Johnson Carburetor Question

In addition to my tinboat, I've got a 1996 stratos with a 96 Johnson 115 (J115ELEDR) on it. This past week at the lake I smelled and saw gas leaking from my engine. When I got home I took off my Cowl and pumped my primer to see if I could see where the fuel was coming from. Right away I saw it coming from a bottom hole in one of my carbs. After researching it thoroughly, I decided to rebuild the carb...replaced the needle, seat, all gaskets. I was thinking that the needle was sticking in the seat. Got that all replaced and had the same problem. Then I was wondering if the float was leaking in gas...even though you couldn't hear gas as you shook it, so I swapped floats with another carb...still same problem.

After that I called a friend who has had extensively worked with carbs and he found that after looking at another carb that the hole the gas was leaking from is actually suppose to have a plug that looks like a brass BB pressed in it. Here's a pic of the carb that was missing the plug:



On the other carb, the plug didn't seem to move at all. I'm just wondering what the purpose of the plug is and why they didn't just seal the hole when they molded it? What purpose does it serve?

I guess I'm just going to replace the bowl on the carb...only like 30 bucks. Though about JB welding it shut but it probably serves some purpose that I haven't figured out yet and I better just get a new one.

Put a short #10 pan head screw in the hole and call it a day....simple as that. Your issue is fairly common and that easy to fix! Those bowls had that passage in there for other purposes including feeding the well that goes up into the main body from there and feeds idle and off idle circuits. Those circuits are covered by the plate on the side of the main body. In order to manufacture that bowl the passageway has to be created and then plugged again at the end. Take a look at any old aluminum carburetors and you will see cast and drilled passages in various locations with lead plugs in them.

Thanks for such a quick reply Pappy. Went out and put the screw in and sure enough it stopped the leak. Went on and fired it up and everything seemed to be working fine now. Thanks once again!