Missing top cylinder 1985 70 Johnson VRO

"Help!

I have an 1985 inlin

"Help!

I have an 1985 inline 3cyl Johnson 70 VRO. The motor does not seem to be firing on the top cylinder. When the boat is running on the rabbit ears it runs rough and when I remove the top cylinders spark plug with (with plastic plyers) no change in how the motor runs! When I remove the the middle or bottom spark plug wire the motor immediately stumbles and will stall.

With the breather box removed from the carbs if I hold my hand over the throat of the top carb (to rich up the mix & pull gas into the carb) the motor seems to pick up and run smoother. As soon as I move my hand back to running rough.

This leads me to think the motor is NOT running on the top cylinder. Soo I have tried the following....

1) Checked compression

Top Cylinder 135
Middle Cylinder 132
Bottom Cylinder 130

Seems OK

2) Checked the spark on the top cylinder. Spark looks strong.

3) Swapped coils, spark plugs, spark plug wires Individually (no change) Top not running, middle & bottom run fine

4) Removed top carb and cleaned (no change)

5) Changed fuel filter (no change)

Other information:
The motor was a VRO and the VRO is sealed off.
The Engine has sat for ~ 6mos and had water in the gas. Used fresh gas in a new tank for test and diagnosis.

All I can think of is perhaps the reeds/cage for the carb is broken.

Any advice of ideas to try will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks"

can you exchange the middle an

can you exchange the middle and top carbs?? did you exchanged or checked fuel lines for clogged lines or the fuel line divider that splits fuel lines from the fuel pump output to carbs?

Still sounds like a problem wi

Still sounds like a problem with the top carburetor. I would be inclined to go through it again.