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Johnson 30hp slow speed needle & retainer

R

rosri9o

New member
Hi all.

I'm new here, new to outboards, and now have an '86 Johnson 30hp (J30RCDM) on a small 16' boat.

The other night I was about 45 minutes in and when I throttled down, the engine died. Opened up the engine cover and the slow speed needle screw was on the lower engine cover..it had come out. Looking at the needle, the tip was bent! and it looked like the needle was out of plumb with the rest of the screw. I finagled it back on and came back to shore at idle or barely above...no issues there.

I was able to find a replacement needle and also got a retainer as per the parts diagram here on M.E....the red washer with the tab on it. How do I remove old and install new retainer? I don't see the red retainer on mine...is it buried in or is the red retainer close to the exterior of the hole where the slow speed needle threads into?

Trying to get this sucker back up and running

Thanks!
 
Your old retainer should be visible.------Obviously it was not there ( or old ) and the reason it did not grip and hold the needle.----Put the red retainer in its place and thread the needle in.
 
racerone said:
Your old retainer should be visible.------Obviously it was not there ( or old ) and the reason it did not grip and hold the needle.----Put the red retainer in its place and thread the needle in.
Click to expand...

Ok! it was missing. I've never seen one of these carbs before so I thought, mistakenly, that it was more into the hole the needle screw goes into.
Going to see how it goes this evening with a test run.

Will be turning all the way in, back out 1.5, then loosening 1/8 turn at a time till it coughs/spits, then tighten 1/4 turn.

Wish me luck!
 
Updating:
Ended up getting a OMC carburetor rebuild kit. Took the carb all apart, replaced as many parts as I could: float, needle, seat, gaskets, and found all of the orifices, cleaned and ran carb cleaner through. Also took off the end on the fuel line, installed a clear in-line filter before the primer bulb, and shortened the hose from the bulb to the motor since it was always getting kinked up from being too long. I pull-started it and it ran, but died gradually...but ran and reacted to throttle response!

There is a roller pin attached to the carb linkage that touches a white throttle cam below the flywheel. That throttle cam has 2 raised marks..is that roller pin supposed to be between those 2 marks at idle? If I adjust the throttle lever so that the pin is in between or just slightly starboard of the pins it runs....if it goes the other direction it idles slower and slower and motor eventually dies.

I'd like to verify that the throttle linkage and all that is adjusted properly for correct idle, so then I can set up the plastic drum with water and put a timing light on it.

Can someone provide a picture of how it should look/be? ...and what linkage to adjust?


If anyone can suggest a manual for a '86 Johnson 30 I'd love to get one.

Thank you!!
 
Last edited:
rosri9o said:
Updating:
Ended up getting a OMC carburetor rebuild kit. Took the carb all apart, replaced as many parts as I could: float, needle, seat, gaskets, and found all of the orifices, cleaned and ran carb cleaner through. Also took off the end on the fuel line, installed a clear in-line filter before the primer bulb, and shortened the hose from the bulb to the motor since it was always getting kinked up from being too long. I pull-started it and it ran, but died gradually...but ran and reacted to throttle response!

There is a roller pin attached to the carb linkage that touches a white throttle cam below the flywheel. That throttle cam has 2 raised marks..is that roller pin supposed to be between those 2 marks at idle? If I adjust the throttle lever so that the pin is in between or just slightly starboard of the pins it runs....if it goes the other direction it idles slower and slower and motor eventually dies.

I'd like to verify that the throttle linkage and all that is adjusted properly for correct idle, so then I can set up the plastic drum with water and put a timing light on it.

Can someone provide a picture of how it should look/be? ...and what linkage to adjust?


If anyone can suggest a manual for a '86 Johnson 30 I'd love to get one.

Thank you!!
Click to expand...
Throttle plate should just start to move when Roller is between marks .Loosen screw on side of carb to make it right and tighten.
 
newyota said:
Throttle plate should just start to move when Roller is between marks .Loosen screw on side of carb to make it right and tighten.
Click to expand...

Yes! I resolved that and in working with the idle stop on the throttle control I was able to get the cable pull to let the throttle cam over to right by the roller. And it idle nicely now! Later going to check timing at full advance and adjust the stop until it gets to 30BTDC! I should check the timing in neutral or in drive? I'll be filling a large rubbish bin with water and submerging the lower unit for water flow.
 
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