04' Johnson 115 all jacked up. . .

[twmooney]

I have a 04 Johnson 115 that has all of a sudden started started skipping for the lask of a better word. It started at WOT then if I backed off it would be fine for the most part. I have changed the plugs, checked fuses, wiring, I really don't know what else it could be. I looked at the fuel filter on this boat and its like a plastic mesh cone and it looks ok, just has a little bit of black stuff in it. Should I replace the fuel filter or get it seen about? It acts like its electrical or fuel related. Not sure what else to do. Should I run some injector cleaner through a tank or two?

-Terry

[5 BASS LIMIT]

You might have some trash in your carbs causing it to act up. Also you might need to decarb the engine as well. Carbon build up will cause that problem and is the #1 killer of a 2-stroke engine.

[twmooney]

Apr 28, 2008 18:34:13 GMT -1 5 BASS LIMIT said:

You might have some trash in your carbs causing it to act up. Also you might need to decarb the engine as well. Carbon build up will cause that problem and is the #1 killer of a 2-stroke engine.

OK so you gave me enough to figure out my problem. I did a search for decarbon a 2 stroke and found this article,
www.thehulltruth.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=172950&posts=3&highlight=decarb&highlightmode=1.

Confident I was armed with enough information to sufficiently handle the task. I stopped by Autozone on the way home from the office and picked up a can of Sea Foam, a 3' peice of 3/8 fuel hose, a 2 gallon gas can and I was good to go. I hit the quick trip for some over priced $3.60 a gallon unleaded and filled the 2 gallon can at .850 gallons. I poured the entire contents of the Sea Foam in the gas can.

I popped in to Wal-Mart for a outboard flusher as I couldn't find my other one. When I got home I got the water hosed hooked up to the flusher and let it warm for 15 minutes. The pee stream was nice and warm. I turned the motor off. I disconnected the fuel line on the supply side of the primer bulb. I hooked up the new 3/8 line to the primer bulb on the supply side. I open the can of gas containing the Sea Foam mixture and then cranked the motor up.

I let this run for 15 minutes. I turned it off and let it sit for 15 minutes. I repeated this processe until the mixture was completely gone. I could not believe the amount of smoke coming out of this motor. I noticed lots of carbon nastiness coming out of the prop exhaust. I decided that it would be better to run it now than to wait and let that stuff sit. I hooked the boat up and took off to the lake at 8 pm last night. It smoked a good bit at first and then when I opened it up for the first time, I couldn't believe the difference. Hole shot was the best I have seen in forever, top end was a blazing 48 MPH and absolutely no loss of power, no hesitation, and no issues.

The only problem I found was a new one. The breaker keeps tripping on my trolling motor.

-Terry

[Ron288]

That stuff is good, glad you got her up and going.

[5 BASS LIMIT]

Check for a short in the wiring between your batteries and trolling motor. Next time DO NOT USE SEA FOAM !!!! I do not like the stuff. There is a better product and you do not have to disconnect your fuel line and it is alot easier than what you went through.

[twmooney]

OK - Seriously. . .Why couldn't you have said that to begin with? I know it's probably your profession and all but I thought the purpose of this section was to help and guide people? If I did something wrong I would like to know. If there is a better product can you let me know? I don't know much about this stuff but YES I unlinke a lot of guys fish and play on a budget. I DON'T have the cash to send this thing to someone for a fix. I spent less than $40 bucks and got it to work.

I get it, seriously I do. This is not something people pay you for, advice that is. It is something that you do to "help" people. I am really gracious for you, and I mean that sincerely. I just don't understand how you can post that kind of reply, and leave it all up in there air like that.

soooooooooooo frustrated.

-T

[dannyp]

Uh Terry, Seem to me he said next time, so next time you are ready pm Anthony and see what he has to say. He also said to look for a short in your TM wireing harness, if thats free advise I dont know what is,,,Electrical problems are the worst for any mechanic auto or marine to track down. Been there done that and I dont want another t-shirt.

Anthony has on more than one occasion helped someone out for no more than a pat on the back and a handshake. You may not have seen it but I have, Ask Leaplineman to if you are in doubt.

[twmooney]

Uh. . .Danny, I get it I really do. I know he helps alot of people and I wasn't asking anyone to diagnose my problem or fix it for free for that matter. All I was merely looking for was suggestions, places to start if you will. Sorry if my post came off brash but its frustrating on this board that SOO many good people are here and they offer these short retorts that if they spent just a little more time, they could offer a little more advice.

Take the example of above where he mentions not to use Sea Foam but yet a one sentace response on what to use and this whole issue could be searched for someone else in the future. Why do you think I put the time in to most of my posts? I don't do it for the writing experience, I do it to help others that may or may not be in my same situation in the future.

Point taken and noted. I will limit my response to this board.

And Anthony, please don't take my post the wrong way. I am extremely grateful for all that you do. I am, and I mean that with all of my being. I guess its frustration not just at you but at the board in general. That's what seperates this place from most other message boards. Also thanks to you I found my electrical problem staring me in the face. My father was an electrician for 30 years and you would have thought I would have caught it. I didn't however till you put the bug in my ear and I found it today. Between the plug and the trolling motor the dealer or manufacture jerry rigged a splice and it basically melted both wires together. I'll pick up the stuff to fix it tomorrow and should be good to go. For that, I THANK you!

-Terry

[5 BASS LIMIT]

No problem and no offense taken. The problem with SEA FOAM is it will swell your gaskets and cause more problems than you can shake a stick at ( and I dont mean your shakey head rod). What you should use next time is called ENGINE TUNER and available at most marinas and the directions are on the can. Something you should do is run YAMAHA RING FREE every time you fill your gas tank it will prevent carbon build up in your engine and loosen up any carbon that is there if you do a shock treatment and then do a maintainence treatment from then on.

[leapnlineman]

Apr 29, 2008 21:22:28 GMT -1 dannyp said:

Ask Leaplineman to if you are in doubt.

In response let me say that Anthony saved me over $2500 on a job he did on my boat, when he most certainly did not need to do so. And believe it or not did so while working a fishing show in another state. I'll give no futher explanation but its true. He asked nothing in return other than a thank you.
Also I am one of those that is guilty of not always being long winded when it comes to typing and tend to keep my post from realitivly short to medium in length. Not because I intend to with hold info but because I hate typing. Are there times when I wish people would give out more details, yea sure, but I really appreciate the time that even the shortest post takes to make. Sometimes people just have time for a short note and that's fine with me. I can always ask for more details and most times will get that info when the person has more time or knows what I wish to hear.
Terry I know that you give very detailed reports and explanations to your ideas about fishing, however try not to be to critical when others don't do the same. But ALL is GOOD. And I hate typing so I'm off my soap box.
Anthony Thanks again for what you did for me, I know and you know what it was, that's all that matters. And I'll not forget it.

[twmooney]

Apr 29, 2008 23:49:41 GMT -1 leapnlineman said:

Terry I know that you give very detailed reports and explanations to your ideas about fishing, however try not to be to critical when others don't do the same. But ALL is GOOD. And I hate typing so I'm off my soap box.

I AM a control freak and been working on it for years. My wife chaps my rear end all the time because things are not done my way. She even read your post and laughed at me, LOL. Thanks for reminding me I need to do a better job.

Thanks all.

-T

[basschaser]

well twmooney just be glad you got a response from your post
i asked about my trolling motor a few days back and got no reply at all