johnson wont start

[soprano]

Hi im new to this, having problems starting my johnston 50hp 2 stroke,
there is spark but just wont fire, the only way i can get it to fire i hold down th trottle arm, but as soon as i let it go it dies, the moter has been sitting for a year

[kenJ]

The carb is probably gummed up with evaporated fuel. Need to clean/rebuild it. Make sure after the cleaning you use fresh fuel.

[soprano]

thanks kenj, i will pull in apart and clean it and rebuild it

[marshmat]

Sounds like carb/fuel trouble to me, too.
Fuel can't be left sitting in the carb for more than a few months without a stabilizer additive, or else you'll get varnish-like solids precipitating out in the lines. If this happens within the carb or jets, it clogs. Cleaning and rebuilding the carb - completely - sounds like a good start. Change the fuel filter and clean the fuel lines while you're at it or the problem will repeat in a few minutes.

[blared]

Yup clean the carb, change the spark plugs, fuel filter and get new gas. Good Luck ... Let us know.

[Ike]

This is why before you put an engine in storage you should run it until it runs out of gas. That gets all the fuel out of the system.

[blared]

Yes . Ike is right. Before you store the engine pull out the gas line from the outboard and run it till the engine dies that way you empty your carb and fuel lines. Also take out the spark plugs out and spray some thin oil into the cylinders crank it once so the oil gets in the pistons that way your engine won't seize up either. Clean her up put some wax or clean it with oil and it will be good next time you run it.