Why is the shroud off, n' why is the bow pointing IN?

I now have, in various states, THREE 40hp. One is an "early crank" Johnson, has same small taper crank as a 35, have a later "big crank" 40hp Johnson, and a similar Evinrude 40

Yesterday I finished tuning up the one "big crank" Johnson, and it ran GREAT in the tank. But this mid-morning took it out to little Fernan with a lunch and it won't run worth-a-you-know-what. Seemingly not getting enough fuel. I THOUGHT I had everything cleaned out but "not."

A few days ago I had the little 12 ft crestliner out with
an old 55 Evinrude 35hp, ran like a top

Anyhow I brought the boat home and spent the rest of the day at the beach

Did you mark the flywheel with your little timing gizmo you showed us in the other thread? I thought this was the big crank Johnson without the timing marks on the flywheel. Were you able to get it timed correctly? Maybe that’s why it’s not running the best.

my experience with older outboards that are hard to tune or wont stay tuned or run good and then not is hard crank seals or leaky crank seals and causes a vacuum leak .

I've never been much of a boat person, but I like reading your stories and adventures with yours! It looks like you really enjoy making the old outboards perform, and having fun is what it's all about!

mopardude62 said:

Did you mark the flywheel with your little timing gizmo you showed us in the other thread? I thought this was the big crank Johnson without the timing marks on the flywheel. Were you able to get it timed correctly? Maybe that’s why it’s not running the best.

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I got the timing issue under control. I am stupid. It turns out there are two TINY casting marks on the underside of the flywheel. Nowhere did I see a diagram or photo. I "scribed them out to the starter teeth, and marked a tooth on each side. Then I calculated how many degrees / tooth, and when I get time, will create a reference mark to use them to check full advance. "I'm assuming" for now that full advance wants to be near where the newer engine, I forget if it's 34 or 37 something


These casting / timing marks cannot be seen up under the flywheel, when it and the mag are together. So you have to scribe marks on the mating angle of the casting to be able to see them. Damn near worthless. LOL

This is a carb/ pump/ fuel issue. It idles fine, and runs at barely off idle. And it will start to jump when given throttle but as soon as the float bowl goes down, it is done.

Bear in mind all this junk I have sat around "somewhere else" for Lord knows how long, and nobody knows what might be in the fuel system. I thought I flushed it pretty good, but we'll try again

Most these old girls have a sediment bowl filter so you can see what's going on sometimes.

And...........I may have to take a breather.............the guy up north has the roof done on the Scamp.......just in time for record temps coming up Sun----------next week. It will be an early morning trip!!!! (About 130mi round trip)

JDMopar said:

I've never been much of a boat person, but I like reading your stories and adventures with yours! It looks like you really enjoy making the old outboards perform, and having fun is what it's all about!

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I do. I buy cheap if I can, and don't really have all that much money into anything. I also have both trailers really set up well. The old ramp out at the E end of Fernan, the boat is not even touching the water!!!! I have a REALLY geared winch on there and can winch it on with one hand, although "effort"

Just got back in the house. It's dusk now, at 8:15, and finally got down to 82. I pulled the fuel pump apart, clean, but there was junk in the sediment bowl And junk in the carb. So I'll re-clean everything, including the pump, and now that everything is apart blow air through the hoses. "We'll see"

I enjoy your boat stories and pictures. Most of my best memories are on boats. I will not lie, your pictures make me a bit envious. I need to move back to a lake, at this point any lake will do.....

Almost nothing is better than a good day on the water.
Thanks again for the posts. I think a few of us are living through vicariously though your stories.

That last shot is a winner, Del.

Today I went for a "nearly unsuccessful" ride, the thing seemed to run OK but lacked top end, I could not figure whether it was the prop or what, then lost power not getting fuel. I had pump and carb completely apart, and REALLY cleaned them. I'm thinking weak pump etc. The tanks and hoses have been used on other engines and seem to be fine, so I'm discounting that for now. The tanks and hoses worked OK on the big 75hp on this boat.