Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

[Timberwolf17044]

I recently aquired a little pet A Starcraft Mariner V 14 with a Johnson 30 HP outboard, remote controls. Upon beginning my inspections I found a leaking diaphragm in the fuel pump so I bought and installed a rebuild kit for the pump. I also tore down the carb and cleaned it thouroughly and could find nothing out of sorts there. The unit however still seems to run a little rough so I'm looking for some guru assistance out there with basic setup advice.

#1 What is the proper idle speed?
#2 The carb only has a low speed rich lean adjustment and I'm wondering where to start the position of that screw? My thoughts tell me 1.25 - 1.50 turns out to start?
#3 Idle speed adjustment I assume is accomplished outside the port side of the motor where the cable connects, there is a bracket with a thumb wheel and it seems that turning the thumb wheel counter clockwise increases idle speed. The problem however is that I am completely out of adjustment on that wheel basically backed out as far as I can go with it.

I can't find any means of a simple adjustment for the linkage which would gain me some means to further adjust the idle as everything else is tied together. I'm attaching some pictures of the throttle cable connections and some of the carb. Throttle position in the pictures is low idle. You can see in one of the pics some marks that I was thinking should be lined up with linkage coming up from the carb. Sorry I don't know all the technical terms. I'm sure I am not providing all the information needed but hopefully this is a good start and I can get this puppy running smooth by Sunday. We are expecting 50 degree weather and I'd love to be able to take this out for a test run on the nearby river. Last but not least..
Model: J30ELCUB
Serial: E6251752

Thank you in advance to all who help.

 

[jasper60103]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

Yep, that's my motor. You say it runs a little rough. Can you describe the problem exactly?
Its really a great running motor. A little cold blooded though.
Be sure to mix fuel 50:1 TCW3 outboard oil.

Good luck.

Here's mine...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STC7bgueu10

 

[Timberwolf17044]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

Well thank you much. I can see I have some issues to resolve. First and foremost I have no water exiting that tube like yours and what seems like alot more coming from below. That has to be resolved before I go any further. I can also see mine smokes alot more then yours so I'm going to replace what gas I have with a fresh mix.

 

[Timberwolf17044]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

Hey also too, is it possible to remove that tube where it exits the bottom of the housing and apply air pressure in reverse to possibly blow out any obstruction?

 

[Haffiman]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

-Disconnect the throttle cable from engine.
-Set the throttle so the roller at pic #1 is just between the marks on the cam. Loosen the link screw on the carb and be sure the carb is fully closed - then tighten. Carb should start open just as the roller passes the marks.
- Put engine in forward and give full throttle. (Engine not running)
- On pic #4, just behind the idle stop it is a link rod going to the carb from the vertical shaft. Loosen the screw on the stopper, adjust so the carb is 99,99% open, tighten the screw.
- Back to neutral idle, and start the engine. Boat in water, or engine in barrel (no muffs) with water as high as when boat in water. Lower idle as far as possible, adjust the carb idle mix screw until max rpm, then back it out about 1/4. Set idle IN GEAR, boat moving freely at about 8-900.
- Re-attach the throttle cable.

 

[Timberwolf17044]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

-Disconnect the throttle cable from engine.
-Set the throttle so the roller at pic #1 is just between the marks on the cam. Loosen the link screw on the carb and be sure the carb is fully closed - then tighten. Carb should start open just as the roller passes the marks.
- Put engine in forward and give full throttle. (Engine not running)
- On pic #4, just behind the idle stop it is a link rod going to the carb from the vertical shaft. Loosen the screw on the stopper, adjust so the carb is 99,99% open, tighten the screw.
- Back to neutral idle, and start the engine. Boat in water, or engine in barrel (no muffs) with water as high as when boat in water. Lower idle as far as possible, adjust the carb idle mix screw until max rpm, then back it out about 1/4. Set idle IN GEAR, boat moving freely at about 8-900.
- Re-attach the throttle cable.

Thank you very much. Unit running much better now. Will take a video here shortly and get it posted on youtube. I still think there is some minor issue but once you see it running you may know.

 

[Timberwolf17044]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

Here is a vid of the motor in its current state.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex-jXFq0eEI&feature=youtu.be

 

[Haffiman]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

Amazing it runs at all with all that exhaust getting sucked straight into the air-intake at the back of the cowling.
Do a de-carb, launch the boat and test at sea.
Test that engine gets up top working temp at idle, top of block nearly to touch.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

This engine looks way to new to have an adjustable carb, is he maybe turning the jet cover screw or does it actually have an adjustment,
I have an '81 Evinerude and there are no carb adjustments at all, all fixxed jets.

Also in your carb cleaning if you didn't remove and physically clean all your jets that could be your problem, you have actually run a wire through them to get them really clean, it takes a suprisingly small amount of build up to make an engine run really badly.

 

[jasper60103]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

This engine looks way to new to have an adjustable carb, is he maybe turning the jet cover screw or does it actually have an adjustment,
I have an '81 Evinerude and there are no carb adjustments at all, all fixxed jets.

Also in your carb cleaning if you didn't remove and physically clean all your jets that could be your problem, you have actually run a wire through them to get them really clean, it takes a suprisingly small amount of build up to make an engine run really badly.

It does have a slow speed needle adjustment on the carb. See link below.

Did the engine sit up for a long time? I think a good decarb and lake run would help. Nice video.
Oh, if you don't know when serviced last, be sure to give her a new water pump and change the gear oil.

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/j...ELCUB&manufacturer=Johnson&section=Carburetor

 

[Timberwolf17044]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

Here's a vid from today after adjustments made.
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[Timberwolf17044]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuT7w220zGc

 

[raczekp1]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

hm. it looks like bad spark plugs or compresion inbalance.should rum much more smoth

 

[jasper60103]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

yea, how's your spark and compression? When mine was running on one cylinder, I honestly couldn't tell until I ran it at the lake. Turns out it had a bad coil.

 

[Timberwolf17044]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

Well if this don't beat all! I thought I was making progress. After messing around with it on Sunday and making the last vid that I posted I had decided I could take it to the river for a test run. About a half hour after taking that last vid I went out to hook the boat up to the Tahoe but before I did I thought I would let it run one more time. Turned the key and it fired right up, ran about 15 seconds and shut off. From that point on nothing!! No spark!!! Did do a compression test though and now know both cylinders are right around 120 PSI. I am assuming this unit is new enough that there won't be any points so is there a way to bench test whatever components are in the mix? I'm guessing coils for each cylinder but this is an area that I am very lost in so appreciate your guidance. Thank you again in advance.

 

[Timberwolf17044]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

Well if this don't beat all! I thought I was making progress. After messing around with it on Sunday and making the last vid that I posted I had decided I could take it to the river for a test run. About a half hour after taking that last vid I went out to hook the boat up to the Tahoe but before I did I thought I would let it run one more time. Turned the key and it fired right up, ran about 15 seconds and shut off. From that point on nothing!! No spark!!! Did do a compression test though and now know both cylinders are right around 120 PSI. I am assuming this unit is new enough that there won't be any points so is there a way to bench test whatever components are in the mix? I'm guessing coils for each cylinder but this is an area that I am very lost in so appreciate your guidance. Thank you again in advance.

As an added note this unit has remote controls with a kill switch on the side connected to a lanyard. Is it a normally open or normally closed switch and can I bypass it at the motor to verify that the problem isn't in the wiring between the motor and the controls? Keep in mind this motor has set idle for several years. It just seems really odd that it quit all at once.

 

[jasper60103]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

As an added note this unit has remote controls with a kill switch on the side connected to a lanyard. Is it a normally open or normally closed switch and can I bypass it at the motor to verify that the problem isn't in the wiring between the motor and the controls? Keep in mind this motor has set idle for several years. It just seems really odd that it quit all at once.

Yes, I agree that does seem odd. Better at home than on the lake though.

Anywho, the kill switch should be normally open.
You can confirm with a ohm meter. It should read very high ohms across the two kill switch wires.
Else, you can bypass the kill switch by disconnecting one of the lanyard/kill wires connecting to ground. FYI. It's grounded via a coil mounting screw on my motor. Keep in mind I have a tiller model though. Please keep us posted. BTW, your compressions numbers are great!

 

[Timberwolf17044]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

Update:
I tried to isolate the kill switch in the wiring harness with no success this evening. For some reason I could not even isolate a set of terminals that would show open or closed based on the kill switch/lanyard position. The kill switch on this control is on the side and no wiring is accessible on the switch itself unless I separate the two halves of the control. I'm a little leery of that not knowing what is inside that control or its configuration. I did realize later though that I can simply unplug the harness and use a jumper cable connected to the starter terminal and battery to turn the engine over and check for spark. If I see spark then I would know the problem is in the wiring harness or switch. As an added note I did find that the switch wasn't popping out very far when the lanyard was removed so I applied a little penetrating oil to the switch and worked a few times until it seemed to move more like it should. Didn't of course gain me anything with the multi-meter and testing. Aslo too would be good to note this motor and boat have been setting for a few years three or four at least. So once I jumper it out, if I don't have spark that then leads me to something under the flywheel, cdi or coils and I would think in that order of priority simply based on the way it quit. I find it hard to think that two coils would simultaneously fail especially when they had not even been placed under much of a load. Last but not least I'm wondering if the coils and CDI on a 1980 9.9 would be similar enough to try in a swap out for verification. Anyone what would know please advise.

 

[Haffiman]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

When checking for spark, pull out the black/yellow cable going into the power-pack.
And 'YES", coils are the same and you may even be able to use the powerpack from the 9,9 as a CDI test!!

 

[Timberwolf17044]

Re: Rough Running Johnson 30 HP

Ok here is the latest update on the saga of the 30 HP nere-do-well I shall affectionately name.. well that is to be decided still lol. This evening I attempted to further isolate the cause of the lost spark. I disconnected the wiring harness at the red plug at the rear of the motor. Then I attached a wire to the starter and ran it directly to the positive terminal of the battery with a switch in between. This way I could push the switch, engage the starter and still see the plug. The plug, by the way I inserted into a loop of pipe clamp tubing held in place by the top bolt of the closest coil for support and what I hoped would be a good ground seeing as the motor is well painted. And alas, I still have no spark. So it seems I have eliminated the kill switch or any of the associated wiring in the harness or the start switch. This leaves me to believe the problem now lies in the rigging's under the flywheel, the power pack or the coils. I'm placing them in that order of priority simply based on the manner that it died, no use after an extended period of time, no load on the coils or power pack that had been running fine, thinking perhaps bees or something may have been in under the flywheel and something came loose preventing the stator and whatever else is in there from generating a spark. If I am on the right track my next question is how to remove the flywheel??? A standard socket will not fit, I can get an adjustable wrench on it and hold the flywheel still by inserting a steel rod into the starter gears and meshing them with the flywheel but is that threaded bolt a standard or left hand thread? I await the response oh guru's of the sea lol
Much thanks!!