Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

The boat I purchased has been sitting for at least 4 years if not five. I purchased the boat with the thinking that the motor is dead. It was winterized.<br /><br />What is the proper procedure in order to try and start an old motor after a long sitting time?

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

Make sure you have clean fuel.<br /><br />Is this an oil injection outboard?<br /><br />If so, premix 50:1 for the initial start up. After that, service the oil injection tank and continue pre mix until you verify oil useage.<br /><br />Once you verify it runs. I would change the impeller and service the lower unit.

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

If its been sitting that long, I'd put a little oil in each cylinder, then turn the flywheel by hand a few times to get some lubrication happening prior to trying to start it.<br /><br />Also, I'm not sure how long gas stabilizer will work, but I would imagine that 4-5 years is pushing it. Assuming there was fuel left in the carbs, they are probably a little gummed up by now. I'd pull the carbs, give them a good cleaning and install new carb kits (float, needle valve, gaskets).<br /><br />Oh yeah...if you haven't already...buy a manual...it will save you a bunch of time and money.<br /><br />Good luck!!<br /><br />Brew

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

what typr of oil to put in the cyl?

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

Before you go and try and start it you should do a compression test to make sure you have no stuck rings. All readings within a few pounds of each other is what you want to see. As stated above do the carbs, some of us can clean up what we have and not buy kits for a motor that may or may not run. At minumum you should drain the bowls, fill the carbs from the top with carb cleaner, let soak a couple of hours drain and repeat until it comes out perfectly clear. If it runs I would disassemle and make sure they are clean through and through before I took it to the river. It will start on carb cleaner and usually does the first time when I am working on a sitter. I usually spray deep creep in the spark plug holes and spin the motor a little and repeat. Then i squirt a little 2 cycle oil in each cylinder and put the kill switch to run. I would also use a clean portable tank with fresh gas and oil. If it does start i usually go at it with deep creep through the carbs right off to get as much carbon out as possible, I follow the instructions on the can.

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

I was planning on decarbing the engine but I need to have the engine running in order to do that.<br /><br />It is a VRO engine, but I plan on running the engine off of a portable tank mixed 50:1 to start with in order to run the engine in order to decarb the engine. If that makes any sense....

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

and also what do I do if I do a compression check and I do not get a consistant compression between the cylinders? And have a bad ring. How do I decrab an engine that doesn't run?

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

Fresh gas and oil. Spray a little premixed gas into the cylinders (remove spark plugs) and see if it will crank. Dont run it long because if it runs the carbs will likely need cleaning. Dis assemble the carbs and soak them. Do not use the spray carb cleaner. Also a compression test is in order. Do this before you spend money on it. It should at least attempt to crank with the pre-mix sprayed into the plug holes.

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

Not to change the subject but,<br /><br />I bought my 1981 60HP 2 Cylinder Johnson Sea Horse last summer. I bought the engine from someone who completely cleaned and checked everything. He also put a new lower unit on it. Ran awesome all last summer.<br /><br />I changed the plugs when I pulled it out of storage this spring. I would like to do a decarb before my wedding on the Thousand Islands. My local automotive store has Deep Creep in the spray can.<br /><br />My question is when decarbbing, can one spray too much Deep Creep in the carbs or cylinders? If so how much is too much and what is too little?<br /><br />Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

Hi Shade<br /><br />You cannot put too much in the carbs, but there is the procedure, which I do not know if you know it or not. I would get 2 cans. Make sure the engine is up to operating temp. and then at a somewhat fast idle, begin spraying the deep creep into each carb equally, but not so much as to kill the engine right away. Just until it boggs down but continues to run. Keep doing this until you are near 1/3 of each can and shoot alot in the carbs until the engine dies. Let it sit for an hour or so(Or whatever the can recommends) and then, if possible, take it out on the water and run it at full throttle to blow out the loose carbon. Put new spark plugs in after you're done. If you still have the old plugs, use them during the de-carb to save having to buy another set... Here is more reading on the procedure:<br /><br /> web page

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

DjPro <br /><br />I would follow the advice above, but lets see if it will run first. Put a little TC-W3 oil in the cylinders, have a fully charged battery hooked up, fresh fuel/oil mixture, new fuel line and primer bulb. Pump up the bulb until firm, hit the choke and crank it over and see if it fires. True, you will want to clean the carbs out after sitting so long(Don't want it running lean on any cylinder), but you may at least get it to run enough to do the decarb, after which will give you more realistic compression readings. Then take care of all the other things(Water Pump, Lower unit fluid change, clean carbs, Ect.) once you know you have a solid motor by verifing the compression readings..

Re: Proper Start after long sit Johnson 150 1987

Thanks Rick!<br /><br />I read that FAQ a while ago, but I wasn't sure if I could over do it and damage something.