Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

[Tibb79]

I have a 115 '76 that I've done the best I can to drain every time I use or test. If it's below freezing when I go to start it it acts like it's siezed up. As soon as it gets above freezing it pops off. Any ideas why or is it just a trait of the motor. If it is I'll have to find something else as it is going on a duck boat and I need something to work in cold weather.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

You may find that 100% synthetic oil will help.

 

[F_R]

Re: Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

Are you sure it's not the battery?

 

[Tibb79]

Re: Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

voltage checks good at either temp.

 

[rockyrude]

Re: Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

Measuring volts is a very misleading way to tell battery condition. You can have the right volts without enough amps. Your starter also needs lots of amps, especially cold. Try to get the battry load tested.

 

[Tibb79]

Re: Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

Not doubting you. Just saying that the battery is brand new and even after the first episode I put it on the charger till full. Also seems weird that it would literaly work at 34 degrees and not at 30. I hope it is as simple as getting a bigger battery

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

Load testing is the best way of testing a battery as stated. A load test removes the amps from a battery much like starting the engine would. A load tester can be purchased at most auto parts stores, or can usually be done for free at any auto parts store. Some battery companies label their battery with the amp load for testing. This number is usually 1/2 of the CCA rating. For instance, a 500CCA battery would load test at 250 amps for 15 seconds. A load test can only be performed if the battery is near or at full charge, 12.65 volts. Have you tried another battery yet? What brand are you currently running?

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

The cylinder walls on cold engines can absorb most of the heat of compression. So, on cold days, it?s essential that the engine be spun as fast as possible to preserve all the heat that is developed. That is where a superb battery comes into play as stated above. Because a two-stroke engine uses a mixture of oil and gasoline, the oil that is mixed with the gas will reduce the volatility of the gas and raise the flash point temperature. The more oil that is added to the gasoline, the higher the compressed air temperature in the combustion chamber must be before the fuel will ignite. Does this really make a difference? Absolutely! Two-stroke engines are harder to start in cold weather anyway, and older engines are especially hard to start. This is one reason it?s important to follow OEM's recommendations and not put any more two-cycle oil in the gasoline than is specified. In your case, 50 to 1. As Ezeke stated, full synthetic oils will help in this.

 

[Tibb79]

Re: Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

I will be checking battery, but I guess I'm confused why, especially after that last explanation, it would'nt even budge below freezing. No turn over or anything. I even, right or wrong, tried a wrench on the flywheel and it would'nt move. I would assume if it was a lube or battery issue it would atleast try to move a half revolution or something. But then I'm not real farmiliar w/ boat motors.

 

[F_R]

Re: Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

Well, if you can't move it with a wrench, that's different news. And kind of strange, doesn't sound right to me. But I don't live in such a climate, so don't know much. All I know is I have to go to Kansas every winter, and it's dang cold there. No, I don't take my boat.

But I do know that batteries begin to lose their cranking ability at low temps. That's why they are rated in CCA "cold" cranking amps. But 30 degrees doesn't sound all that cold to me. Now when it gets down around zero and snow and ice everywhere......I wanna go home!

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: Johnson 115 '76 not good cold motor?

When you finish boating for the day and the boat is out of the water, drained, spin the flywheel one revolution. That will clear any residual water that is in the water pump housing. Possible this small amount of water is freezing, causing the drive shaft to lock up and thus your starting problem. If that's not it, I'd go looking in the cylinders for water intrustion, like a bad exhaust gasket or leaky head gasket.