Kind of looking for general knowledge stuff here. I spent a lot of money over the winter having my 6 HP Johnson (kicker) repaired. It is randomly stalling at low speeds and was starving out at high speeds, although it ran fine at high speeds today. The ball on the fuel line is not staying firm. I have bought two new fuel lines and both seem to be blowing air back into the tank while my old line pumps up fine but does not hold pressure after running. I have removed the fuel pick up and there is not a filter or screen that I see to be clogged. I have also replaced the fuel tank fitting. Any thoughts?
First idea - some engines (including ours) have a small inline fuel filter. Maybe clean or replace that.
Second idea - if your engine idles smoothly for several seconds then suddenly dies, check for a sticking needle. Some people have recommended gentle tapping on the carb body with a screwdriver or wrench while the engine idles to see if that keeps it running. I saw this work once on a poorly maintained Johnson 5 HP.
When starting our 1983 5 HP Suzuki, I always give our inline bulb (aka "ball") a couple of squeezes before pulling the cord, and the engine usually starts by the 3rd pull or sooner. Even for a warm start, I will give the bulb a test squeeze.
If your engine is stalling at idle... your idle is set too low, or the fuel/air mix is too lean, or there's possibly a tiny air leak in the motor's fuel plumbing. Or fuel pump issues.
2-stroke outboards are quirky. I think we've learned the quirks of ours, and it's been quite dependable for going on 4 years.
