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titansreb

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Greetings!
Hey guys im new to

Greetings!
Hey guys im new to the board here and i have noticed some realy knowledgeable cats answerin some pretty tough questions. My question isnt so tough it seems.
I have inherited a pontoon with a 48 horse johnson that has been sittin under a pole barn for bout 10+ yrs. It appears to be in excellent shape other than very dirty. I pulled it out put new plugs in it and a hot battery with a fresh fuel turned it over to see if it would "hit" without muffs on it and it did. I may be in good shape there. Finaly my question: What else should i be aware of before "puttin in" with a boat that has been sittin so long? Sorry for the long post.
 
"1) Dismantle the carbure

"1) Dismantle the carburetors clean all passages thoroughly, and install new float and gasket kit. It's entirely possible that the old fuel evaporated leaving behind varnish that will plug the orifices.

2) Install a water pump kit. The rubber fins on the impeller are most likely dried out and they've been stuck in the same position for 10 years. I had a neighbor that bought an old 20HP Merc that had sat for years. He took it to the lake and it ran great, until it overheated and died. Upon installing the new water pump we found the fins of the old impeller had disintegrated into small pieces and went all through the engine.

3) Check all the fuel lines to make sure they aren't brittle or too soft and degraded. Replace any lines that look or feel questionable.

After all that, take it out and have fun.

KJ"
 
"Thnkx KJ. Havent posted back

"Thnkx KJ. Havent posted back cuz ive been foolin with trailer lights. Got them straightened out. I have been concerned bout the the impeller as far as dry rot goes. Whats the ramifications of it circulatin thru the engine? Im a fair car mechanic but boat motors are greek to me. Still havent got it in the water or muffs on it thus far,"
 
You should also rebuild the fu

You should also rebuild the fuel pump as it has a rubber diaphram in it. Change the lower unit oil. And I would fefinately not start it until you change the impeller.
 
"Eddie--

agree with everyth

"Eddie--

agree with everything the other posters said. all the parts etc are pretty cheap and will give you a lot more confidence out on the water.

don't worry abt changing the impeller, it's easy for any competent car geek type. most snags involve corrosion....either some of the hardware seized in place (i ALWAYS bust stuff loose with a hand impact driver if it gives even slightest hint of seizure) or you could have corrosion on the water pump housing components. unless your motor has been cared for poorly or used in salt water, i wouldn't really expect either one. one possible pitfall is losing the tiny pin or ridge that drives the impeller..be sure to get it under control when you pull the impeller so it doesn't get lost. and have a good small flashlight, AA Maglite is perfect, to help you realign the water tube, driveshaft, and shifter shaft with their upper end hookups. even if it weren't easy, it's easier than rebuilding an overheated engine and then having to change it...."
 
"Thnx guys for the replys. Jus

"Thnx guys for the replys. Just an update here and a reminder to all im a pretty darn good car mechanic but far from a outboard mechanic.
Since my last post i pulled the plugs and hosed the cylinders with wd-40 and let em sit for a couple days. Got my trusty 50gal drum out filled with water set my engine in it and fired it up let it run at low rpm for bout 5mins then brought it up a lil higher let it run for bout 20 mins at higher rpm. I havent touched the carbs or impeller. I do know bout the "pee hole/holes" and only noticed 1. While it was runnin i would occasionaly feel the water comin out of the hole and it was gettin slightly warmer than the water in the drum so i knew water was ciculatin thru the engine. I could lay my hand on the heads after bout 20mins of this without being badly burned.
Surprisingly i pulled throttle down to idle position and it idled like a champ. There is one "pee hole" at the front of engine and not the rear like i had expected up high.
Now my question(s): Is there more "pee holes"?
There is a sticker at the fuel connection of the motor that says 100/1. Im mixed 50/1. Whats up with that?
U guys have been great. Thnx for the replys. Bruce im one of those "car geek types" thnx for your post
"
 
"that 100:1 sticker should hav

"that 100:1 sticker should have been discarded
long ago:long story short just mix 50:1
i do reccomend that you change the impeller(water pump)it can and will fail after sitting that long,just one pee hole and exhaust relife holes/out the prop are the only places you will see water coming out of.try running some sea foam
it might help claen things up a bit"
 
"on the fuel/oil mix, i believ

"on the fuel/oil mix, i believe OMC specifies 50:1 for break-in and 100:1 thereafter. i'll defer to the more knowledgeable OB experts on whether 100:1 is really OK to run for OMC of this vintage.

altho your motor doesn't seem to be overheating (albeit not under any real load at time), i don't think you're getting good flow through cooling system from output you describe. it should be pretty steady stream, not intermittent or mist. bad impellers are one of the big killers of OBs before their time, they ain't hard to do, you need to learn in case you have to do one on extended fishing trip, and you can always keep old one for emerg spare (very emerg, far better to carry new one, but...) if it looks OK. these are like changing the oil on used car purchase...if you don';t know when it was last changed, do it. it cost me <$20 and took <1/2 hr to do it on my '89 8hp rude.

hope you know i use "car geek" as a term of respect! i'm also a relative neophyte OB mech despite 35+ yrs of heavy wrenching on cars, bikes, etc (as i get older, i find there ain't that much difference whether it's a 1950 ford flathead or a 13000rpm sportbike or an old dirtbike or an Everrude...they all run on fuel n spark) and if i can change an impeller, you can. give em hell..........
happy.gif
"
 
Thx for the reply charles. Yeh

Thx for the reply charles. Yeh im gettin some seafoam tomorrow for sure.
What are the consequences if im out on the lake and pump disentegrates? I know overheating but will the pieces clog a passage? If it comes apart wouldnt it have done it during the 30mins or so that i ran it? Could i get lucky?
 
"So bruce it only takes bout 1

"So bruce it only takes bout 1/2hr to do? Heck i thought it was a major deal? Nice quote bout the flathead n bikes! Compression, fuel, spark = magic!"
 
"The consequences of the impel

"The consequences of the impeller disintegrating can be:
1) Overheat warning sounds
2) Cylinder(s) siezes
3) Piston (s) score Cylinder(s) requiring a complete rebuild

Dropping the lower unit and installing a new water pump doesn't take that long. Not getting a steady, constant stream of water out of the tell-tale means the water pump isn't working right. Replace it before you go on the lake or you might have disastrous consequences.

Oh, and backflushing little bits of impeller out of the engine is a pain!

KJ"
 
"better safe than sorry,get it

"better safe than sorry,get it out on a lake runnin full bore and over heat .its gonna be a long day paddeling back to the ramp,then gettin home takin the heads off ,and scratching your head wondering where did i go wrong.
a water pump is like 20.00 bucks
tear down and rebuild on 48 hp ballpark 2000.++=
and yes it should only take bout a half hour to do
+ time it takes to find all the tools 9/16 wrench
7/16 maybe a 5/8
dont forget to disconnect the shift linkage under the carb
wink.gif
"
 
"yes, shrapnel can clog passag

"yes, shrapnel can clog passages; one vane had when i did the pump on the 8hp. and it still spit a little mist even missing a vane.

yes, you might get lucky. OTOH, other boat occupants tend to be notoriously impatient abt waiting for a tow back to port.

no, i wouldn't feel safe that it might not let go out on the lake....how close to the 4500+ rpm you'll be running on lake did you have it, and for how long? old rubber turns to hard plastic, just as in cars, and impellers function through vanes flexing....can you say "stress fatigue"? i err on side of caution cuz i fish off Mexico in Sea of cortez, and there's no one to tow ya home or even hear a radio call, but a dead motor + any wind at all can be hazardous to your hull & health on any body of water. engine rebuild may not be only issue you'd be looking at.

the main differences between your motor and mine in terms of impeller job are that you'll have to disconnect the shifter rod (usually 1 setscrew), and your lower unit weighs enough that you might want to have 2d person when you reinstall so they can hold unit in place while you align shafts & water tube."
 
"Ill take ya'lls advise an

"Ill take ya'lls advise and put in the new pump now that you put it that way! Ha ha!
Thanks guys for helping the ignorant.
P.s the stream was never intermitent, always steady, but ill change it anyway. Dont want to be paddlin back in 90deg tennessee heat with a 12pk in my belly. Thanks again."
 
"run that engine at 50:1 there

"run that engine at 50:1 there was a service update on those models in the early 80s
100:1 not good to run in certain conditions
also not enough residual oil in crankcase
for suitable protection while not in use.
condensation will rust interior parts overnight
causing premature wear on internals ,sleeves ,rings,bearings,etc.
Please You Must Belive this advice is the honist truth,but do as you wish"
 
"OTOH, paddle that pontoon a m

"OTOH, paddle that pontoon a mile and you'll work off the calories from the 12 pack......
lol.gif


Charles, thanks for clarification. i knew 100:1 sounded too good to be true. i'm currently burning off a tank of 24:1 (mixed for my aircooled Eska) and look fwd to reduced smoke when i can dilute it to 50:1 with more gas...."
 
"No charles i believe. Better

"No charles i believe. Better to be safe than sorry.Yeh i thought 100:1 sounded a lil off from some past posts ive seen on here. She smoked some white smoke, just a lil. Whats the worst that can happen? Fouled plugs? Big deal."
 
"Be sure to manually clean the

"Be sure to manually clean the high speed jets (2 to a carb)that are located in the carburetor(s) float chambers. They'll no doubt be fouled, and I've found that the cleaning solvent just doesn't do a proper job in that area.

Thousands of parts in my remaining stock. Not able to list them all. Let me know what you need and I'll look it up for you. Visit my eBay store at:

http://stores.ebay.com/Evinrude-Johnson-Outboard-Parts-etc?refid=store"
 
"Thanks joe. Well sounds like

"Thanks joe. Well sounds like i need to take those carbs back off cuz i totaly overlooked the high speed jets. When i cleaned the carbs the first time i found the top carb to be fairly clean but when i got to the bottom one holy crap it was full of varnish with a black "goo" that had the consistency of tar. Cleaned them both removed float,needle,seat, cleaned everything and blew out with compressed air then reinstalled.
Carried it to the lake. It ran but poorly at w.o.t i was prob doin bout 10mph.
So the high speed jets are in the bowl itself behind the brass drain plug? Are there any other areas of the carb im not giving needed attention?"
 
"Eddie--

besides cleaning h

"Eddie--

besides cleaning high speed jets as Joe suggested:
did you synch the carbs and ignition so advance curve is in correct place relative to throttle plate opening? you're sure you have strong consistent spark on all cyl.s? Lots harder to diagnose anything with carbs, especially multiple carbs, if these variables aren't taken care of 1st."
 
Havent synched carbs yet. Dont

Havent synched carbs yet. Dont realy know how? However i do have a good timing light and know a lil bout the basics. I mis spoke at the beginning of this thread bout new plugs it still has the old ones in it. I cleaned them up a bit that is all. Im going to get some this afternoon. Any suggestions on brand? Type? What kind of lube is used in the lower unit(dumb question i know)?
Like i said outboard motors are greek to me but u guys are helpin me greatly thru this. Just tryin to get the family out on the water. Thnxs again.
 
"i think most automotive gear

"i think most automotive gear oils will work in lower units...i just use Mobil 1 or Valv synth (or, really, whatever i have....most old lower units have at least some minor seal leakage and changing it frequently is a good idea to make sure you have oil, not water in lower unit)

i'll defer to others more expert on plugs. i think anything that is right spec will work fine.

remember you have 2 different aspects of synchronizing: synch'ing each carb to the others (i have NO idea how this is done on your motor) and synch'ing the carbs to the ignition advance....this latter involves adjustments in the linkage that connects the two.

your Qs are not dumb Qs....in a world where most folks' Q would be "why doesn't it work perfectly, forever, with no maintenance, whenever i press the button?" or "why hasn't that shop been able to fix it [that unloved 30+ yr old outboard] promptly for minimal $?", i have nothing but respect for anyone with the willingness to dive in and try. there are an awful lot of good boat bargains out there partially} cuz there are few folks who are willing to sweat the details like you're doing. here's to ya!"
 
"I didn't see the year of

"I didn't see the year of your motor, but here are your choices of Champion plugs:

40,48,50 (2-cyl) 1980-1988 QL77JC4 or L78V Surface gap
40,48,50 (2-cyl) 1989-THRU† QL78YC .030

All are gapped to .030"

As for the lower unit oil ... you should use a gear oil specified for marine use, which has better corrosion inhibitors than regular automotive type."
 
"you should use a gear oil spe

"you should use a gear oil specified for marine use, which has better corrosion inhibitors that regular automotive type.

in theory, i wouldn't disagree....but the best corrosion protection is changing it frequently, and this is more affordable to do if you don't hold out for the marine stuff. also in some areas, like here in the desert with no boatable water w/in 100 miles, the marine stuff can be hard to find."
 
The main reason you dont use a

The main reason you dont use automotive gear oil in the ower unit is automotive oil uses sulpher as an anti oxidant and when a seal goes running in salt water the oil and salt water produces sulphuric acid which destroys everything in the gear box. Marine gear box oils are the same weight etc as automotive types but dont use sulphur as an anti oxident
 
"Well guys just a quick update

"Well guys just a quick update. Carried the toon to the lake yesterday after putting in a fresh set of plugs( gapped @ .030) tore the carbs down again and checked the jets in the bowl itself and sure nuff the bottom carbs jet was stopped up(thnks Joe).
Off to the lake i go rather confident this time but all she'd do was idle well. Going into gear it wouldnt do squat, either it died or moved with very little power. I could actualy get the boat moving at w.o.t but only at about a walking pace.
When i would go back to the primer bulb while running i would pump it a couple times then it would just stay "squished" without any changes to the way it ran.
Not willing to give up just yet any of you fellas have any other suggestions? Will it be ok for me to put the boat in gear with the motor in a 55 gal drum of clean water? By the way its a 1988 48 horse johnson cuz this has become a rather long thread l.o.l!"
 
It has a vent its the screw ty

It has a vent its the screw type but i guess its possible it could be clogged? Bout to go out and fill the drum and fool with it a bit more.
 
"Sure sounds like the engine i

"Sure sounds like the engine isn't getting enough fuel. Could be several things besides the carbs:

If the primer bulb stays "squished" after you've pumped it, could be that the "anti-siphon" valve is sticking in a shut position, preventing fuel from flowing from the tank. If so, replace the bulb.

The fuel pump is another possibility ... filter screen is plugged up, or diaphragm has a hole in it ... either one will prevent proper fuel flow. You might try pulling off the outlet hose, crank the motor (in the tank, with the plug wires off) ... to see if you're getting a good fuel flow to the carbs."
 
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