Suddenly rich, smoky, & sluggish

[guy48065]

40 hp 2c Johnson always easy on the gas until this season. Now I get a couple hours out of a tank of gas (6 gals).
Today I verified with a meter that the choke isn't getting power when it shouldn't. I don't know what else could cause this.
Once warmed up it still smokes badly but activating the choke by pushing in the key does immediately slow the motor & increase smoke. Same reaction to opening the valve manually.

Plugs are black & wet. I haven't touched any adjustments. What could cause the sudden change?

[curtiscapk]

is your oil pump still hooked up? Try a separate can premixed.

[Rick McC.]

Check the needle valve, valve seat, and float in the carb bowl.

If that's hanging up open, it'll allow gas to continuously dump into the throttle body.

[guy48065]

[quote="Rick McC."]Check the needle valve, valve seat, and float in the carb bowl.

If that's hanging up open, it'll allow gas to continuously dump into the throttle body.[/quote]


I'm thinking that may be the problem.
I've been noticing an oil sheen around the back of my boat even when the lower is raised out of the water. Might be from fuel overflow seeping out the lower cowl.

So how do I get access to remove the carbs? Does the cowl just split in half for access to the guts crammed in there? I need to decide whether to work on it now while in the lake, or put up with the problem until late fall when I take it out & can work on it on dry land.

[Rick McC.]

[quote="guy48065"][quote="Rick McC."]Check the needle valve, valve seat, and float in the carb bowl.

If that's hanging up open, it'll allow gas to continuously dump into the throttle body.[/quote]


I'm thinking that may be the problem.
I've been noticing an oil sheen around the back of my boat even when the lower is raised out of the water. Might be from fuel overflow seeping out the lower cowl.

So how do I get access to remove the carbs? Does the cowl just split in half for access to the guts crammed in there? I need to decide whether to work on it now while in the lake, or put up with the problem until late fall when I take it out & can work on it on dry land.[/quote]

I don't know specifically about your motor, Sir, but you'll be able to tell when you take the top cowling off the motor. The carbs most likely will be on the front.

You'll probably be able to find info, and even a utube video, on the interweb.