Starting Issues

" I have a 1983 Johnson 90hp V

" I have a 1983 Johnson 90hp V4 engine. Initially, I thought I was having problems with my ingnition system but now I believe something else is the matter. My starter is turning over and I am getting sparks out of all 4 ignition coils. The motor will fire sometimes but only for a second. In my earlier post, I stated that my boat took on water. Is it possible that I got salt water in the fuel system through the vent on my inboard gas tank (or somewhere else)? If I did manage to get water in the fuel system, does anyone have any suggestions as how to flush the system? I have already tried putting fresh gas and oil in a six gallon tank and hooking it up with no luck. Any help would be appreciated. "

"Horace.... If you have water

"Horace.... If you have water in the fuel and that water got into the crankcase, pistons, etc, you will possibly need to clean the s/plugs quite often as they will become fouled very easily with water.

However, if that water is simply up to and within the carburetors, remove the side bottom 7/16" hex bolts (we'll call them drain holes) from the float chambers. If water exists, it will be right there, and if so, hook up a fuel tank that has good fuel to the engine and pump the fuel primer bulb until good fuel flows from those drain holes. Now, insert those 7/16" hex head bolts, tighten them, and try to get the engine running on that good fuel.

Getting rid of the fuel that has water....extend the fuel hose so that you can have the fuel siphon down into transparent (if possible) containers. When water stops flowing and only good fuel starts siphoning out... stop.

Install a good water/fuel seperator unit (I prefer the MerCruiser seperator unit) before hooking the original fuel line back up to the engine.

Joe (30+ Years With OMC)"

" Joe,
I am not very familar

" Joe,
I am not very familar with the carburetor. Are the float chamber bolts behind the air silencer cover or is it accessible from outside? "

"Horace.... On that engine, in

"Horace.... On that engine, instead of having a 7/16" hex head bolt, there may be just a screw with a regular screwdriver type slot head. Should there be two screw heads there, we are looking at the bottom screw.

I mention the above as it dawned on me that the engine was manufactured with various design carburetors.

However, I am not speaking of the front of the carburetors. I am speaking of the side of the carburetors. Remove the hood and look at the side of the engine and the carburetors. The bottom portion of the carburetors is the "Float Chamber". The screw I speak of is at the bottom side of that float chamber on both of the carburetors.

Joe (30+ Years With OMC)"

" Joe,
I removed the air sile

" Joe,
I removed the air silencer and the base. It appears that I have two carbs with two screws on the side of each one. I was able to remove three of the four screws. I pumped the primer bulb and gas did come out where the srews were. Also, I have a water seperator coming off of the main gas tank. I removed it and poured the gas into a glass container. It appeared that I had water as well as sand in there. Two questions. How will I know when the carbs are suficently flushed? Is it imperative that I remove the fourth screw? "

im having a heck of a time ge

im having a heck of a time getting my 1968 18 horse started any body have a clue as to what to do