1995 Johnson Oceanrunner 200HP

[mharding67]

Recently bought an old engine - runs great if you can get it started. Recently installed new parts include. Solenoid, power pack, stator, rectifier, thermostats, installed temp gauge with blind senders, keyswitch, and the starter.

All of these items needed repair. Go figure. Here is my current problem - I can start in mornings or evenings, but on hot days of after long 4000RPM runs - it wont start. I get some smoke, couple firings then no smoke and no ignition. I have yet to get spark test on it when it fails. Sometimes I get beep from warning yet the engine at 4000+ rpms and the engine has a voracious appetite for oil - lots of smoke but that;s a good indication that oil is in the fuel.

Curious things that have happened is sometimes starter wont stop even with new keyswitch in off position (all contacts are clear and are not crossed on terms on back of switch). I am thinking I have water damaged wires from console since there is no reason the starter should lock on with a new solenoid and keyswitch and the intermittent thing with engine is just baffling. I have manual and am ready to test - wife wont allow me to take it out anymore - ugh.

Does this problem sound even remotely familiar to anyone?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 1995 Johnson Oceanrunner 200HP

Are you running the oil injection system or premix? For warm starting, advance the throttle a bit (push throttle only button) and then try to start it. The shift assist switch on my motor routinely sticks. I need to jiggle the throttle handle to make it release. Shift assist kills spark to 1/2 the motor.

Look for melted wires on motor and under dashboard. I had them on my '98 Oceanrunner, eventhough it was very lightly used. The wires were melted on the port side of the motor and under the dashboard, grounding my tach signal, and then shorting my ign aseccory wire to ground and blowing the fuse.

 

[mharding67]

Re: 1995 Johnson Oceanrunner 200HP

Thanks a lot - I got 2 days of immediate firing and then it died. I took it in thinking I checked the switch - but its the other wire - I only checked the ignition switch (which worked). So the shop told me that if it was what you described, I could forget the timer base that I ordered (everything else is new!) At least I will be able to trust the motor a little more. Thanks for the feedback - wires looked ok. I will let you know what happened.

 

[mharding67]

Re: 1995 Johnson Oceanrunner 200HP

Well they installed the timing base, and a new power pack and a new stator which were already new. Starts like a champ. Not so fast, now it runs hot. I put sensors on each side of the block iwth temp gauges and the starbird side runs over 175 after long run at 4K+ rpms - port is 15-20 degrees cooler and seems normal. I rebuilt water pump with new impeller/housing etc, and intalled new tstats and used salt away in case there was buildup. Still runs too hot (over 175 at WOT) - next new part is the pop valve but I have already lost my wifes confidence in the boat. She wants to sell and be done with it. Ugh. Now its a matter of pride and the fact that I have to get this thing running. Emotional battle of sorts but I also want to sell it in good faith. All the manuals say change tstats, rebuild water pump - if no joy call mech. How does one thoroughly test cooling system without giving another 1K to a mechanic?

 

[krimi]

Re: 1995 Johnson Oceanrunner 200HP

pull the thermostats out, see how she runs.

 

[mharding67]

Re: 1995 Johnson Oceanrunner 200HP

Runs much cooler without the tstats in. Put them in and it heats up in idle - I swapped them and tried both in and out and its consistently cooler with tstats out.

Just swapped senders on temp gauge - now the other runs hot? Doh! Next time use crayons...

Thanks for all the help - this site is great. Case closed.