Hard starting Johnson 225

[Paul Horton]

I have a Parker 25 with a 1996 Johnson Oceanrunner 225 that runs really well after the engine is fully warmed up. It runs at 5300 rpm at almost 30 miles per hour. My problem is that it is difficult to start and extremely hard to start when the weather is cold. The plugs have been changes and it was tuned up in the summer. When starting, I pump the fuel bulb til hard and hold in the key for 8-10 seconds before turning on the ignition. Can anyone provide some problem soving ideas that I may try to fix the problem.
Thanks,
Paul

 

[Brent]

I dont know just m2cw
Have you checked the compression? Has the carbs been rebuilt? Does use starting fluid help it start faster?

 

[Bryan 2530]

Do you push the key in to engage the choke?

 

[POGE]

I had a nieghbor at my dock this summer with 2 of these motors. Always hard to start for him, everything seemed to be right, but just no start. I noticed his bildge running too. I had him shut down all electronics and that running bildge. Started just fine and proceeding trips too. They do start ruff and like to warm up. OK so long story short check to see if getting enough juice from batteries to really crank them over. Didn't to seem to make sense, but it did the trick?????? I assume fuel is in good shape with appropriate additives to aid in starting.

 

[DaleH]

Check to make sure you turn key to ON before you push in to manually prime the OB. Also, your motor may be a tad rich, so try counting to 4 or 6 only. And also try re-pumping up the primer bulb after you do the count and before turning key further to CRANK. That puppy should start easier that that for sure! Maybe '96s don't have QuickStart enabled, but I bet I could get her to fire within 2-3 cranks. Also make sure to advance the throttle in neutral if not a QuickStart OB.

 

[Brent]

bump up and hoping for an update

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

[Cork]

My 1996 has the Quick start. I only need it when it gets below 60 ish. Like Dale says, turn key on, push in for a three count, turn to start and she fires right up. Idle backs down once she warms up. Colder it is out the longer I count. Started it in the 40's a few weeks back.
Let us know how things work out.

 

[mildew2]

Have a friend with the same exact engine.. He has fought hard cold starts for the 3 years he has owned it. We noticed that when it did start it smoked alot. His mechanic told us these engines were notorious for pumping excess oil on startup. So we tried bypassing the oil pump and premixing his fuel. His engine now starts quickly and he has not had any of the hard start problems since. He now premixes every tank.

 

[DaleH]

Have a friend with the same exact engine.. He has fought hard cold starts for the 3 years he has owned it. We noticed that when it did start it smoked alot. His mechanic told us these engines were notorious for pumping excess oil on startup. So we tried bypassing the oil pump and premixing his fuel. His engine now starts quickly and he has not had any of the hard start problems since. He now premixes every tank.

That's not right. The OMS pump operates only as the crankcase revolves, pumping the same amount in proportion to the RPMs driven. SO theoretically, it is IMPOSSIBLE to do as you say. That said, remember this is a 2-stroke, so it is the fuel mix LEFT in the motor from the previous use, where the gas evaporates, leaving the oil film behind ... that causes the "infamous blue cloud of smoke" upon startup. IMHO that mechanic merely solved a symptom, but never really fixed the hard starting issue, but masking it instead.

 

[jimbobsomd]

i hear this about the omc large horsepower engines all the time, and frankly, it urks me a little. have never had starting problems with any omc's. i have owned a johnson 150 from the 80's, a 175hp from the early 90's, and last owned this 1995 225hp oceanrunner that i sold to my best friend last year. it has never had any starting problems, has over 2000hrs. on it, and short of thermostats, spark plugs, water pumps, and the like, it has been great and continues to launch a 24ft. privateer on plane whenever called upon. starts winter or summer in less than 3 sec. as it has since new. has never had the carbs rebuilt, the main reason for the longevity is the fact that omc changed the oil/gas ratio that year in the vro to make it richer, hence the smoke. but i will say you more than likely have vro issues, electrical or mechanical which is an easy fix. find a good old omc mechanic, he will know what the problem is and how to deal with it.

 

[mildew2]

Well Dale I quess the impossible every once in a while becomes the Possible.. because we no longer have hard starts at all and the engine runs better cold than it ever did...and by the way our mechanic has been a certified Johnson Evenrude and Mercury mechanic for many years.