Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

B

boater83

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
89
'96 Ocean Runner 115hp performed flawlessly all season. In fact, took it out yesterday on last trip but didn't flush out engine with fresh water since I came home late. It had no issues on the water.

This morning, starts right up for 15 seconds, then dies. Now it wouldn't idle for more than 3-5 seconds without stalling. Tried a few things:

-pour in some new fuel
-verify there's spark with in line tester
-changed 4 new sparks
-open fuel cap (thought venting problem)
-did compression, all good no issues
-Tried manual and auto choke...fuel comes out but engine still will starts 1-2 seconds and die

Siphon fuel pump stays firm after pumping, doesn't seem to have leak. Also tried pumping when engine runs for 1-5 seconds, and engine still stalls.

Could this be the power pack dying? Why would i still see spark from all 4 plugs on my in line tester? Tried to winterized but now engine keeps stalling out..please help. Thanks all.
 
B

boater83

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
89
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

Bought some new gas today, same symptoms, doesn't start. Just cranks and occasional starts for 1 second and dies. Can this be related the to optical eye going bad?
 
B

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

If the optical eye was bad you shouldn't have any spark.
 
B

boater83

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
89
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

boobie said:
If the optical eye was bad you shouldn't have any spark.
Click to expand...

Thanks, good to know Boobie. You just save me $50 since I was planning to order another eye. What's weird is I tried squirting gas (pre-mixed of course) into the carb, and it still doesn't want to start. I just ordered a spark gap tester and see if I can see the strong spark (blue color).
 
B

boater83

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
89
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

I am beginning to think it could be my power pack. One time in the ocean, engine would stall as soon as I put it gear. Maybe its at the end of its life now come to think of it.
 
B

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

The open air gap spark tester is still the best. I have a couple of those inline testers and never use them. Set the tester at 7/16 ". Get back to us with what you find.
 
rolmops

rolmops

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
5,316
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

Go for the simple stuff first.After a night outside in cooler weather you want to check your ground cable connections and you want to double check the spark plug wires. Take a hair drier and blow some hot air under the flywheel to dry stuff out.
All other things being equal, I suspect humidity as the guilty party.
 
B

boater83

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
89
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

Gap tester arrived...initially saw white spark a few times on only one cable with 7/16 gap...but noticed port side plug into power pack was unplugged (was troubleshooting earlier) so I plugged it back in, now don't see any spark at all at 7/16 with gap tester. However, with the in line tester, I still see the spark from 4 wires! Does this mean the in-line tester can pick up very weak signal? What's the conclusion at this point? Bad power pack or bad optical sensor? I ohmed out the coil and its about 275 ohm to specs. Thanks.
 
B

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

Throw the inline testers away. As I said I don't use mine. Go to CDI Electronics.com and look up their trouble shooting procedures. Now that you have a good spark tester go through the procedures first. It still may be the sensor, but everything else should be checked first. Or if you're a gambler, throw a sensor at it first. It could also be the power pack.
 
B

boater83

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
89
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

boobie said:
Throw the inline testers away. As I said I don't use mine. Go to CDI Electronics.com and look up their trouble shooting procedures. Now that you have a good spark tester go through the procedures first. It still may be the sensor, but everything else should be checked first. Or if you're a gambler, throw a sensor at it first. It could also be the power pack.
Click to expand...

Yeah that in line tester sucks and misleading. Luckily the gap spark tester sets me on the right course. I do have the troubleshooting ready from CDI,as well as the Johnson manual. I need to have a the DVA adapter to measure the peak voltage. Just ordered resistor , cap, and diode to make the circuitry. May probably gamble tonight and just order the power pack ($200 from marineengine.com). The coil ohmed out to be okay according the manual.
 
B

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

What I used to do when one of those mtrs would come in the shop with no spark, I'd flip a quarter. Heads sensor, tails pack. It usually came out 50/50. But that was in a shop where if the part didn't work you could always put it back on the shelf. The tester OMC built for the sensor sucked. It was only good for static timing. Check everything you can and then gamble. The sensor is cheaper than the pack. OMC used to ship a new sensor with the pack but I don't know if that is still happening.
 
B

boater83

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
89
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

boobie said:
What I used to do when one of those mtrs would come in the shop with no spark, I'd flip a quarter. Heads sensor, tails pack. It usually came out 50/50. But that was in a shop where if the part didn't work you could always put it back on the shelf. The tester OMC built for the sensor sucked. It was only good for static timing. Check everything you can and then gamble. The sensor is cheaper than the pack. OMC used to ship a new sensor with the pack but I don't know if that is still happening.
Click to expand...

Too funny with the coin toss concept for these motors :).CDI sells the kit with sensor, pack, and 4 cables for $250. Not bad at all I think. I just ordered it. It will be here next week. Part Number: 113-6292K 1
Description: OMC CD4 AL6400
Install Sheet: 113-6292K 1.pdf
Replaces: 586015 586098 586292 113-6292K 1

Got a question with the eye sensor though Boobie/friends. I don't have the timing tools nor the know how to even do it (reading the instructions doesn't make any sense when performing timing.) Is there a chance my timing will be off if I install the new eye? I'm planning to remove the flywheel cover and hopefully I don't mess up any timing that's already there. The eye sensor seems to be attached to this moving arm, not even sure if I can remove it without messing up. With the pack, I'm planning to swap it out with old one. I'll update once they arrive to see the problem is resolved.
 

Attachments

  • ImgProc.jpg
    ImgProc.jpg
    27.2 KB · Views: 0
B

boater83

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
89
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

I think I know why the power pack was blown....(maybe). I measured the voltage on the ignition kill wire going into the power pack, and it shows 12.6V when the key are on. With key turned off, the voltage goes away. It looks like the faulty ignition switch kill the power pack. I am assuming the kill wire should never has any voltage on it, since its suppose to be grounded.

UPDATE: Engine starts!! Unplug the port side cables going into power pack, and she fires right up! This explains why I saw the spark last night with this side unplugged. Ignition switch is faulty, causing the ignition wire to have 12.6Vdc. Do you guys still recommend changing the powerpack /eye sensor at this point? Thanks all for your help so far.
 
B

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: Try to Winterize Boat today...Johnson OceanRunner would not idle, help please

If it's running, use it. After you replace the ign sw just make sure the 12.6V is gone
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top