what did i tear up?

[powerslide]

Tested the boat out on the muffs. Not knowing much about boats it appeared all was good. Guy said he replaced lower unit on this motor about a year ago. So me and a friend went for a test run this past weekend. Well the boat wouldnt hardly idle without using the fast idle lever. after letting it warm up awhile it ran good enough to back it off the trailer. we got it off and he came back to get me as i got on and he started to back out the buzzer started going off. Mind you i checked at the house to make sure the water was coming out up near the head. so i called it off and as he was backing up to get a run at the trailer reverse quit working we got luck and it drifted right up on the trailer.

So i been reading these forums and everyone says to change the lower unit oil for normal maintence i went ahead and did that and the oil that came out was BLACK and had a little water. It may of got in when we took it out cause it didnt look rusty.
I put some new plugs in for good measure.

I put the muffs on and started it up and now i dont have any water out by the head and reverse doesnt work...

Any clues?

FYI my title reads a 88 115 johnson. The numbers are 115etl730 serial#j4981848

 

[powerslide]

Re: what did i tear up?

Also my lower unit has 3 screws. One is close to the top of the lower unit the middle one is even with the holes where the water goes in. the third is at the bottom. Should i fill the unit to the middle screw or top screw?

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: what did i tear up?

you need to get the correct numbers..look on the silver dollar sized, silver plug on the top of your motor head. first off you almost surely need a carb job. second test compression and spark, then check shift cable and linkage. also replace water pump and t-stats and flush motor good. a better description of reverse going out would be helpful. never ever buy a boat without a test run in the river...now ya know.

 

[powerslide]

Re: what did i tear up?

Everything i have read says to check it on the outside of the motor on the stamped plate that attaches to the transom. Someone had painted the motor camo and then someone scraped the paint off to see the numbers but looks like they scratched way too hard on the last two numbers and i cant read them.

well i went and got some laquer thinner and scrubbed it and i think this is a more accruate number 115etl730 serial# is j4981848

On the reverse i felt like when he backed it off the trailer it was making a lot of noise and throwing some water up but didnt look like it was going anywhere. As he was backing up the second time it was doing the same and then just would rev and would pull backwards anymore.

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: what did i tear up?

it looks like it may be a 1973 motor. does the carbs have choke butterflies or the enrichment choke type? if you are not sure post a pic of the front of the carbs.

also you put the gear oil in from the bottom screw hole, you have to have a pump which they sell at wal mart or most outboard shops, also be sure to use marine gear oil. you pump it into the bottom hole until it runs out of the top hole, then put top screw back in and quickly remove hose and replace bottom screw.

 

[powerslide]

Re: what did i tear up?

i am unsure on the carbs. here are a few pics of the carbs.

Does anyone have a clue on losing reverse? or am i just going to have to pull the lower and see if something is busted? i find it weird forward works but reverse does not.


well i am having trouble with the pics i will try tomorrow at work

it looks like it may be a 1973 motor. does the carbs have choke butterflies or the enrichment choke type? if you are not sure post a pic of the front of the carbs.

also you put the gear oil in from the bottom screw hole, you have to have a pump which they sell at wal mart or most outboard shops, also be sure to use marine gear oil. you pump it into the bottom hole until it runs out of the top hole, then put top screw back in and quickly remove hose and replace bottom screw.

 

[5150abf]

Re: what did i tear up?

The screws you want have flat heads, the top one and the bottom one, DO NOT take out the phillips head, it holds the shift cradle.

Sounds like the guy didn't get it back together right and played with the shift rod when it was apart or never got it adjusted when he put on the new lower.

Having black oil is a good thing, it means the lower doesn't leak but it sounds like you need a new waterpump, always a good idea to change that when you get a new engine since you can never be sure when or if it was was done last, it will also give you a chance to see if it was put together right

 

[Will Bark]

Re: what did i tear up?

Did you take out the middle phillips head screw; that would mess up your shifting.

 

[powerslide]

Re: what did i tear up?

I didnt take out the phillips head until after the reverse had already gone out. After i changed the oil in the LU i tried again and it looks like prop is wanting to turn just not quiet getting there. Could it just out of adjustment? If so why did it pull for a bit then quit?

Can anyone confirm the year of my motor because the title says 88. I looked and cant find a number close to mine around that year. But in 73 looks like i'm just one number off, or should i say letter. Looks like i might have a long shaft 73. If you agree that is the motor i have can you suggest somewhere to get a manual ive read a few posts and people are suggesting getting them to assist with maintence.

 

[sutor623]

Re: what did i tear up?

Ease up my man. I can tell you are pretty tense about this whole deal. We will help you get these issues figured out. Do the #'s on the title match the #'s on the motor? Sounds like you just have some basic maintenance to do. Hopefully the reason that the motor will not stay in reverse is because your shift linkage is out of adjustment, or the L/U was installed improperly. Best bet is to drop that sucker down and send up some pictures. I drop every lower unit on every motor that I buy and change the waterpump!

 

[powerslide]

Re: what did i tear up?

haha didnt mean to come across that way at all. This is my first boat and i just have alot of questions. i have an auto background my dad owned a body shop and i have a dirt track modified but this boat is a different animal. I thought with my auto background i would be ok but its just so much different.

I think i agree nothing major is probably wrong just dont want to mess something up because i didnt know i was suppose to check it out.

i'm off today so i am going to drop the LU. Anything i should lookout for?

Ease up my man. I can tell you are pretty tense about this whole deal. We will help you get these issues figured out. Do the #'s on the title match the #'s on the motor? Sounds like you just have some basic maintenance to do. Hopefully the reason that the motor will not stay in reverse is because your shift linkage is out of adjustment, or the L/U was installed improperly. Best bet is to drop that sucker down and send up some pictures. I drop every lower unit on every motor that I buy and change the waterpump!

 

[CoffeeHound]

Re: what did i tear up?

Powerslide-- I love working on lower Units and approach them as i would if i was a surgeon -- that makes it all fun !!
May i suggest that while you have the water pump off ,, that you replace the drive-shaft main seal also . You mentioned at first== {oil that came out was BLACK and had a little water. } That and new gaskets and you should be in great shape for the season .

 

[sutor623]

Re: what did i tear up?

All nuts and bolts man, all nuts and bolts. Take your time, have PB blaster on hand, and keep us posted. Just like the automotive service industry, the two most difficult things are getting off seized nuts/bolts, and finding parts for older models. When you are dropping the L/U just hope that the driveshaft is not seized up into the powerhead. If the unit drops with ease then you are golden. Open up the waterpump housing and Ill bet that the fan shaped waterpump is now just a round piece of rubber, with no 'fan blades'. Let us know what you find, and there is nothing like knowing your own motor up and down. Defininetely want to know what is going on when you are on the water, and everyone aboard is counting on you for their safety and return.

 

[will62]

Re: what did i tear up?

You do need to get an oem manual, and you can usually find a good deal on Ebay. But first you need to ID that motor. Did you find the welch plug that Sparkieboat mentioned in post #3? (see pic)

couple of notes:
1. I don't think there was a 115hp made in '88, so title is wrong.
2. The first "ETL" model that I could find was a 1974. Is it possible that the 3 is actually a 5?

I'd recommend that you ID that motor and get a manual before you get too far in to tearing it down.

Edit: If you find that it is a '75 ETL, there's an oem manual on Ebay for $28.50
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Johnson-Out...anuals_Literature&vxp=mtr&hash=item519d7e9b9b

 

[powerslide]

Re: what did i tear up?

appreciate everyone chiming in and keeping me going. That is a great post Will because i was unsure of where sparkie was asking me to look. I just went and took the LU off and the blades are still intact but they are cracking and the housing has some pretty deep wear on it. Where the impeller rode on the housing the rubber was pitted as well.

Sad day though because my welch plug doesnt have anything on it. I did look at the tag again. It could be 115ETL780 but i am sure it is not a 5. The title reads 115ET17. I thought it read the same until i cleaned off the plate with laquer. I am starting to think the guy lost the title and had to do a title 42. Let me know what you think on that number

You do need to get an oem manual, and you can usually find a good deal on Ebay. But first you need to ID that motor. Did you find the welch plug that Sparkieboat mentioned in post #3? (see pic)

couple of notes:
1. I don't think there was a 115hp made in '88, so title is wrong.
2. The first "ETL" model that I could find was a 1974. Is it possible that the 3 is actually a 5?

I'd recommend that you ID that motor and get a manual before you get too far in to tearing it down.

Edit: If you find that it is a '75 ETL, there's an oem manual on Ebay for $28.50
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Johnson-Out...anuals_Literature&vxp=mtr&hash=item519d7e9b9b

 

[sutor623]

Re: what did i tear up?

Hmm, I bet you got some gunk in your pee hole. If I were you Id shoot a waterhose up the water supply line and see if any comes out the pee hole. If it does not, you need to get some weedeater line and clean out the tell tale, change the impeller, but if it was in tact you should have been getting some sort of water flow.

 

[will62]

Re: what did i tear up?

If the number following the 7 looked like a 3, it is probably actually a 5 or 8. This is what I've found for the ETL models:

http://boatspecs.iboats.com/Johnson__115ETL/bpe/46br2235m3399

The experts on here can probably tell you something to look for that would zero in the year. In the mean time, if you can find any part numbers on your motor, then go to boats(dot)net, or marineengine.com and see if you can narrow down the year that way.

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: what did i tear up?

my bet is its an 8

 

[powerslide]

Re: what did i tear up?

well i googled the model# and i found a couple. this one says 89 http://evinrudeoutboardmotor.com/ on line 8
This one says 78 http://www.marineengine.com/boat-forum/showthread.php?115126-Dies-when-engaged-into-forward
This one says 78 as well. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=237740

Is the consenus i have a 78 instead of a 88?

 

[AlTn]

Re: what did i tear up?

no 115 offered in 1988...I saw a model no.115ETZ78C in 78 but a 115ETL74B in 74...seems it's gonna come down to no.s and letters you are surest of and then study the diagrams of ignitions, engine covers < tho' they can be swapped pretty easily >, and other components that may appear to be different..I've used google images with some success to determine years,etc.