1999 Johnson 115 - Will not idle, no power.

[Jaspernuts]

Ran great when I stored it. Figured I overdid it with the fogging oil so I replaced plugs. Still the same. It seem like it runs on 2 cylinders unless at a really high idle. Boat will barely plane. Any ideas on where to start? What is the best way to check for spark?

[kerryd15]

take the plugs out, lay them against the block and turn the key. you should have a nice BLUE spark. if its yellow its not good. if you put in new plugs and have ran it, one plug should look different than the others. as in wet, or different burnt color.

[boatfixer]

Yup thats an easy way. I use a 6 way spark checker so I can see all at the same time. Timing light is another.

It sounds like it could also be fuel related. You may have an inlet needle stuck not allowing gas into the carb. Could also be debris in a jet or degredated fuel plugging a jet.

For a quick way to determin if its fuel related or not, You could remove the air silencer, hook up the muffs or back it into the lake, start the engine and give it short bursts of mixed gas through a squirt can. If the engine picks up, youve found the cylinder giving you the problem.

I will also pull the plug wires off while running with a pair of nylon pliars. This will tell you which cylinder is out also.******DONT USE YOUR BARE FINGERS OR REGULAR PLIARS*****

[Jaspernuts]

I just pulled the plugs and the one bank the plugs look fairly clean, (I just installed yesterday) and the other bank looks black and fouled. Im going out now to check for spark, if I have it I guess it could be fuel related. I will report back.

[Jaspernuts]

Has spark on all 4 cylinders. Smells gassy like something is stuck open flooding it.

[boatfixer]

You could have a needle stuck open, float could be stuck up.

[jigglestick]

a float stuck in the up position would be closing the needle valve brucie.

I know what you mean tho.

I would look to the needle valve for sure.

on my 140, they had the carbs that were married, like two seperate carbs but built of the same cast side by side.

I never got brave enough to tear them off the motor.

all I ever did was take the drain plugs off of the bowls and flush copious amounts of fresh gas through them by pumping the ball.

over a few years this worked great for running speeds but did very little for idle speeds.

[GFNER]

Your problem sounds very similar to one I had. When I fogged my motor I turned the lever on my primer solenoid up to draw straight from the can of fogging oil, I forgot to turn it back down to the run position.

[boatfixer]

Lol Dave! Stuck up Hung up gunked up and of course the one that'll get me a time out. Up is just one of those that has too many meanings.

[boatfixer]

4 carbs on that motor, by the way

[Jaspernuts]

Over my head, Im taking in Tuesday to local marine shop. Hey boatfixer, are these decent motors overall? Had a broken piston ring last year and got a rebuild. Just wondering on their overall reliability.

[boatfixer]

I would say overall theyve been good. Like anything else, they can have demons, some mechanics like em some dont. Me?, I dont have a problem with them, I'd own one.

[Jaspernuts]

This is what happens when you put the plug wires on wrong after fogging. I'm going to feel like an [PoorWordUsage] when I go to pick it up.

[delmuts]

We've ALL done things like that! Be thankfull it was something simple!

[SpecialK]

Look at it this way, it was a super easy fix that shouldn't hurt the pocketbook that bad AND you learned something.

Every day is a schoolday.