bogged down after making turn!

No. The test is compression, so get a screw-in compression tester and take the plugs out and see what value you have for each cylinder. If you overheated you may have blown a $10.00 head gasket and need to replace it. While you are at it, pick up a $10.00 adjustable spark tester from autozone or somewhere and check your spark.

There are props out there for your motor with lower pitch that will get you out of the hole quicker - you may lose some potential top end but the goal is to get on plane.

The way the fuel system works is that the fuel pump fills the float bowl in the bottom of the carburetor until that float rises and closes the valve, preventing more fuel from entering until the engine sucks fuel through the carburetor, lowering the float. If the needle sticks, the fuel can't get in and you are dead in the water, so to speak. It's a good safety feature if you are upside down.

Re: What could have happened and why? Motor bogged down after making turn!

I have reason now to believe that my problem is carb related. I noticed yesterday afternoon while I was just out for a ride and not fishing,...any
time I slowed down,the vibration from the motor was causing the slow
speed adjustment to move slightly in the "rich" direction. Anytime I wanted
to speed up,I had to reach back and turn the slow speed adjustment all the way down to get any speed out of this little 9.5 HP Johnson motor. But I wonder,...should I have to do that everytime? Also,am I causing the motor
to run lean by doing that? That slow speed adjustment just will not stay put
and it is aggrivating the heck out of me! If I could just find a much newer Johnson motor that did not have that slow speed adjustment to fool with,I
would be alot happier boater everytime out. I have been unhappy with this
motor since the first time I ran it. Saving the money for a much newer and
better Johnson motor,...maybe a newer mid 1990's motor W/O the slow
speed adjustment.

Re: What could have happened and why? Motor bogged down after making turn!

Get a rebuild kit and go through the carb. It is cheap and should resolve your problems.

Sounds like your packing behind the low speed nut has failed(hardened) it is no longer putting pressure around the needle to keep it set. Air could be passing also causing excess fuel draw.

Re: What could have happened and why? Motor bogged down after making turn!

crxess said:

Get a rebuild kit and go through the carb. It is cheap and should resolve your problems.

Sounds like your packing behind the low speed nut has failed(hardened) it is no longer putting pressure around the needle to keep it set. Air could be passing also causing excess fuel draw.

Click to expand...

Air passing could be causing excess fuel draw? That may explain why this small motor seems to be using far more fuel than it should. Just before refueling the boat this last Friday,...in the first three times out,that little
Johnson went through a tank of gas in only three trips to the lake. Each time
it used about a 1/4 to a 1/3 a tank of gas on each trip. On a six gallon tank,
mind you! And I started with a full tank to boot!

Re: What could have happened and why? Motor bogged down after making turn!

Look at the carburetor diagram for your model 9.5.

http://shop.evinrude.com/

From 1968 through 1973 all have a large spring to hold the needle in place and the "packing" is a single o-ring.

If you don't have the o-ring, the needle can't seal and without the sprinbg for tension, you can't hold the lean/rich needle steady. Once you set the needle correctly, you should not need to move it again.