Johnson 15hp 2-stroke. Post purchase checks & service.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Yep terminal in my book as the white paint on the head is burnt dark brown and it will pull over but not start, likely picked up on the bores.

These things happen albeit very rarely thankfully. Unusually I was carrying “guests” rather than usual crew. One of them had never been in a smallcraft before so their mind was concentrated. We managed 2.5kts paddling with 5ft oars. As the OB was new to me and inexperienced folks were on board I’d planned the outing for the prevailing wind to assist return in case of trouble… never really expecting to need that help.

Yes my Aerotec is grey, we happened to be sea trialling an older red one today.

Seems weird it went from running well to terminal overheat so quickly do you know the cause yet? Could it be a plastic bag picked up on the lower? Will you be doing a post mortem thread to finish off?

[Fenlander]

Weird indeed and a first for me in all my decades boating with portable outboards.

Normally I'm near obsessive looking back to the tell tale frequently but a few factors affected that yesterday. I was distracted talking to my newbie passenger, also this Aerotec I was using didn't have the 45mm transom lift of mine and the tell tale was getting lost in the spray kicked up from the leg once near WOT.

No post mortem thread but I will report here if I find anything as I dismantle it for spares. If nothing seen then must have been a random bag picked up.

[Max...]

Blimey David, bad luck old chap - what a PITA, especially after all that work. Very sorry for you.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Was enjoying this thread hoping for a good runner bad luck David

[chipko]

Yes also gutted to hear this, bad luck. Looking at the pics thought you’d found a bit of a gem and how smart those Johnsons were.

Good to hear all got back safely. Must admit it certainly concentrates the mind when this happens. Well it did mine when the main unexpectedly packed up a mile or so offshore last year.

[Fenlander]

Appreciate the sentiments but honestly no big deal...I enjoyed working on it and will retain that understanding of the make/model. You can't be on the winning side on every occasion.

All stripped now into a sell for spares pile and a recycle pile.

The problem was a little unusual. The area of the stat and other waterways in localised areas were choked with a mix of a very fine silt and salt crystals. It's odd as it ran in the test bucket OK and for a while really well at sea. I can only think these deposits were attached to the waterways and loosened with a bit of time at WOT finally blocking the narrowest passageways.

I reckon it was run last time without flushing after and has stood for many more years than the seller claimed. Hence the deposits were pretty well attached to the internal waterways and took a while to be loosened.

The result was a catastrophic overheat resulting in bore damage. The compressions today about 65psi compared to 100+ before the incident.

You can see from the previously neat white painted cylinder head it got really hot.

[Blankton]

Oh dear. When I saw the photo it looked like one I'd seen in an auction in Burnham Market Norfolk about a year ago. That was in a lot with an aerotec. I did wonder if it was that engine.

Best stick to the japanese motors I think.

[Fenlander]

I think I need to sit on my hands when future opportunities present and be content with the improvement from down pitching my 9.8.

[Oldman2]

I think if truth be known David, you just hankered for something to tinker with and having sold on your "tiggers broom" which btw is quite content sitting all wrapped up in my garage, you needed a project to get your teeth into.
I am sorry this one ended badly, I was getting quite attracted to my daily fix of Johnson repairs, but yes really sit on those hands or take the dog for more walks. You know the 9.8 will do what you need and what you can sensibly lift, enjoy

[Fenlander]

It's true I do enjoy understanding mechanical devices by actually working on them... something that drove my late father to despair on many occasions when aged 5-15 I was more dismantler than repairer. So yep I did enjoy the Johnson challenge and now understand the model a bit more than I'd envisaged having just stripped it into component parts.

[Max...]

Know the feeling well, and pleased to say it's something I passed to my son.

Being inquisitive is a marvellous thing but it sure was a lot more difficult getting those clockwork springs back in once you had joyously extracted them as an eight year old...

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Yep that's the one I'm using Tommy, really useful site.

Carb back together and fitted, looking clean.

A side job was the fact the tilt lock lever knob was missing and the lever itself was hard on old fingers. About £30 inc post from the USA for the knob and seemingly unavailable in the UK. A very capable lifetime sailor and fabricator neighbour offered a sheet of 20mm HDPE for me to make my own. Plastic crafting isn't an area of expertise for me but a combination of cutting, sanding and drilling then heating with a red hot nail to get the slot a snug fit for the OB's lever then finally fitting a grub screw and it looks/functions OK.

Good work on that nob. £30 way too much for that I feel

[smallribber]

Sorry to hear that. Good you all got back safely. I bet the newby to boating was a little put off

[Fenlander]

Newbie had been groomed to a position of trusting me before the outing and I think as everything went smoothly in the end they saw it as something of what happens at sea.

It was interesting that a 67yr old with determination derived from being responsible for the outcome was stronger on the paddle than the fit 30something.

[Orwell boy]

Edit: I see thread 2 is already covered above so it’s thread 3 next… right old pace this retired life.[/QUOTE]

Just in case you have your clone ready to go yet ,the Waverley is leaving Southwold pier 10 am tommorow bound for Clacton pier at 13.30 ,might be a good sight !

[Fenlander]

Yep I saw that in the local news. Our outings are so infrequent we only have time for getting out... dovetailing in events just doesn't happen.

[633 hurricane]

Glad you got it huming . To get to a 1 pull start cold on choke . Open idel screw a 1/4 turn in 40 50 degree weather leen in more cold enviroments.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by 633 hurricane

Glad you got it huming . To get to a 1 pull start cold on choke . Open idel screw a 1/4 turn in 40 50 degree weather leen in more cold enviroments.

I suspect you did not read much of the thread.... The outboard is no more so to speak

[633 hurricane]

Sorry about that im new.

[Fenlander]

No problem. Often I find an extra 1/8 - 1/4 turn out on the idle screw also helps a stutter free transition from idle to picking up speed. Particularly on newer small carbed 4-strokes set/sealed for very tight emission controls.

On an associated topic I've only just opened my most recent RNLI magazine pack... very appropriate cover on the offshore one given the way this thread went!