Re: 1962 18hp Johnson Only Runs With Choke.

[David Stanton]

I’d look into the carb again. I suspect the low speed idle passage from the bottom of the bowl, up the side of the carb, or a clog from the low speed needle adjustment to the top of the carb throat is clogged. May also have a hardened clog at the bottom of the carb bowl where the high speed venture picks up gas. If the clog is just in the idle circuit it will run OK if you can get it going fast. Get a spray can of carb cleaner with the small tube and spray well through all passages. I sprayed for about a minute through the idle passage on the side of the carb bowl on my ’59 35 Evinrude until hard clog pieces started coming out, even though cleaner was coming through – then it ran without the choke. I too had to go into the carb a second time to cure this.
Dave