1997 Johnson Venom-- first start of the day and idle problem.

[iwillkechu]

If I have not run the engine in the past 12 hours or so, this thing is a bear to start. Without exaggeration, I would guess it takes between 8 and 15 minutes of cranking to get it to start in the morning. It is pretty embarrassing at blast off I might add, and nerve racking that I'm going to run out my battery.

This is my normal routine:
Pump the bulb until it is hard. Trim the motor to level and crank the engine. It turns over for 5-10 seconds with nothing. After about 3 or 4 attempts, I choke it (push key choke) for a second or two and still nothing. This usually goes on for at least 3 or 4 minutes and often 5 minutes or more. I can usually get one good "cough" out of her after about 5 minutes. Then she'll cough again once ever 3 or 4 turns of the key. It is just enough to disengage the starter but not enough to start the engine. That can happen over and over for about 3 or 4 minutes. Then I turn it over again a few times and I can get a very light "purr" for about 2 or 3 seconds, but not a true idle, and dies. After that, I keep turning the key and can usually get her to run quietly for about every 3rd or 4th turn just like before. She progressively runs longer each time. Runs for 5-8 secons and dies. Repeat until it runs for 8-10 seconds. If I can get her running for about 10 seconds, I "feather the throttle" (with the prop disengaged) but she'll die the first time I do this. Usually the second time I feather it up she'll stay running. I hold her at about 1500/2000 RPMs for a minute or so to warm her up and she smokes...and let me tell you about SMOKE!!
After that, she'll start on the first try everytime the rest of the day even if I don't start her for a few hours.

I can get her to fire right away with ether/starting fluid. I've only done this once because I was told that it is horrible for these engines.

I don't know if this helps or not, but she also doesn't like to idle for too long. If I have her at idle (while waiting in line for my turn to blast off) for more than 4 or 5 minutes, she'll cough one good cough and die. She'll start right back up though.
Another quirk... When I pull up to the docks to drop off someone or whatever, as I idle up there at about 1000/1500 RPMs I have to make sure I slowly let off the throttle or she'll die when I put it in neutral. It makes for a scramble as I'm just drifting to the dock and trying to start it again to put it into reverse.

Do I have a carb problem? Someone suggested I may have a diaphram problem or something but I'm not that familiar with the engine to know what that means. Something else?

[Danrude]

To start with push and hold the key in for 5 - 6 seconds then while holding key in crank the engine release when it starts, if it begins to stumble push the key in to choke it until it picks back up, keep doing this until it no longer stumbles.

[ChampioNman]

I'd check the sync n link and also the quick start circuit.

[olericketty]

DOES THE VENOMS HAVE SYNCH AND LINK ADJUSTMENTS ???

[ChampioNman]

They all do.

[Lockjaw]

You aren't going to get it started if you don't choke it. Bottom line. When its cold, you have to choke a 90 degree looper.

Don't give it any throttle either.

[iwillkechu]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ChampioNman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> I'd check the sync n link and also the quick start circuit.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ok, but I have no idea what you are talking about. I don't know what the "sync n link" is so I don't know what to check.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Lockjaw &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You aren't going to get it started if you don't choke it. Bottom line. When its cold, you have to choke a 90 degree looper. Don't give it any throttle either. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I feel like I'm in a foreign country trying to talk with the locals. I don't know what a "90 degree looper" is, so I don't know if I have it. I know what the choke is....and honestly I'm scared that if I choke it too much it will flood.
I was at the house a couple days before I fished that Tx last weekend. I wanted to make sure she would run and all that crap. She wouldn't start. I pulled the plugs to see if I needed new ones and they were actually dripping gas. I don't mean wet, I mean they dripped gas when I pulled them out. So now I scared that I'm flooding her. Could flooding be the reason for all the smoking when she does start?

[ChampioNman]

Then you need a service manual to perform these tasks.

And yes you are choking the thing to death and once it busts off all that fuel that is in the cylinders is causing your motor to smoke like crazy. Take it to a reputable shop in your area and have them give it a good once over. It shouldn't take that long to start. As far as spark plugs go you need QL78YC Champions (stock #938) gapped at .030.

Yes you do have a 90* loop charged motor.

[Lockjaw]

Here is what I found with mine when I had it. I did not pump the bulb up to hard, I basically listened to make sure it was putting some fuel in the float bowls of the carbs. You should be able to hear that when you squeeze the bulb. I always felt that squeezing it to much made mine harder to start.

When I got the boat in the water, I would turn the key to the on position, and push it in and out several times, and then push in and crank. I would crank for about 5 seconds, and let off, and then repeat until it catches. Once it starts, you may have to push the key back in if it stumbles, but not to many times.

They are cold natured engines for some reason, and you have to choke the crap out of them when its cold.

Now one other thing, when it starts and idles on its own, the idle should be higher, like 1100 to 1200 rpms. That is the main thing to be looking for to make sure the quickstart is functioning.

While the idle is up, do not shift into gear, that is not good for your gearcase. Use your troller to get around. I normally leave my engine running on a cold crank in the morning until we blast off, or until it warms up.

What I would encourage you to do is get into a rythym of cranking it, so it becomes second nature to you. Then you know as long as your follow your proceedure, it should crank, and if it doesn't then something isn't right.

Mine was a 97, and it was a great engine. I really liked it, nice and quiet, plenty of power, sounded good, and it was very reliable. Just cold natured.

[iwillkechu]

Just wondering if anyone had anymore info..

[Bassmeister]

Read my ans in your above post.

[165grNosler]

Lockjaw has the right idea. I found out the hard way about priming it too much. I was having simular problems to yours when i first bought mine. Another boater at the dock that actually KNEW what he was doing pointed out that I was hitting that bulb way too hard.

All I do now is give it a few gentle squeezes until the bulb fills, then one more GENTLE squeeze. I crank with it choked, usually hits on first or second crank 95% of the time. No more coughing and sputtering, smoking like a factory, etc. REALLY goes a long way to making the trip more enjoyable!

[iwillkechu]

*** UPDATE ***

IT WORKS! I followed the instructions on here and the thing fired up just fine! I am so happy to have this problem solved.

Thank you BBC!!