Tweet
Hello. I am a new member (registered tonight) and have no real experience with outboard engines. I don't even own a boat. But my brother does. He just bought a 17' center console boat with a 90 HP Johnson engine as noted in the title. So, I have a feeling I will have to come here often for help. Here is why:
He buys this boat, practices backing the trailer a little bit and installs a GPS - that's it. He then decides to take it out for sea trials on a local river. My son went along because he "has a friend who works on boats".
Just off hand - before they went to the ramp - I asked them how much gas it can hold and how it was stored. They told me they had no idea how much gas it could hold, but the tanks were in the double hull void spaces.
I asked something to the effect "Is it a 4-stroke engine or does it have some kind of oil injection system...?" They just looked at me like baby birds. I asked them, "If it's 2-stroke, how are you going to keep track of the oil/gas ratio if you just keep dumping gas in the tanks along with some 2-stroke oil?"
They then said - "It doesn't need mix gas." And off they went.
A couple of hours later the phone rings. "Hey, Dad. The engine isn't running well. It started off great, went plenty fast and could plane the boat in the beginning. But then after about 10 minutes it bogged down and now it won't come back up to speed." I said, "I don't know, check to see if the choke plates are open." That's all I could offer. Like I said, I know basically nothing about outbds - even if they have butterfly chokes plates?
They limped it back to the ramp, got it on the trailer and towed it home. Then they asked me to figure out what the problem is.
I googled Johnson J90GLST and while not very much came up - what ever did come up strongly suggested that the engine is of the 2-stroke design.
Did they smoke the engine 10 minutes into their first trip?
He buys this boat, practices backing the trailer a little bit and installs a GPS - that's it. He then decides to take it out for sea trials on a local river. My son went along because he "has a friend who works on boats".
Just off hand - before they went to the ramp - I asked them how much gas it can hold and how it was stored. They told me they had no idea how much gas it could hold, but the tanks were in the double hull void spaces.
I asked something to the effect "Is it a 4-stroke engine or does it have some kind of oil injection system...?" They just looked at me like baby birds. I asked them, "If it's 2-stroke, how are you going to keep track of the oil/gas ratio if you just keep dumping gas in the tanks along with some 2-stroke oil?"
They then said - "It doesn't need mix gas." And off they went.
A couple of hours later the phone rings. "Hey, Dad. The engine isn't running well. It started off great, went plenty fast and could plane the boat in the beginning. But then after about 10 minutes it bogged down and now it won't come back up to speed." I said, "I don't know, check to see if the choke plates are open." That's all I could offer. Like I said, I know basically nothing about outbds - even if they have butterfly chokes plates?
They limped it back to the ramp, got it on the trailer and towed it home. Then they asked me to figure out what the problem is.
I googled Johnson J90GLST and while not very much came up - what ever did come up strongly suggested that the engine is of the 2-stroke design.
Did they smoke the engine 10 minutes into their first trip?
Comment