estromberg
New member
I have a 1953 Johnson 25hp that a friend's grandpa gave me. It was retired for an electric start motor as these big twins are pretty hard to pull. He stored it properly, so it was in pretty good shape. I got it last fall, I was able to get it started last year using spray mix into the throat. I ran it without the cover for a half an hour or so and all seemed ok. I adjusted the high speed needle and had it running really good at WOT. I got it home and put the covers back on (PITA). Took it out to go fishing a few days later and it started on 2nd pull. I didn't let it warm up and took off from the dock, throttled it down to shift and it died. Couldn't get it restarted. I think it was flooded. We didn't mess with it again that fall as season was about over. Drained the gas and put it in the basement.
Fast forward to a few days ago. I had done some reading about the old cork floats and varnish not liking ethanol or carb cleaner. I pulled the carb and the float was in pretty bad shape. I bought a carb kit with a new cork float. Before using it, I put 3 coats of model airplane dope on the cork float to seal it against ethanol. I put the carb back together yesterday and took the boat and motor to the local dock without the cover on it. I set the needles at 1 turn for HS and 1.5 turn for SS. It took a while to get it started, but once I got it started and warmed up a little, it ran pretty good. I proceeded to take it out on the river (upstream, just in case). Once I got out on the river and got it up to WOT, I started to tune the HS needle and had it running like a raped ape at WOT. The SS needle didn't go as smoothly. I tried to lean it out, but didn't notice the marked difference like with the HS needle. However, it seemed to be running pretty good and was restarting easily when I went too low with the throttle so I called it good and brought it home. I put the covers back on (PITA) and went out to dinner. Later that evening I took a friend and the boat back to the river to give her a ride with the bigger motor. Pulled the choke, and it fired a bit on the first pull. It didn't do anything after that. I'm guessing that I probably flooded it by continuing to try to start it. I let it sit for a little while and tried again, still couldn't get it to start. Frustrated, I put it back on the trailer and went home.
My questions:
What usually causes the hard start? Low speed needle too rich? Weak spark from failing coils? Would the coils make it difficult to start, but work ok once it was warmed up? What seems odd is that I was able to get it started spraying fuel into the throat, but with the covers on, it seemed like it was flooding out. I really want to get this engine running as it propels the boat a lot better than my Johnson 9.5 hp. When it runs at least. In an unrelated note, I have a question about the lower unit on this motor as well. It seeps oil from a hole in the lower unit. I have taken a picture. What should I do about this, it seems kind of odd.
Thanks for any and all help!
Oil seep:
Without the cover, it ran well:
I want to get this going, it's a great looking motor in good shape for being 60 years old:
Fast forward to a few days ago. I had done some reading about the old cork floats and varnish not liking ethanol or carb cleaner. I pulled the carb and the float was in pretty bad shape. I bought a carb kit with a new cork float. Before using it, I put 3 coats of model airplane dope on the cork float to seal it against ethanol. I put the carb back together yesterday and took the boat and motor to the local dock without the cover on it. I set the needles at 1 turn for HS and 1.5 turn for SS. It took a while to get it started, but once I got it started and warmed up a little, it ran pretty good. I proceeded to take it out on the river (upstream, just in case). Once I got out on the river and got it up to WOT, I started to tune the HS needle and had it running like a raped ape at WOT. The SS needle didn't go as smoothly. I tried to lean it out, but didn't notice the marked difference like with the HS needle. However, it seemed to be running pretty good and was restarting easily when I went too low with the throttle so I called it good and brought it home. I put the covers back on (PITA) and went out to dinner. Later that evening I took a friend and the boat back to the river to give her a ride with the bigger motor. Pulled the choke, and it fired a bit on the first pull. It didn't do anything after that. I'm guessing that I probably flooded it by continuing to try to start it. I let it sit for a little while and tried again, still couldn't get it to start. Frustrated, I put it back on the trailer and went home.
My questions:
What usually causes the hard start? Low speed needle too rich? Weak spark from failing coils? Would the coils make it difficult to start, but work ok once it was warmed up? What seems odd is that I was able to get it started spraying fuel into the throat, but with the covers on, it seemed like it was flooding out. I really want to get this engine running as it propels the boat a lot better than my Johnson 9.5 hp. When it runs at least. In an unrelated note, I have a question about the lower unit on this motor as well. It seeps oil from a hole in the lower unit. I have taken a picture. What should I do about this, it seems kind of odd.
Thanks for any and all help!
Oil seep:
Without the cover, it ran well:
I want to get this going, it's a great looking motor in good shape for being 60 years old: