Advice needed before firing up dormant outboard

J

jj_walker

Recruit
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
2
The father-in-law gave me an '81 Johnson 15hp outboard that has only a dozen or so hours on it. I plan to set it up on a zodiac or an aluminum boat, but before I do, he's cautioned me to figure out what steps to take to ensure that this dormant outboard is OK, as it has been sitting for years, maybe 10+ years. Since it has so few hours on it, it may also never have been fully broken in.<br /><br />Any suggestions you folks might have would be greatly appreciated.
 
OBJ

OBJ

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 27, 2002
Messages
10,161
Re: Advice needed before firing up dormant outboard

Hi JJ and welcome to iboats!<br /><br />The FIL was right. Do some serious precautions before firing it up.<br /><br />First, remove and rebuild the carb using a new kit. Soak it out in carb cleaner, blow out the passages with choke and carb cleaner and follow up with compressed air. Replace any fuel lines that are hard and are not plyable. Hard lines lose their grip on connections and can suck air.<br /><br />Drain the lower unit and replace the gear lube. Look at the old lube for any traces of water or metal flakes. If it hasn't been used a lot, you should find none.<br /><br />Drop the lower unit and replace the pump impeller. Setting so long, the old impeller has most likely lost it's memory and will not pump worth a darn.<br /><br />Check the spark to each cylinder. Each spark should jump a gap of 7/16" with a strong thich hot spark. Replace the spark plugs with Champion QL77JC4 spark plugs set at .030.<br /><br />Use fresh gas to start. After starting, check the engine temp at idle. There's a flat area on top of the block just in front of the head. You should be able to lay your fingers there for several seconds before having to pull them away. If the area stays cool or gets real hot, replace the t-stat.<br /><br />Get a OEM service manual for the engine. Check the links below for reprints of the originals.<br /><br /> http://www.marineengine.com/manuals/johnson/order_pre-1980.html <br /><br /> http://ww3.kencook.com/evinrudejohnsonmanuals/ <br /><br />The OMC 9.9/15's are very tough and run great when tuned in right. Have any questions, just post. Someone always here to help.
 
Mark42

Mark42

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
9,334
Re: Advice needed before firing up dormant outboard

Congrats on getting a great free motor! I would suggest the following to get it up and running:<br /><br />- Stop at a Johnson dealer and order the service and owners manuals for the motor (if you don't have them). Manuals by Seloc and others are available, but I prefer the OMC if it's still available from OMC.<br /><br />- Pick up a water pump impeller, it has probably hardened and will self destruct if used as is. This is where the manual comes into play. <br /><br />- Remove plugs and squirt some oil in the cylinders, turn it over by hand with the plugs removed, check for spark at the same time.<br /><br />- Check the oil level in the lower case and fill if low.<br /><br />- The manual will tell you what oil to use and what ratio to mix it with gas. Other folks here may have better oil directions/suggestions.<br /><br />- When you start it, be sure that it is in a barrel full of water or the water muffs are connected to a garden hose. If you run it dry, the new water pump will be trash in 30 seconds or less. Really.<br /><br />- If you believe it has not been throught the break-in period, then run it on double oil for the first 5 gallons, or according to the owners manual. (if the mix is 50:1, gas:eek:il, then you run 25:1, gas:eek:il).<br /><br />Other folks will post more details soon.<br /><br />Good luck and enjoy your motor!<br /><br />Mark.
 
OBJ

OBJ

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 27, 2002
Messages
10,161
Re: Advice needed before firing up dormant outboard

Hey Mark....just a little info, Bomby dealers can only order service manuals from 96' to date. They quit offering the older manuals a couple years ago. So it's the reprints if ya' want one...real bummer....dealers loose out every year on the sale of those things..... :(
 
B

BoatBuoy

Rear Admiral
Joined
May 29, 2004
Messages
4,856
Re: Advice needed before firing up dormant outboard

In addition to what everyone else has mentioned, I would squirt some TCW3 oil into the sparkplug holes with the motor tilted up or laying prone. Rotate the flywheel a couple of times by hand. Allow to sit for a day or two before firing it up. Even if it wasn't completely broken in, I would run the first tank of mix a little heavy on the oil.
 
J

jjpp

Cadet
Joined
Jan 26, 2005
Messages
20
Re: Advice needed before firing up dormant outboard

hey jj<br />check out pugetsoundanglers.org and click onto "fishing info " and page down,good info.i'm running the same engine
 
D

DJ

Guest
Re: Advice needed before firing up dormant outboard

Fule mixture is 50:1. One pint of TCW-3 rated outboard oil (only) to six gallons of unleaded regular gas.<br /><br />Replace the fill/drain plug seals on the lower unit whenever you crack them loose or remove them. They're cheap insurance.
 
S

Solittle

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Apr 28, 2002
Messages
7,518
Re: Advice needed before firing up dormant outboard

Not too long ago I got the OMC shop manual for my 1975 9.9hp from ebay.
 
J

jj_walker

Recruit
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
2
Re: Advice needed before firing up dormant outboard

Awesome, guys - thank you all for such thoughtful and helpful info. I'll start with a shop manual, then work my way through the suggestions here. Gracias, mahalo, arigato, thanks, danke, etc.!
 
Mark42

Mark42

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
9,334
Re: Advice needed before firing up dormant outboard

Obj,<br /><br />Wow! I ordered my 93 manual in 2003. I guess they only carry a 10 year window? I must have placed my order just in time!<br /><br />Where do you go for reprints?<br /><br />Mark.
 
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