Keithm18
Regular Contributor
Hi All.
Thought I would post about something that nearly cost me an engine. I launched the boat yesterday. It started fine but was idling a little rough. I let it warm up a bit and all seemed fine.
Took off from the dock and the motor immediately felt like it had less power. Took a short burst at full throttle when the motor seemed to gain and lose power every 20 seconds or so but continue running....definitely down on power.
Pulled into dock and took cover off. Believed it was spark or fuel related. Checked that all leads were correctly connected and that motor was getting fuel....
Thought is could be a little dirt and another quick run may clear it.........dangerous gamble I know, but I got very lucky and it made the run.
Brought it back to the dock for the third time and decided to check the plugs for fouling as one of my passengers said it looked like it was smoking a bit.
This time I pulled the spark boots off and removed one plug at a time and wouldn't you know it. One of the plugs that was only one outing old had cracked from the end it connects to the boot right up until the "bolt" that fits into the head.......
Luckily I carried a spare which saved the day, but if I'd continued to run it I have no idea what would have happened.
The point, I hear you say...................listen to your motor if it doesn't sound or feel right figure out what the problem is rather than running it in the hope it miraculously sorts itself out.
Thanks Johnson "Gods" for saving me from myself.................again...............
P.s Yesterday the same 81 Johnson V4 towed a 17' with a 115 Evinrude fuel injected monster (The type before the e-tec) back to the dock after it had thrown a conrod due to a siezed piston as a result of an overheat. The guy wanted my motor, but I luv this old beater
Thought I would post about something that nearly cost me an engine. I launched the boat yesterday. It started fine but was idling a little rough. I let it warm up a bit and all seemed fine.
Took off from the dock and the motor immediately felt like it had less power. Took a short burst at full throttle when the motor seemed to gain and lose power every 20 seconds or so but continue running....definitely down on power.
Pulled into dock and took cover off. Believed it was spark or fuel related. Checked that all leads were correctly connected and that motor was getting fuel....
Thought is could be a little dirt and another quick run may clear it.........dangerous gamble I know, but I got very lucky and it made the run.
Brought it back to the dock for the third time and decided to check the plugs for fouling as one of my passengers said it looked like it was smoking a bit.
This time I pulled the spark boots off and removed one plug at a time and wouldn't you know it. One of the plugs that was only one outing old had cracked from the end it connects to the boot right up until the "bolt" that fits into the head.......
Luckily I carried a spare which saved the day, but if I'd continued to run it I have no idea what would have happened.
The point, I hear you say...................listen to your motor if it doesn't sound or feel right figure out what the problem is rather than running it in the hope it miraculously sorts itself out.
Thanks Johnson "Gods" for saving me from myself.................again...............
P.s Yesterday the same 81 Johnson V4 towed a 17' with a 115 Evinrude fuel injected monster (The type before the e-tec) back to the dock after it had thrown a conrod due to a siezed piston as a result of an overheat. The guy wanted my motor, but I luv this old beater