The Waco Kid
Member
Hello everyone. My motor is a 1988 Johnson 15 HP 2 cycle, rope pull starter. I am trying to bring it out of winter dormancy. I have fresh alcohol free gas, new fuel pump and tank hose, plugs, wires and coils. Hooked up with muffs the motor starts, runs for a few minutes, then starts to die. I push in the choke and it surges back up to a strong running condition, then starts to die again after a minute or 2. If I turn the slow speed idle adjustment knob counterclockwise all the way to the stop, it needs less choke to keep it running. The choke, and the adjustment knob are leading me to believe I need to adjust the slow speed needle valve screw out further. The manual says 3/4 of a turn, which is where I have it set. I live near Denver CO, at about 5800 feet above sea level. I fish on lakes at 8500 feet and higher. Could be I just need a richer mixture at this altitude. Any thoughts on where I should set that needle valve screw? I am thinking 1, or 1 and a quarter turns. Are there any other things I should look at? I was having this problem at the end of last season, but had to give up and put the motor away. Thanks in advance. The Waco Kid.