Marine: Boating, Sailing, PWC, GPS and Navigation - 67 johnson v-4 60hp

Ok I'm new to boats. I have a 1967 johnson 60hp v-4 electric model # vxl13a. Here's the problem... It starts ok, runs under no load good but in gear in the water it dies out just above idle. I don't have a manual so this is why I am asking here. I was hoping someone could help me get back on the water before I have to go back to work on tuesday. As I have been reading on some different forums I believe it has something to do with the timing and the sync of the carb. Any other ideas?

You said it runs under no load,

You mean you hook up water to the impleller and run it, in gear,

but as soon as you put it in the water it dies ?

The water pump working right ?

it has good compression yet ?

Is the choke kicking off or is this manual choke ?

IS that eletric shift ?

If it's starting and running normal, just not in gear, I do not see this as a tming issue.

It could be a carb issue,

What is it idling at before you put into gear ?

High idle, when it first starts should be around 1100, as high as 1500, but low idle should be around 650.

You usually engage the gears in, at low idle.

sporty

Manual choke off, running only in the lake,{I don't have a water hose hook up}, sounds as if it is running great in neutral, it will rev up and spit water great. Put it in gear and it seems like a completely different motor. It won't rev over 1000 rpm according to the boat tach, and then it just dies after about 30 sec. to a minute. I got it away from my launch about 500 feet and got it back by shifting it in to neutral then shifting it back to forward.

thanks for the added info,

How old are the plugs ? and hows the oil to fuel mixture ?


3 things i would try - new plugs, new gas and oil mix, check the fuel pump, see if it is bad , dirty or of the the squeeze pump is staying hard after pumping up. that the lines are tight and gas cap tight, no air leaks.

After that and you still have the problem - then id be looking at the carbs, taking apart and cleaning them.

Hows the oil for the lower unit ? full ?

I dont want to asume you dont know about boats. So if this is dump, i'm sorry.

Make sure you fill the oil from the lower screw and take off the top lower unit oil screw, it is full when the oil comes out that whole.

There are 2 kinds of lower unit oil, make sure the right oil was or is being used.

Cuz another thing to look at - if none of the above work, is the gear seals might have gone bad and is drilly putting some drag on the engine when you try and engage the gear.

Btw, dont ever run the motor with out water going thru it more than 15 seconds, the rubber melts so fast on them to quickly.

It should also be doing more than spitting out, should have a good stream coming out. So the empeller may be a little weak. 2 maybe 3 years is what I normally see for one to last.

But id try the things i mentioned first

Thank you so much, I will. I really don't know about boats but I can work on things if I have an idea. the worst that could happen is I take a box of parts to a mechanic. Ha Ha.

I will try what you said then buy a manual tomorrow. Thanks again.