Adjusting speed lever on 1960 3 hp johnson

[billy-t]

Hi All

I have asked this likely before, great thing about aging, lol.

I have a couple of 3 hp early 1960 Johnson’s and although they run and idle down fine by sound, they die before you get even close to the slow sign on the halo, between the two dots. Actually they stall out as soon as the throttle advance lever gets left of the s on the word start! I have the cam follower out as far forward to the cam lever as it will go.

So when adjusting slow speed after starting it at about 1.5 turns out from gently seated to get it to idle down lower do you richen it or lean it out, I have tried to lean it out to get it lower but haven’t really had much luck doing that. It likely doesn’t matter for me as I go by the sound of the motor but “family” complain that it stalls before they get to the low setting when they are trolling.

Hope I have half a$$ed explained this so I can get some coaching on the matter.

As always I appreciate anyone who takes time to try and help a mechanically challenged outboard lover.

Bill

[Buccaneer]

I’m not sure if those have a contact on the bottom of the mag plate that grounds out the coil as the mag plate goes
Full Retard on the lever, but that might be something to look at, but also not sure it would be adjustable if it does
have one.

Prepare to be boarded!

[lloyd]

Have you checked compression??? Dying at low speed settings is a common indicator of low compression.

[billy-t]

Compression is good about 82 -85 in both cylinders. That is something I check first before redoing ignition and carb, been burned before lol.

[fleetwin]

Hmmm, perhaps you have the carb sync improperly set. You mention having the cam set out as far is it will go…The engine won’t idle properly if the carb butterfly isn’t closed completely…I can’t remember the specifics for setting up the sync on these engines, but someone will chime in I’m sure…

[Mumbles]

On more than one motor I’ve had to bend the follower outwards to get the link n synch set properly. It seems they got bent inwards somehow sometime in the past. As for idling between the dots, which are synchronizing indicators, I don’t know if any of them do after sixty years but I do have an ugly old TN which idles right down with the speed lever positioned far to the left. I think it’s like the speed indicator band on tiller motors, more of a decoration than a functional part. As long as the motor makes full power and idles slow, so be it.

https://youtu.be/Rxma7GIp8_c

[billw]

As an inspiration for further work, I have two 1960 Evinrude 3s, that do idle consistently with the handle dead on the word “slow.” It IS possible.

Long live American manufacturing!

[billy-t]

Thanks all, it runs and idles and that is really in the end all that matters.

[crosbyman]

see pic

Joining AOMCI has priviledges 🙂

[mike n]

correct me if i am wrong but if the cam is adjusted all the way out,that would retard the timing at idle.i would adjust the cam as per crosby mans instructions. i have several evinrude 3hp’s and the fuel tank bracket has notches to line up the throttle lever. with the slack in the carb linkage taken up,this should be the position where the carb throttle plate just begins to rotate.i never really go by the words on the engine, but more how it runs in general

mn

[Author]

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