Hi all,
just picked up a sweet 1985 johnson 8hp seahorse. Seems to work well, but I've never had one so I thought I'd turn to the experts as the search function didn't turn up anything for me. Probably because I don't know the technical names for things
First question: on the back, in between the choke and the pull start, there is a third knob/dial thing. I have been searching the forums and I have deduced that this is the slow speed mixture screw, but I figured I should verify this? I also couldn't find anything on how to set it. I read that someone had a much larger seahorse (like 15hp or so) and they said to turn it all the way in and then back out 1/8 turn. Does that hold true for these little 8hp ones, too? If not, how does one set this knob?
The second question I have is about the throttle. My throttle has a pretty clear point where you are intended to start it, and is notated by a little circle. It also opens up way past that, which it's supposed to do... but I can't seem to get it to go below that? For example, on most outboards I've seen, the starting position is to open the throttle about 1/4 of the way. Then, once it's going and warm, you can turn the throttle below that.
On this engine, it's as if the starting position is with the throttle as far back as it can go. Looking into the carb, the throttle is clearly not "closed" AND it looks like the throttle "drawing" next to the actual throttle (like, where the circle mark to show starting position) keeps going on lower than the starting position, leading me to believe that it should be able to go lower. But it's like it's stuck. Is there a trick to getting the throttle to go lower than the starting position? I've tried in neutral, in forward and backwards, everything, but it won't go lower than the marked throttle position.
Thanks everyone! Looking forward to getting this engine out and about!
just picked up a sweet 1985 johnson 8hp seahorse. Seems to work well, but I've never had one so I thought I'd turn to the experts as the search function didn't turn up anything for me. Probably because I don't know the technical names for things
First question: on the back, in between the choke and the pull start, there is a third knob/dial thing. I have been searching the forums and I have deduced that this is the slow speed mixture screw, but I figured I should verify this? I also couldn't find anything on how to set it. I read that someone had a much larger seahorse (like 15hp or so) and they said to turn it all the way in and then back out 1/8 turn. Does that hold true for these little 8hp ones, too? If not, how does one set this knob?
The second question I have is about the throttle. My throttle has a pretty clear point where you are intended to start it, and is notated by a little circle. It also opens up way past that, which it's supposed to do... but I can't seem to get it to go below that? For example, on most outboards I've seen, the starting position is to open the throttle about 1/4 of the way. Then, once it's going and warm, you can turn the throttle below that.
On this engine, it's as if the starting position is with the throttle as far back as it can go. Looking into the carb, the throttle is clearly not "closed" AND it looks like the throttle "drawing" next to the actual throttle (like, where the circle mark to show starting position) keeps going on lower than the starting position, leading me to believe that it should be able to go lower. But it's like it's stuck. Is there a trick to getting the throttle to go lower than the starting position? I've tried in neutral, in forward and backwards, everything, but it won't go lower than the marked throttle position.
Thanks everyone! Looking forward to getting this engine out and about!
Last edited:
