20R69B tiller handle position vs. actual/ and running issue

Hi guys,
New guy here.Have a couple questions.This is my first time owning a boat.I have an old 16ft aluminum unit with a 20R69B Johnson on it.Problem is when i rotate the handle and line up the red dot into the start position...i apply the choke and give it some pulls on the rope and it will never start.If i rotate the handle in between the start and fast position and give it a pull it will start. Once it starts i can work the throttle and it will run fine.(keep in mind this is all in a tub of water).If i try to back down the throttle to where it is a nice idle it seems that the vibration from the engine just causes it to jiggle till it backs off and shuts down.Then i can restart it the same way..Now before i dive into this i would like to know how the positions on the handle are supposed to work.I noticed it has a shift and a slow position.If i rotate it backwards past the start position to either the shift or slow position it just shuts off.The lean rich linkage is also broken.Any insight would be great and much appreciated..Thanks in advance

Re: 20R69B tiller handle position vs. actual/ and running issue

dont pay much attention to the markings on the tiller.....they never really line up right. get used to listening to what the motor is saying. ( so to speak). then, if it wont hold a slow enough idle to shift properly, look into a carb kit/cleaning, and get the parts to replace the broken ones. jmo

Re: 20R69B tiller handle position vs. actual/ and running issue

Agreed, those tiller plates are never right. Think of it as Slow is this way and
Fast is thataway. Ignore the "Start" word. Proper start position is with gearshift in neutral, turn the twist grip toward "Fast" as far as it will go. (It will only go to the "real" start position).

But you might also want to check the carburetor/timing synchronization. They are pretty touchy and hard to set on that model. If the carburetor throttle shaft hasn't started to open it will be difficult to start.

Re: 20R69B tiller handle position vs. actual/ and running issue

Ok.that clears up a lot of stuff.I haven't got to dig into that much but im assuming that it has dual carbs being a twin cylinder.when you say Carb timing I would guess you mean to check that the carbs are synched with each other?thanks

Re: 20R69B tiller handle position vs. actual/ and running issue

Oh and more question ..when im shifting should it be at very low idle? Or is it ok to be up off of idle a bit? It seems when I shift it a low.idle it wants to stall..

Re: 20R69B tiller handle position vs. actual/ and running issue

lowbukboat said:

Ok.that clears up a lot of stuff.I haven't got to dig into that much but im assuming that it has dual carbs being a twin cylinder.when you say Carb timing I would guess you mean to check that the carbs are synched with each other?thanks

Click to expand...

Timing is when the magneto plate (under the flywheel) moves when you twist the throttle which is attached to the linkage from the tiller handle, this advances the timing on the plugs firing as the cam & cam follower pushes the carb butterfly open. (Twist the throttle with the motor in forward gear and look at all the moving parts, you'll see what I mean)...And I also agree the markings are almost never correct on the tiller handle of older OB's, every motor takes a little bit to get its own feel down...

Re: 20R69B tiller handle position vs. actual/ and running issue

Ok..cool..I work on car engines day in and day out.Hats off to boat engine mechanics.They are definitely very unique. I'm assuming that when I roll the throttle all the way back that its in the slow position ..is there a reason why it would not go into a slow idle? Mine just shuts off..I can live with it for now..just trying to familiarize myself with all this foreign stuff before I dive into it..