Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

[CBGale2]

How tight should the high and low speed needle valve nuts be tightned on my carb. When I rebuilt it I tightened them to the point that I could just barely finger turn the needles without the wings on the ends. It seems they are getting loose now, when I am running the boat the needle just spins to the point that the wing stops when it hits the engine cowl. It wont stay put for me.

 

[ryendube]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

How tight should the high and low speed needle valve nuts be tightned on my carb. When I rebuilt it I tightened them to the point that I could just barely finger turn the needles without the wings on the ends. It seems they are getting loose now, when I am running the boat the needle just spins to the point that the wing stops when it hits the engine cowl. It wont stay put for me.

common probli am learning, mine does/did the same. is the needle spinning out on its own or is it the nut backing out of the carb loosening the tension on the packing.?


either carb-nut threads worn or packing is bleh

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

Make sure the packing nuts (2 little round gaskets behind the nut) have been replaced and tighten down the nut. It should be tight. If the needles spin but not the nuts, tighten the nuts. if the nuts spin, tighten the nuts.

 

[CBGale2]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

The packing is new. When I took it out the first time I didnt have the wings on it. After I got the high and slow set I was tooling around the lake a little bit and I looked back and the slow speed needle was just a spinning away, probably came out a good 10 turns, had to been close to falling out Id think. But now both are loose. The only thing that keeps them from spinning are the wings, but it doesnt stay adjusted.

 

[CBGale2]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

Make sure the packing nuts (2 little round gaskets behind the nut) have been replaced and tighten down the nut. It should be tight. If the needles spin but not the nuts, tighten the nuts. if the nuts spin, tighten the nuts.

Alright, I'll get back in there and tighten the nuts back down more than I had them originally and see what happens. I just wasnt sure how tight I should have them to start. Should I be able to turn the needles with my fingers and no wings on?

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

I was running my '57 J18 FD-11 today. What 'wings' are you talking about? There's the needle, the nut that holds it in and the turny pointer on the end. Here's the pic.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

I would say no., You cannot turn the needles by fingers without knobs when they are tight. Unless you have bionic fingers... (Dang, just I just give my age?)

 

[CBGale2]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

Wings = pointer things on the very end.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

If you push the plate in behind them on the springs you can usually turn them completely around.

 

[ryendube]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

Wings = pointer things on the very end.

rude has the knobs and john has the lil wing tings no? or is it just model specific like bigtwin to the pretty lark etc

 

[CBGale2]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

Hey Steve or anyone else, got a question for you. This will be a loaded question so.....

What can I expect out of my FD-11? Its on the boat in my signature, its a mid 70's SeaKing 15' aluminum runabout, Ive got a plywood floor in it with three pedistal seats, gas tank, battery and the rest of the usuall gear in it. And I'm a pretty big guy. Right now if I've got me and another person in the boat it will push it around the lake ok, but it wont really plane out. Is that about all I should be expecting out of the engine?

 

[ryendube]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

i need parts 62x4 72 65-69 from that diagram, thats why mine spin well i have 62 and 72 but the springs and plates are missing are they used on the rude 35 with dials instead of wingy things?

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

If your needle retaining nuts won't tighten down and stay tight, even with new packing washers, you've got a carb problem...the aluminum casting wears out from people cranking them tight...soft metal screwed into aluminum...something will give. Used carbs aren't that expensive. Used to have a 16-ft tinny with three bench seats...my FD-11 would push it along pretty quick with just me (265 lbs.) but with a bud and gear I was lucky to get about 18-22 mph out of it...course guys like use really count as two as far as the boat manufacturers/ratings are concerned...the world is made for/by smaller folks. If you can't get it to plane and the motor is achieving top rpms at speed, you need to re-balance the boat by moving the weight around and then experiment with the trim bar under the motor transom clamp to get the motor at the right angle. I put a whale-tale on mine and it helped getting on plane, but wouldn't run as fast.

 

[CBGale2]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

If your needle retaining nuts won't tighten down and stay tight, even with new packing washers, you've got a carb problem...the aluminum casting wears out from people cranking them tight...soft metal screwed into aluminum...something will give. Used carbs aren't that expensive. Used to have a 16-ft tinny with three bench seats...my FD-11 would push it along pretty quick with just me (265 lbs.) but with a bud and gear I was lucky to get about 18-22 mph out of it...course guys like use really count as two as far as the boat manufacturers/ratings are concerned...the world is made for/by smaller folks. If you can't get it to plane and the motor is achieving top rpms at speed, you need to re-balance the boat by moving the weight around and then experiment with the trim bar under the motor transom clamp to get the motor at the right angle. I put a whale-tale on mine and it helped getting on plane, but wouldn't run as fast.

I think the only way Id be able to redistribute my weight in the boat would be to get an 8ft long tiller extension.

 

[CBGale2]

Re: Needle Valve Nuts - 57' Johnson 18hp

So with my big butt in the boat Im putting it a little low in the back end (front half of the boat is hardly contacting water)... j/k, would it make sense to tilt the motor up or down in the water?