Looking for guidance about a 1998 1998 4 stroke EFI JOHNSON (SUZUKI). 70 horse

[yowoodchuck]

My other neighbor on our N. Missouri lake has a 21 ft pontoon boat on a lift.

A year ago, he ran the boat two weekends...put it on the lift and did not come back for 8 months.  The boat was up on the lift all winter.  He has never been careful regarding gas, just throws 10% ethanol 87 octane in the huge tank.

He came back in June, started the motor, did not run it, and shut it down.   two months later, the battery was dead, recharged and then the motor will barely start and immediately stalls out when put in gear.  I went over, hooked up auxiliary gas tank with good gas and a bit of seafoam...it started and I ran it for 2 hours...could not get it past 3500 rpms.  I went back today, hoping to get lucky...it would cough, almost catch the die.  I no nothing about these weird engines...I'm thinking--

Put a known good battery in, change any easy fuel filters, replace plugs, pump out a quart of fuel from the tank and let it sit overnight to see how much water shows up...

Am I on the right track?  What about power packs and the electrical side of this?  I have a hard time doing anything as the stern has only about a 3 inch walkway to stand on.  

Any ideas appreciated.

 

[fishinwrench]

Ah, the very rare J70FLTLECS 

It's likely that you'll spend a fortune....and it will never run right again.   

If by chance you (or someone) figures it out and fixes it, please let me know.  Good Luck 🤞 

[gotmuddy]

you need to take THIS apart and clean it:

 

[gotmuddy]

the high pressure pump on the right is going to be nasty as hell inside. use high powered solvents like acetone and you can get it running like new.

[yowoodchuck]

I was hoping wrench would be chopping at the bit to take it on as a job! I have enough jobs on my plate...pool pump rebuild, on demand water heater repair in our house and then there's the 97 year old mom....all I really want to do is float fish for smallies on spring fed rivers!

I certainly appreciate gotmuddy and his exploded diagram and advice...looks like a 3 day job, if no factory parts are needed.

As time moves forward, I'll bet that staying with 2-stroke engines overall would have caused less pollution if all weird parts replacement, driving, frustration and quicker end of life were factored in.  I used to think wrench was such a curmudgeon,  now I am agreeing with him.

Perhaps I should ignore all calls from the owner of the beast.

Thanks again

[fishinwrench]

If I thought I could diagnose and fix the issue I'd be more than happy to......

But I've been there/done that & wasted too much time on those 4-strokes that I couldn't charge for, because the issue never got properly cured.     

I'm picking my battles from here on out. 👍 

 

There's a good reason why they only did that crap for a year or two. 🙄

[Terrierman]

If it was mine, I would take it to Cody, especially since Glen won't touch it.  Never met Glen but I can tell you Cody is a fine mechanic - on lots of things.

[gotmuddy]

I dont work in the marine sector so I never hear about any of those issues.  Everyone I know that has swapped to 4 stroke has been happy with the swap, including me.  That being said, I only run yamaha's so that may be why I am so biased.

[yowoodchuck]

At this point, I'll be lucky to get my gas money and seafoam money back.  I have to admit that I got a boat with a four stroke on it that runs great and has been very little trouble--but is is run often, with only nonethanol gas, and overwintered in the shop only after being run to a stop with the gas line disconnected, freshwater only, and a Yamaha.  OH, and who is Cody?

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

3 hours ago, yowoodchuck said:

  OH, and who is Cody?

@gotmuddy is Cody.   He lives in Arkansas though.