1989 Johnson 140 VRO I'm stumped!

[mbecke2]

Mechanic changed reed valve gasket. I replaced power pack and fuel pump. I took off the carbs and sprayed carb cleaner in all jets and they were all clear. Motor is not running good at all. It will get on a plane and run wide open ONLY if I push the key in for choke. Soon as I let go off the choke it runs terrible. Could only be three things right? Carbs, fuel pump, or air leak. Checked all 3. Got new fuel hose, new vro fuel pump, cleaned carbs well. Still no luck. I heard if the reed plates are bad then the motor is shot. I spent 800 trying to fix this because the motor ran perfect before this trouble and the mechanic did not say the motor was shot. Compression is 95, 100, 105, 105 and good spark on all 4. Should I waste money rebuilding the carbs, or try to futher diagnose? Thanks for any help.

 

[jtexas]

Re: 1989 Johnson 140 VRO I'm stumped!

depends on what you mean by "reed plates". if it's the "reed box assembly" the motor is shot until you replace 'em, 4 at $130. If you broke the intake manifold, now that's no longer available so the motor is shot until you find somebody with a used or NOS part (shouldn't be that difficult).

Faulty reeds usually spit fuel back out the carb throat. Hold an index card in front of the carbs, motor idling, see if it gets wet with fuel. I don't mean the occasional mist or tiny droplet, I mean really getting wet.

Pushing the choke drains fuel from the line into cylinders, and if the fuel pump is faulty there will be no fuel in the fuel line, so I hope you kept the old pump, a spare would be nice to have on hand.

If the fuel line is sucking air, the pump dumps more oil into the mix so your exhaust gets smokier, plugs foul quicker. Does the fuel line hold pressure?

Spraying carb cleaner isn't enough.

Follow the "Carb rebuilding" link from the "Top Secret" file above. It will show you how to fabricate a jet removal tool. Pull all the jets out of all the carbs (keep track of which one goes where) and soak 'em overnight in carb cleaner. For that matter, soak all the metal carb parts in carb cleaner.

Order 2 carb kits from iboats, and install all new gaskets and o-rings when you reassemble the carbs.

 

[ezeke]

Re: 1989 Johnson 140 VRO I'm stumped!

Make that four carb kits.