Logo

Johnson 225 -89 BIG issues!

edstrom88

New member
Hello!

I`m in desperate need of help for my johnson 225 VRO (j225plced)
Bought this crap with "sneezing" problems with given an easy fix! But hell no!
First days with boat in water was with idle sneezing, mostly the engine ran ”OK” but sometimes it just loosed all power and wont get up on the water!
Started with troubleshooting..
Found that it have been carb fire before, melted plastic in air box and som carb..
-Cleaned carbs with new needle valves.
-Compression OK
-Disassembled intake manifold
-Inspected reeds, drain valves, gaskets
-Glass cleaned throttle bodys and adjusted
-Set the timing at idle, unsecure about linkage is correctly adjusted
-Changed timer base, powerpack. reglued new magnets, sparkplugs, wires and coils.
-New fuelfilters
-Primer are OK

Still its running like **** and looses power, plugs for cyl 2,3,6 are dry/brown cyl 1,4,5 are all wet! WHY?
There is alot of bluesmoke from the fumes!

Would be very glad for some tips!
 
Yes i have tested with timing light, its hard to see if there are a missfiring, what i can see is spar for all cylinders. All components are new except stator!
 
Thanks! im little confused about my carbs, i think they have seen their best days. So im thinking about to buy carbs from newer engine with adjustable jet, they from -96 or something and up!
Do anyone know if its possible to mount them? i know i have to get a airbox to them!
 
Diagnose the problem first... DO NOT simply start throwing parts at the engine!

If your complain pertains to a spitting back action semingly coming from the carburetor throats, that is normally caused by either somewhat clogged fuel passages within the carburetors, or the scribe mark of the cam not properly aligned with the throttle roller, something of that nature causing the cylinder(s) to run lean.

However, basic trouble shooting "always" starts off with a compression check and a proper spark test. This is important!

What are the psi readings of all cylinders?

Spark plugs should be Champion QL77JC4 plugs gaped at either .030 or .040 (try the .040 first).

As "forsete" has mentioned above, the spark "must" jump a 7/16" gap... you cannot do a spark test with a timing light or neon thru indicator lights. The spark must jump that 7/16" gap with a wide strong blue lightning like flame... a real SNAP! No tester?... Build the following:

(Spark Tester - Home Made)
(J. Reeves)

You can use a medium size philips screwdriver (#2 I believe) inserted into the spark plug boot spring connector, then hold the screwdriver shank approximately 7/16" away from the block to check the spark or build the following:

A spark tester can be made with a piece of 1x4 or 1x6, drive a few finishing nails through it, then bend the pointed ends at a right angle. You can then adjust the gap by simply twisting the nail(s). Solder a spark plug wire to one which you can connect to the spark plug boots, and a ground wire of some kind to the other to connect to the powerhead somewhere. Use small alligator clips on the other end of the wires to connect to ground and to the spark plug connector that exists inside of the rubber plug boot.

Using the above, one could easily build a spark tester whereas they could connect 2, 4, 6, or 8 cylinders all at one time. The ground nail being straight up, the others being bent, aimed at the ground nail. A typical 4 cylinder tester follows:

..........X1..........X2

.................X..(grd)

..........X3..........X4

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
********************

Now, if the compression and spark are as they should be, one could safely assume that the problem is fuel related.
 
Yes, carbs from a '96 up 200 and 225 will bolt right on. You MUST use the throttle bodies from the newer carb set. The carbs and throttle bodies form the complete carburetor assembly. They have to go together.
Carbs from a 200 have the smaller venturis, and most noticeably they have 2 screws holding the butterfly to the throttle shaft. Carbs from a 225/250 have larger venturis and have three screws holding the butterfly on. I tell you that because people will sell anything as anything. You need to know how to identify carb assemblies correctly.
You better examine very carefully to see if you can remove the air silencer backing plate without screwing up the mounting position of other parts. If I remember, it is possible that peripheral parts might mount to that plate.

For that matter, your whole problem might be that someone has already swapped wrong parts in....happens all the time.

I want to know what you figure out from reading the two posts.....
 
Well, yes they will work. But as Joe says, don't throw parts at the problem.
Determine if you truly have a faulty carb set. That would be highly unusual that all six were bad.
IF someone has been swapping and mixing/matching in the engine's past, then maybe new carbs would be in order.
You mentioned a fire....are they all melted? What damage?
 
3 of them are melted outside, and the airbox also melted with the gasket that not longer available to buy, and all the bowls are like an C.. and the throttle bodys are corroded there the throttle should dense. I got a price for it all at 240$, think its a good price and maybe a must have!?
 
There, after an hour reading that posts!

Both that posts is all about my problem, i feels like that. For now i have those old carbs with, idle jet instead of adjustable needle.
So im thinking i come back in that question later when i got good carbs, throttles and airbox.
The part im little worried about is the low crankcase pressure part, i dont know a **** about this engine, maybe i can see some old
signs that "form a gasket" has been used around the bottom of powerhead. So someone maybe have done something!?
What is the most likely reason for low crankcase pressure, in lets say a worn engine?

I think i will do another compression test, just to be sure and of course check the spark!
I have also ordered recomended champion sparkplugs, has NGK for the moment!


Thanks for awesome support!!!!
 
Last edited:
Don't worry about low crankcase compression. Just get those throttle bodies clean, as described in those two posts.
You say you glass cleaned the throttle bodies (TBs)....I think you mean that you cleaned them by glass bead blasting them.

That will not clean the calibration pockets that, on your engine, are covered by round welch plugs, 6 of them on the sides of the TBs.

It might even be possible that you have glass dust inside the TB calibration pocket now. No carb cleaner will dissolve that, so you have
to remove the welch plugs and physically clean the holes out.
 
Hoping i dont have to be worry about that!

Yes, glass bead blasting was the english word i was looking for, i think i cleaned i well after. Cleaned it with compressed air and KENT one shot!
But dont you think that corrode area around there the throttle should seal would matter? maybe around those tiny holes on some throttle are also corroded.

Calibration pockets, is that them on the carbs? If it on the throttle bodys im not sure i got them, or i dont got screwed pocket that i can see are being on the newer type!
But im maybe getting what you mean now, the welch plug i think i have seen, but can i remove and get them back sealed?
 
Update!
Summer is back in Sweden and so is my boat issues:/

Last year i got carbs, throttlebodies and air silencer from a -98 johnson 225 in excellent condition.
Cleaned and checked everything, adjusted timing at idle to 4*ATDC and 18*BTDC but im not sure the WOT timing are correct, i let the engine idle and dismounted the throttle roll and gave WOT and set the timing to 18*BTDC, is that way correct. feeling something is vibrating at WOT maybe it detonates because of timing?

So after my first ride i was over all very satisfied, was a bit lean when taking off mixture screw was set 4 1/2 turn, opened the, to 5 1/2 and ok.

But next weekend i had changed prop and out for testing, and suddenly it starts sneezing at idle and after a while stops.
Brainstorming, checking everything, has 1300rpm at idle, adjusting som at the timer base stop for idling and the stop screw for gas linkage idling and put the white/black cable for cold start to ground and engine goes down in idle to 700rpm, driving around for 20 minutes and the idle is still god, but still sneezing.
Found that when it starts sneezing i can pump the handpump 3-4 times and sneezing stops for a while!
 
Posting to see followup answers. I have a 98 Venom 200 that HAD the sneezing issue. I never really noticed when the problem went away but I had replaced the primer bulb and have run significant amounts of SEAFOAM through the motor. Also, last year I switched to running OPTI-2 synthetic oil in all my water toys after using it for years in my 2 stroke yard equipment with great success. Everything seems to start easier and run as good or better with less smoke. Wish I could give you more definitive advice.
 
Your engine should have a shift interrupt switch. This switch kills the ignition to 3 cylinders...usually the starboard side when you shift into gear to make the shifts smoother. Remove/disconect the ground eyelet from the top of the engine and see how it runs.
 
The switch may be "working" while in gear. That's why you are experiencing issues. Disconnect the switch completely then take it out on the water.
 
no, thats works as it should, the engine runs pretty good after installing a low pressure fuel fuel pump but sneezes somethimes at idle and i also think i having problems with the quickstart function, if i run the motor for 20minutes and just stop and starting it again the quick start is always in for at least 2 minutes is that normal?
 
Back
Top