Post by karlfdburg on Jul 15, 2020 13:07:53 GMT -6
Just wanted to share some preventive advice for anyone who has a pre 2008 Johnson 90HP.
As background, I was running along at WOT and the engine died. Just died. She wouldn't start -- although she would almost. Got towed back in, and when I got home, I hooked up water on the off chance she would crank ... and she cranked!
My first thought was that I had bad fuel or water in the gas. This has been a recurring problem in Hampton Roads according to my towing skipper. So I dutifully took samples from the bottom of the tank (I won't bore you with details, but if someone needs advice on this on a Sea Pro, please ask), replaced my fuel/water separator (which needed to be changed), checked the plugs (and replaced them since it was about time anyway), replaced the fuel filter (again, it was that time anyway), and checked all the other fuel-related items I could check.
I recently replaced my trailer and had some warranty work that needed to be done so I took the boat and trailer to my local mechanics. They were able to sneak her into their backlog and, after I spelled out all the things I had done, they agreed that it sounded like a fuel issue. I just wanted someone to double check my work so I asked them to give her a quick physical, as it were. They took her out it for a test cruise and the engine was not behaving properly.
After eliminating the easy things, they finally realized IT WAS NOT A FUEL ISSUE!!! Nope, the engine was chocking on its own fumes because a steel plug was screwed into an aluminum exhaust component. From what I've read, Suzuki (who made the 4 strokes for Johnson in the 2000s), originally planned to put an O2 sensor there. Instead, galvanic corrosion had a field day in my beautiful saltwater environment and ate the plug from the inside out. My Johnny-on-the-spot mechanics were able to rethread the hole and put a new non-reactive plug into the hole.
I had never heard of this and my mechanics hadn't either. After some research, I see that my symptoms were less common but the problem is not.
So for those of you with an engine like mine, my recommendation is to preempt a ruined fishing day (and a repair bill) by checking this plug and replacing it with aluminum or plugging it -- yes, I read that some owners have had to get a mechanic to weld this plug shut because of damage. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures right now but there are pictures and videos on U-Tube that can help.
Hope this was useful!
As background, I was running along at WOT and the engine died. Just died. She wouldn't start -- although she would almost. Got towed back in, and when I got home, I hooked up water on the off chance she would crank ... and she cranked!
My first thought was that I had bad fuel or water in the gas. This has been a recurring problem in Hampton Roads according to my towing skipper. So I dutifully took samples from the bottom of the tank (I won't bore you with details, but if someone needs advice on this on a Sea Pro, please ask), replaced my fuel/water separator (which needed to be changed), checked the plugs (and replaced them since it was about time anyway), replaced the fuel filter (again, it was that time anyway), and checked all the other fuel-related items I could check.
I recently replaced my trailer and had some warranty work that needed to be done so I took the boat and trailer to my local mechanics. They were able to sneak her into their backlog and, after I spelled out all the things I had done, they agreed that it sounded like a fuel issue. I just wanted someone to double check my work so I asked them to give her a quick physical, as it were. They took her out it for a test cruise and the engine was not behaving properly.
After eliminating the easy things, they finally realized IT WAS NOT A FUEL ISSUE!!! Nope, the engine was chocking on its own fumes because a steel plug was screwed into an aluminum exhaust component. From what I've read, Suzuki (who made the 4 strokes for Johnson in the 2000s), originally planned to put an O2 sensor there. Instead, galvanic corrosion had a field day in my beautiful saltwater environment and ate the plug from the inside out. My Johnny-on-the-spot mechanics were able to rethread the hole and put a new non-reactive plug into the hole.
I had never heard of this and my mechanics hadn't either. After some research, I see that my symptoms were less common but the problem is not.
So for those of you with an engine like mine, my recommendation is to preempt a ruined fishing day (and a repair bill) by checking this plug and replacing it with aluminum or plugging it -- yes, I read that some owners have had to get a mechanic to weld this plug shut because of damage. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures right now but there are pictures and videos on U-Tube that can help.
Hope this was useful!
