1994 Johnson 150 Fast strike top end issue

[Mike482Ranger]

I bought a Ranger 482v with a CMC jack plate Hydraulic and a 150 fast strike Model J150GLERA about a year and a half ago. Have done minor maintenance over the past year new Vro, plugs a few times, fuel water separator, decarb. The boat has a Raker 24 14 1/2 my gps top speed was around 58 59 mph with me and a co-angler at about 5300 to 5400 rpms. Jack plate set slightly up and trim to rpm/ speed. Boat always was a bit rough off idle but ran like a champ. Move forward to this year and 2nd outing out I hit some rocks and had a new lower installed and prop redone. Went through break in and now am searching for my old performance. For some reason the boat can only do about 53 at best, but mostly 50, more alarming is the difficulty I have getting RPMs above 5000. I actually over trim to get rpms and lose speed. I am constantly searching for performance with JP and Trim.

I know my initial thoughts were prop/lower unit. The Lower is a SEI unit and I am just coming off break in. It is supposed to be same G-ratio as factory. I will verify. The problem is if the prop was say less pitch my RPMS would be like 5700 to 6 with a lower top speed or the opposite lower rpms with a respectable top (guessing). Maybe the repair was so bad on the prop that it just sucks.

That brings me to the motor. The motor doesn't have that rpm jump it used to. I checked compression last night while engine was warm and it was like 80-85psi but I forgot to open throttle wide open so I think it is more. The important thing is they were all within 3 psi or so. Actually all were the same except one that was about 3 or so less.

Any suggestions where to start? i checked 4 of the 6 high speed orifices (other 2 could access) they seemed tight. Motor is definitely very rough off idle to about 2000 rpms. I am going to take a closer look tonight. I do think I am missing the clear wrap on the carb roller. I noticed that last night. Pretty sure that's been like that since I got the boat. Quick start works, primer seems to work, idles out of gear around 800. I have a factory manual/aftermarket easy timer .

Could I be misfiring or running on 4 or 5 and not know it? I would think the motor would be very rough throughout its range. I assume the mechanic put lower unit on correct and exhaust baffle is in place. Any suggestions on where i should start would be great. I cant stand it when something just isn't right.


Frustrated,

Mike from Upstate NY

[316jughead]

Model number? Early 1994 150 Faststrike had fixed idle orifices, later models had adjustable idle orifices. If you have the JohnnyRude Easy Timer, I made it. I've made close to 500 of them, and shipped them all over the world. smile:

[Mike482Ranger]

J150GLERA. How do I tell late from early. Psyched boat came with easy timer and the maker is available for tech support. Lol.

[shovelhead98]

Had similar symptoms on my 1996 fastrike. I had warped and cracked carb bowls. Replaced all 6 and got back all my top end

[316jughead]

J150GLERA. How do I tell late from early. Psyched boat came with easy timer and the maker is available for tech support. Lol.

I had to look it up. The A on the end of the model number is a suffix number, in shows that you have the early 1994 model, with fixed idle orifices.

[Mike482Ranger]

Interetsing shovelhead98, Just no balls at hi rpm? I am having propped checked. My bowls are damp around edges but no obvious gas spraying out with primer. I did find a crack on the housing for the primer lever. Ordered part. I will start refreshing and replacing carbs and bowls.

[ChampioNman]

If the gaskets are black between the carb bodies and the floats, time to get new carb kits and float bowls. Remember to move the high speed orifices from the old carb bowls to the new carb bowls. Don't use the white nylon washer under the float needle seat it isn't used on your carbs.

[Mike482Ranger]

Ok the gaskets are orange. They are oily damp on the outside is that leakage or just saturated gaskets?

[shovelhead98]

Interetsing shovelhead98, Just no balls at hi rpm? I am having propped checked. My bowls are damp around edges but no obvious gas spraying out with primer. I did find a crack on the housing for the primer lever. Ordered part. I will start refreshing and replacing carbs and bowls.

Yes boat would not get over 4500 rpms.

[ChampioNman]

Leakage the outside of the gaskets should be dry. Look at the right side carb bowls and see if you can see any seepage out of the BB at the bottom of the bowl.

[316jughead]

Gaskets won't suck up the fuel. Don't over tighten the bowl screws. Rebuild the VST tank, check the top to see if it's warped, install new needle and seat and float, also install a new VST pump diaphragm. May as well fix it right. After installing the new sleeve on the carb roller, do a sync and link. Make sure that all carbs are completely closed at idle. Did you get the instructions with the Easy Timer? If not I can send them to you, don't follow the OMC instructions on using the OMC analyzer, follow the Easy Timer instruction, last paragraph on page one.

[Mike482Ranger]

I do have your directions. What is the VST tank?

Mike

[Mike482Ranger]

never mind I found it. I will do all of the above listed tasks.

Mike

[Mike482Ranger]

Hi guys,

So I replaced the cracked primer valve housing and gasket. Did a link and sync. The JohnnyRude Easy Timer is the bomb. I think I did it right and will test tonight. I did find that the retainings screw for the timing tabs was missing. Perhaps my timing was off and I found my smoking gun! Keep you posted.

Mike

[KandKKustomz]

[Mike482Ranger]

Championman or Jughead. I noticed that I can only adjust idle timing to 6 degrees. No more clicks for 4. Could the idle timing apparatus be installed slightly off? Maybe remove and turn slightly? Mike

[316jughead]

Mike, what I would do is start over, follow the Easy Timer instructions, not the OMC instructions and don't try to merge the two. Set TDC, move the tabs to the center and follow the instructions, pay close attention to the last paragraph on the front page of the Timer instructions. Your idle timing tab should only be one or two detents off center at 6 degrees ATDC. Make sure that the timing arm is touching the return stop when setting the idle timing. Let us know how it goes.

[Mike482Ranger]

Thanks Jughead. I will try again when I get home. I have 1 full page of directions and a page that describes the optical gaps. Got the easy timer from previous owner. Just to verify, I am watching for the point the red light turns on. I know your probably exhausted talking about this. I def have TDC right. I am guilty of the tabs all the way forward before setting idle. I am curious what difference the tab starting position makes on timing setting. wouldn't I end up at the same place or do the two work together to move all timing gaps? Ill get to as soon as I am home.

Mike

[316jughead]

When I say don't try to merge the OMC way and the Easy Timer way, that is exactly what you have done. The timing is set on the trailing edge of the encoder slot in both ways, OMC is when the red light turns off, my way is when the red light turns on. One of the reasons I do it my way is because why move the tabs if your checking the timing, much easier to just adjust the tab a click if needed, then rotate the motor around again to double check the timing. Also the OMC way sometimes will cause problems getting the timing set, there is some back and forward movement of the crankshaft, my way eliminates that movement by rotating the motor to set the timing.

[Mike482Ranger]

Got it. After I realized my tdc stop had some play in it. I teflon taped the inner threads and got a better tdc. After that the idle point looks way better. High speed I defaulted to light just turned on vs off. It's right on the top of a notch so I cant get it perfect. I'm thinking I should do the opposite. Either way I'm prob within a degree. Thank you. Now I can keep chasing my lost power

Mike