4hp Johnson Seahorse points, plugs and mixture settings?

Hi folks,

I decided to try and get my old 4hp seahorse up and running today but it wasn`t wanting to play on both cylinders. I`ve stripped and put the carb through my ultrasonic cleaner and blown everything through with carb cleaner before reassembly.

Could anyone advise me on the correct setting of the idle mixture screw and also the plugs and points gaps as i had them written down but have lost them.

The model number is J4BRCSS which was made in Belgium and serial number is B088568

I`ve no idea how old this outboard is but it`s got us out of trouble several times when testing bigger outboards on boats only for them to fail and the wee seahorse has always got us in safely.

Cheers for any help with this as it`ll be good to get our old friend back into service again.

Matt.

Model J4BRCSS is a 1980 4hp Johnson. Mixture is 50/1.

Carburetor setting:
(Carburetor Adjustment - Single S/S Adjustable Needle Valve)
(J. Reeves)

Initial setting is: Slow speed = seat gently, then open 1-1/2 turns.

Start engine and set the rpms to where it just stays running. In segments of 1/8 turns, start to turn the S/S needle valve in. Wait a few seconds for the engine to respond. As you turn the valve in, the rpms will increase. Lower the rpms again to where the engine will just stay running.

Eventually you'll hit the point where the engine wants to die out or it will spit back (sounds like a mild backfire). At that point, back out the valve 1/4 turn. Within that 1/4 turn, you'll find the smoothest slow speed setting.

When you have finished the above adjustment, you will have no reason to move them again unless the carburetor fouls/gums up from sitting, in which case you would be required to remove, clean, and rebuild the carburetor anyway.

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 auction at:

http://shop.ebay.com/Joe_OMC32/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

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NOTE: The 1980 4hp model has a solid state ignition system (No Points) but just in case you have some kind of mixture made up of various engines, the point setting follows for the regular magneto models.

(Point Setting Of Magneto Models)
(J. Reeves)

Set the points as follows. Have the flywheel key aligned with the fiber rubbing portion of the ignition points. Adjust the gap so that a .020 gauge will pass thru but a .022 will not. Should there be any question of the points being dirty (touching the contact with your finger would cause them to be dirty), clean them with a small brush and acetone or lacquer thinner.

NOTE 1: Should the operating cam have a small portion on it with the word "SET" imprinted, align this portion with the fiber rubbing portion instead of the flywheel key.

NOTE 2: Should the cam have the word TOP imbossed on the top of it, that is a cam that could be installed upside down and this is simply telling you which side is up. It is not a position where one would set the points.

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 auction at:

http://shop.ebay.com/Joe_OMC32/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

Cheers for your help Joe and i`ll see about getting it back up and running today.

I do know that it defiantly has a points setup as when i bought it then it was only running on one cylinder and was told that one set needed gapped which i did and it ran fine. As it`s not been used for a couple of years now then it was time to give it some tlc. I thought it was strange in regards to the mixture screw as i hadn`t touched it since purchase. Before stripping the carb down then i checked how many turns out it was and to a light seat then it was 3 complete turns.

I`ll certainly keep you in mind in regards to parts but as i`m in Scotland then i`m not sure what the postage costs would be.

Matt.

Matt... I just double checked my books to see if there might be another 4hp model that had points, however the 4 hp model(s) and also the 4,5hp etc all have the solid state ignition.

Perhaps the point setup is due to being the model manufactured in Belgium. Or possibly someone replaced the powerhead or just converted the ignition over.

Look on the powerhead for a small core plug (looks like a quarter sized freeze out plug) to see if the model number you listed is the same..... Just curious.

Ok, having got everything back together again and setting the points then i`m now getting erratic running which sound like an ignition problem. I checked and cleaned the points prior to setting them and surfaces were clear of pitting or burning. New plugs were also fitted plus the old plugs have been put back in and there`s no change on the erratic running.

It`s been so long since i last worked on an engine with points then i`m not sure where to go from here. I`m thinking maybe one of the condensers is playing up or maybe a coil?

I`ve another 4hp evinrude so might start switching parts until i find the fault unless anyone could advise me as to a better way?

Joe, i just went out and checked the core plug number and it has B 88569 on it as best as i can see.

Cheers, Matt