Got a 1996 Johnson Ocean Runner 115 w/ the VRO pump disconnected. When you trim the motor all the way up and put the trim lock on, fuel runs out of the carbs. Usually runs out from beneath the motor cover on the back of the motor and from around the cowling when you trim it back down. Makes a mess in the back of the boat. Any one know how to correct this issue? Motor won’t idle sometimes after it is hot either, not sure if the two problems are related?
Sounds like your floats/needles are not cutting off the fuel flow. Once the carbs are tilted forward, the fuel finds a way to run out of the carb. Needs carb work, and will probably correct the idle problem at the same time.
Have had the same issue on a 115 Merc with VRO for years now. I put a small soapy sponge with a zip tie on it inside the cowling under the carbs where it drips out and change it out a bit, without it it drips a little into the well area when I tip it all the way up. Have figured it’s what SaltHunter mentioned as well more then likely, carbs need rebuilding.
Russ B.
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
If I tilt my cereal bowl too far it spills milk in my lap. Seriously, this “problem” has plagued carburetors since the first one was built. The bowl on a typical carb is similar to the cereal bowl except that it has a float and a needle with a seat to regulate the incoming flow of fuel. If you tilt it far enough the float becomes ineffective, but at this point it’s not the float that stops the flow of fuel since the engine’s not running and the fuel pump is not trying to force more fuel into the carb. The reason fuel spills is gravity. That’s not to say for sure that yours do not need service, but I’ve seen enough spill when tilted I wouldn’t definitely say they need service either.
In the boating industry for over thirty years.
An ‘easy’ solution is to disconnect your fuel line and run out the gas after each trip, which is not a bad general practice anyway.