How to Clean the Carburetor on a Johnson Ocean Pro 90

Even a carburetor enjoys a dip every so often.

When the problems with a Johnson Ocean Pro 90-horsepower outboard trace back to the carburetor, the cause is often dirt. No matter what you call it -- dirt, debris, garbage -- it blocks the passageways the fuel or fuel-and-air-mixture flows through. When you need to clean the carburetor on your Ocean Pro 90, the gaskets, valves and other replacement parts you need are found in a single kit. After that, the process is one of inspection followed by a quick dip.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4-inch socket
• Ratchet
• Clean work surface
• Carburetor replacement kit
• Screen-type dip tray
• Carburetor cleaner
• Compressor
• Syringe
• Rubbing alcohol
• Torque driver
• 5/16-inch box-end wrench
• Propeller wrench

Instructions

1. Remove the four 1/4-inch bolts that hold the carburetor in place using the appropriate socket and ratchet. Lift the main jet from the carburetor. Remove the screws holding the cover of the carburetor bowl in place. Remove the bowl cover, turn the carburetor over and remove the float. Remove the gaskets from the base of the carburetor and the bowl rim.

2. Spread the parts on a clean workbench as you remove them. Compare them to the parts from the replacement kit. Place the all-metal parts in a screen-type dip tray. Dip them in carburetor cleaner until they appear clean. Blow dry them in low-pressure compressed air.

3. Blow low-pressure compressed air through all of the passages of the carburetor. As you do so, inspect the gasket-mating surfaces for cracks or burrs. Move the throttle shaft to check its action.

4. Look at the float. If it's damaged, replace it. Ensure the float spring isn't stretched. If there's a groove in the float arm needle contact surface, replace it. Replace any adjusting needles that have groove in their tapers.

5. Fill a syringe with rubbing alcohol. Squirt it through all bores and passages before you reassemble the carburetor. Reinstall the main jet and install the needle valve seat and a new gasket. Place the float in the bowl and install the hinge pin.

6. Turn the carburetor upright. Install the float chamber cover and tighten the bolts to 30 inch-pounds, plus or minus 5 inch-pounds, with a torque driver. Bolt the newly cleaned carburetor in place, tightening the bolts to 20 inch-pounds.

Tips & Warnings

• The fuel inlet needle and seat are a matched set. Replace them, but don't replace one without replacing the other.

• Disconnect the negative cable of your battery before performing any maintenance work on your outboard to prevent accidental starting. Remove the nut from the negative post with a 5/16-inch box-end wrench. Lift the cable from your battery, move it outside of the battery box and close the lid of the battery box. After the work is complete, reconnect the negative battery cable.

• Whether you work on your outboard motor on the boat or on a storage stand, remove the propeller nut with a propeller wrench. Slide the thrust hub, propeller and washers from the propeller shaft. Failure to remove a propeller before operating an outboard out of the water during maintenance or long-term storage is an invitation to a propeller-strike injury, which can maim or kill.

References

• Johnson Repair Manual -- 2.5- to 250-HorsepowerModels, 2002-2007; Seloc Marine