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tuning low speed jets on carbs
brooks89	#1  Posted on 06/09/10 - 11:53 AM
Member Posts: 177 Comments: 0 Joined: 05/24/07	I've got a 2000 70HP 2 Cycle 3 Cylinder Johnson Outboard. Recently I've been experiencing the motor stalling out idle speed in forward and reverse. I suspect I may need to adjust the low speed jets. The boat idles fine at 1000 RPM when in neutral but drops to 800 RPM when the prop is engaged and eventually dies out unless I go back to neutral from reverse or throttle through it in forward. It's running like a champ at high speed. My plan was to turn the needle valves in gently counting turns see where they are at now, then unscrew the valves, use some carb cleaner in the orifices and reset the valves. Can anyone give me some advice here? Carburetors are like black magic to me. Any thoughts as to whether the current low speed mixture might be too lean or too rich?
CES	#2  Posted on 06/09/10 - 12:12 PM
Member Personal Page Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 2681 Comments: 7 Joined: 04/27/07	I wouldn't adjust your jets as much as I'd clean the carb jets with carb cleaner as you have stated. It sounds to me that your carbs are gummed up. Cliff 1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker
John Fyke	#3  Posted on 06/09/10 - 12:42 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 1307 Comments: 0 Joined: 09/06/06	I would never mess with carburator factory adjustments unless the carb was totally rebuilt. Clean them. It's not that difficult and see what you have. John Fyke Re-Fit or Reef It 1979 15' Sport with Super Sport conversion and 70hp mercury.
awayland	#4  Posted on 06/09/10 - 12:57 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 160 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/30/09	Try Putting a heavy dose of seafoam through the fuel system. Advanced auto parts sells it.
sosmerc	#5  Posted on 06/20/10 - 6:56 PM
Member Posts: 16 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/07/09	With age, tolerances do change and this can affect your idle quality. Clean fuel system is a must as has already been mentioned, but it may also be time for an experienced technician to do what we refer to as a "synch and Link" procedure. This is a "by the book" tuneup procedure whereby the linkage is adjusted and set to specific factory specs. Verification of proper idle temp is also important....you may have a thermostat issue. sosmerc
DWinter	#6  Posted on 06/21/10 - 7:27 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 252 Comments: 0 Joined: 01/02/10	Most likely in the early stages of ethanol induced problems. Like the guys above said, it's time for a cleaning. Duane G Winter 1984 BW Sport 15 Center Console
brooks89	#7  Posted on 06/21/10 - 8:00 AM
Member Posts: 177 Comments: 0 Joined: 05/24/07	Thanks for the input Men! I use premium gas and fuel additives on regular basis and my carbs look clean as whistles. I gave the motor an extra slug of Seafoam but I suspect the problem (more of annoyance really) is not treatable chemically. I did recently spend an hour with the cowling off looking around at the throttle linkages, not really sure why, but thinking some sort of adjustment might be needed. There wasn't anything obviously worn or out of place. So SOSmerc could be on to something...