Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

bareden

Cadet
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
7
I believe it is a 70'-80', Johnson Outboard, 70 HP, 2 stroke, 3 cylinder, but it is my Uncles boat...last year after he bought it he took it down to a pond/lake in Bigsprings to do a test run...he said it worked fine and was ship shape, but he wanted to get it cleaned up since it had been sitting in some guys backyard for 5 years or so..so he took it to a marina and they tuned it up for him..(since he is a carpenter he did alot of apholstery work and put alot of other work into it makeing it look real nice) about 2 weeks later we went down to Amistad like we do every year for spring break... we put it in the water and were leaveing to chum our Honey Hole, but when we passed the boiyes, it wouldnt go full speed... so the whole week we ended up going about 5mph max and that was with it on full throttle.... we talked to a mechanic at the lake and he said it was probably Carberator trouble...but he said he doesnt know much about carberators and said his Carberator man was in Dallas..and he also seemed like he didnt know what in the hell he was talking about..on our way back home my uncle was so pissed that out of confusion and anger from all his hard work and money put into it, he just said, "Screw it." I think it might be something else wrong with it maybe..so i was wandering what yall might think could be wrong with it and what we could do to fix it. And if you need any more information i can get it for you. i would realy like to get it fixed before Spring break in 2 weeks cause the running whites and crappie will sure miss us if we dont get it fixed in time :D
 

Walker

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Joined
Jun 15, 2002
Messages
3,085
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

Carbs could very well be the problem. First things to do however is a compression test on all 3 cylinders and then a spark test. If all that checks out then pull the airbox off the carbs and push the throttle all the way and look in the carbs and see if the throttle plates are moving to complete horizontal position. Check that the timing linkge to the timer base is not moving fully forward with the throttle linkge all the way to the stop screw. If all that checks out the tear the carbs down, thoroughly,. and I mean thoroughly clean them and rebiuld them with new carb kits.
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
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Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

You don't need to remove the air box to see if the throttle plates open all the way. Just watch each butterfly shaft. If each one turns 90 degrees they are opening. If they aren't its a linkage problem. Have someone work the throttle while you check the carb linkage.
 

Walker

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Jun 15, 2002
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Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

Never thought of that. Good tip.
 

jfm1

Petty Officer 1st Class
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May 14, 2004
Messages
355
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

If it sat for 5 years you should change the water pump make sure it did'nt overheat
 

Todd Humphreys

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
May 12, 2004
Messages
81
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

Depending on the year, most of those carbs had fixed jets so adjusting is out. If the linkage is ok, then check to see if its getting gas, ie. weak fuel pump or check the vent cap on the fuel tank. If rebuilding carbs are needed and it probably will since it sat for 5 years. If you plan to work on it yourself, a manual is highly recommended.
 

ob

Admiral
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
6,992
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

Without looking at it ,my money is on fouled carburetors due to setting out of use for an extended spell.Also agree that first insuring that the carb linkgae is allowing full opening of the flaps is a good first check.Oh and ,in the future,I'd find me another mechanic besides that marina to have my engine tuned.
 

bareden

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Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
7
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

Unfortunately i didnt have enough time to check the Carbs today...will do asap and let ya know..i think the water pump is good and i know the fuel pump is good lol it is one gas guzzler lol..but how would i check the compression on the cylinders?
 

Walker

Captain
Joined
Jun 15, 2002
Messages
3,085
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

think the water pump is good
That's not good enough. A bad-worn-weak water pump can destroy your engine in minutes. <br />Buy yourself a manual for your particular motor and use it to change the waterpump yourself. there will be a lot of other useful info in the manual too. Compression is tested by screwing a specially designed pressure guage into the sparkplug hole and cranking the motor over. ob is probably right about the carbs and a manual will be most helpful in reguards to disassembly,cleaning and reassembly.
 

bareden

Cadet
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
7
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

nm i know how to check compression just asked my father he said that u can check it with a compresion gauge.. and that he had one we could check it with....also where would i get a manual ... at the county library maybe?...also where would i get a carb kit... i live in the desert so there isnt many boat stores near me lol and are they very expensive?
 

bareden

Cadet
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
7
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

oky doke ill get a water pump.... about how much you think they go for
 

rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

got any napa stores? they can order almost anything ya need for that old jonnyrude.pump kits t-stats carb kits fuel pump kits. this aint like your JD or Case or even the old ford farm all. if the water pump fails or is weak at high speeds a minimum of a head gasket pop and usually a piston failure can happen in minutes. running with clogged carbs can burn a piston as well. it wont give any warning and willhappen in a flash. can go from sweeeeeet to shoooot in a matter of seconds.its a very small compact high performance machine. makes more horse power than most tractors ya drive :) but it has to have a clean supply of fuel/oil, year old gas dont cut it, and it has to stay cool. lose either one and pop gos a piston:).
 

bareden

Cadet
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
7
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

aye got a napa only about 6 or 7 blocks from my house ill check that out tomarro or check it on napa.com ty for that info Rod
 

bareden

Cadet
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
7
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

couldn't find anything at napa i could get my dad to run up there tomaro and check prices on Carb kit and water pump..i checked out the county library online and they have the manual... but atm something is wrong with the builing so they got the library closed but hopefully it will open soon and i can check the manual out...if it did have a bad water pump what would be the most it couild run nonstop.. we ran it for about 4-5 hours straight down at Amistad last year... lol cause from the boat ramp to the Devils mouth it took us like 2 1/2 hours so when we got there we had to turn back already lol we just trolled all the way there and back...and that was with it in full throttle..ill let yall know more asoon as we check out the carbs and all to make sure they are working.. and about the compression and the spark plugs..and i think we will go ahead and get new spark plugs for it since they are cheap and we will have the engine open and all...
 

jfm1

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 14, 2004
Messages
355
Re: Johnson 70 hp wont go to full speed, Need Help!

You can also find parts right here on iboats just click on parts and look them up at the top of the forum under boat repair
 
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