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1986 60hp very smokey

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surgemc

Member
I have a new to me 1986 60hp Johnson model AJ60TLCDS that has had the VRO removed. Compression's are 145,150,145. It starts very easily and idles smoothly however it smokes unbelievably. Could it be as simple as I've mixed too much oil in the fuel. I used 50:1
Thanks
 
50:1 is the right mixture. All carbureted 2-stroke engines will smoke at startup and when cold.

Make sure there is a thermostat installed and it's functioning properly. If the engine is running too cold it will smoke more.

Check spark using a gap tester and make sure all 3 plug leads will jump a 7/16" gap. If yes, I'd say the easy thing is to replace the spark plugs with fresh Champion QL77JC4 gapped at 0.035".

Also, make sure the red lever on your primer solenoid is pointing in the right direction. It's possible you're dumping excess fuel into the intake.

If all of that checks out and it still smokes.....welcome to the world of 2-stroke engines.
 
If you might be using a portable 6 gallon tank....... Some boaters make the mistake of pouring in the entire pint of 50/1 oil into a empty tank first... then adding the gasoline.

That practice causes raw oil to be forced into the fuel lines, fuel pump, carburetor... and yeah, that'll smoke like your aim in life is to kill all the mosquitoes in your county.

With any portable fuel tank, it's best to put in a gallon of fuel or so, then the oil, then the rest of the gasoline. It does make a difference.
 
Thanks for the replies gents. joereeves that's exactly what I did this time, never done it before so I don't know why I changed the process. To fix it do I just have to really mix the fuel well or will I have to dump this tank of fuel? kevinj which way should the pointer be facing, I have only ever had a Mercury engine before.
 
surgemc said:
Thanks for the replies gents. joereeves that's exactly what I did this time, never done it before so I don't know why I changed the process. To fix it do I just have to really mix the fuel well or will I have to dump this tank of fuel? kevinj which way should the pointer be facing, I have only ever had a Mercury engine before.
Click to expand...

I think the red lever should be facing down toward the bottom of the solenoid in the RUN position and for automatic priming. To manually prime the lever should face up (or is it 90 degrees from run :confused: ?) either way, I'm pretty sure pointing down is the correct position. The way it's pictured here should be normal running position:
solenoid.JPG

I like to use a ratio-rite bottle when doing pre-mix. Usually I never have a bone dry tank so I'm always adding on top of existing fuel mix. It's more cost effective to buy your 2-stroke oil by the gallon then use a mixing bottle to add the exact amount needed for the amount of fuel you're going to fill. Any TCW3 oil is fine, but I prefer to use Evinrude Premium 2-stroke. I get this oil at Walmart for under $20/gallon. It's the same stuff as Evinrude XD25 oil which is a natural mineral base oil. I use it in my 9.9 Evinrude and usually get very little smoke.

It's the red colored bottle: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Evinrude-Johnson-2-Cycle-Marine-Oil/36008461

Mixing bottles are under $3 at Walmart and they are well worth the money. It takes all the guess work out of adding oil. Example: your tank is about 1/2 full, then fill oil to the 3 gallon mark on the 50:1 scale , pour it in the tank, pump in 3 gallons of gas, then head out on the water. No more trying to eyeball if you poured in 1/2 of a pint bottle of oil. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Shoreline-Marine-Oil-Mixing-Bottle/17128586

KJ
 
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Thanks for the info Kevin. I'll have a closer look at the primer when i get home this arvo. I'm in Australia so don't have Walmart but there are similar stores around.
 
surgemc said:
I'm in Australia so don't have Walmart but there are similar stores around.
Click to expand...
Oh geez, sorry mate for the assumption you're in the US. On second thought the new designation is XD30 oil. You can run more expensive synthetic oil in the engine, but the XD30 is just fine as well. If you maintain 50:1 that is all the protection the engine needs as long as it's a TCW3 rated oil.

I've used Pennzoil Semi-Synthetic in the past and it's okay but seemed kind of sticky feeling on my fingers. I'm not sure what additive would cause that so I decided the Evinrude stuff was about the same price and seems to burn plenty clean in my engine.

Kevin
 
The "Fuel Primer Solenoid Pointer".... Sorry I missed that.

The pointer for automatic operation (primes when you push the key in)... the RED pointer should be pointed at the other end of the solenoid.

For manual operation (primes with the fuel primer bulb being pressed and with every flex of the fuel pump diaphragm)... the pointer should be facing 180 degrees away.

********************
(Fuel Primer Solenoid Function)
(J. Reeves)

The RED lever...... The normal operating/running position is to have that red lever positioned over top of the solenoid and aimed at the other end of the solenoid, gently turned to its stop. This is the normal/automatic mode position. Pushing the key in opens the valve within the solenoid allowing fuel to pass thru it in order to prime and start the engine. Looking upon this solenoid as a electric choke results in a better understanding of it.

Having that red lever turned in the opposite direction, facing away from the solenoid, allows fuel to flow thru it to the crankcase area. One would only turn the red lever to this position in a case where the battery might go dead and the engine had to be started via the rope pull method. Look upon putting the red lever in this position as moving a choke lever on a choke equipped engine to the full closed position. Either one would supply fuel to the crankcase/engine for starting purposes BUT if left in that position while running would flood the engine.

The later model primer solenoids are equipped with a schrader valve, used for attaching a pressurized can of fogging oil etc, available at your local dealership with complete instructions.

Pumping the fuel primer bulb up hard fills the carburetor float chambers of course, but that process also applies fuel pressure to the primer solenoid.

The two small hoses leading from the primer solenoid branch off via tees to each fuel manifold section that would feed fuel to the individual cylinders.

Pushing the key in activates the primer solenoid to allow fuel to flow thru it to the intake manifold passageways. Cranking the engine over causes the fuel pump to engage which in turn sends fuel pulses to the primer solenoid via the 3/8" fuel hose.

Some engines incorporates the "Fast Start" feature which automatically advances the spark electronically so no advance of the throttle is required for starting.
Engines that do not have the "Fast Start" feature will be required to have the throttle advanced slightly.

Starting procedure: pump fuel bulb up hard, crank engine and push the key in at the same time. When the engine fires/starts, release the key so that it falls back to the run position.

Bottom line..... Look upon the primer solenoid as an electric choke.
********************
 
joereeves said:
The "Fuel Primer Solenoid Pointer"....
The pointer for automatic operation (primes when you push the key in)... the RED pointer should be pointed at the other end of the solenoid.

For manual operation (primes with the fuel primer bulb being pressed and with every flex of the fuel pump diaphragm)... the pointer should be facing 180 degrees away.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed explanation Joe. I also found a Youtube video from Dangar Marine explaining it. Yeah, I know some of the things he does in his videos are a little sketchy, but overall he's decent.

https://youtu.be/BrBj2p4A8xQ

Also you're right about the schrader valve, it's a very convenient way to fog the engine.
 

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Thanks to the info above i have the motor running well and with next to no smoke, although i think the control box might be a bit worn out as there is a lot of travel to get from idle to an increase in revs, but i'll deal with that later. Never having owned a Johnson before i am concerned about the water pissing out of this hole on the lower unit. Is this OK ? There is a good stream coming from the tell tale as well. Sorry i can't add the pic at the moment but the hole is just below the upper of the two holes for changing the oil in the lower unit.
Thanks
 
Outboards typically have a few drain holes in the lower unit so water does not sit in there when the motor is not in use. Yeah, people freak out when they see water squirting from them, but rest assured, it is normal. Find something else to worry about.
 
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