I wondered if anyone knew the best way to find out the year model on my Johnson 200 HP Venom.  The serial # is G03318113 adn the model # is J200STLFRK.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Never mind guys. I figured out that the model number was J200STLERK instead - I am pretty sure this makes it a 1994 which is what I thought.

Yes the ER would make it a 94.

The second to last two letters correspond to the year listed in the chart below.

1980(CS) 1981(CI) 1982(CN) 1983(CT) 1984(CR) 1985(CO)

1986(CD) 1987(CU) 1988(CC) 1989(CE) 1990(ES) 1991(EI)

1992(EN) 1993(ET) 1994(ER) 1995(EO) 1996(ED) 1997(EU)

1998(EC) 1999(EE) 2000(SS) 2001(SI)

Thanks Jig Man.

Take the #62d main jet out of #2 carb and install a #63d. This will help prolong it's life. #2 carb is the top left looking at it from the carburator end of the motor.

If you happen to come across someone with a good set of 96 or later 225 carbs an intakes, put them on and it will also idle and run much better. The carbs will look very similar but they are nothing alike the way they work and the 92 - 95 carbs are really sensitive to trim angle when you are trying to idle and the intakes on them really suck. The easiest way to tell the 96 and later carbs is they will have a threaded brass instert in the lower right hole in the face of the carb where the air silenced mounts on. Yours will have the hole but not the brass insert. Not only will it idle better, you will also have a 225 motor instread of a 200.

One other thing, don't try to run that motor at WOT without the air silencer on it and don't drill holes in it, you will melt the pistons. Those style air silencers are very restrictive, kinda like running with a choke out at full throttle and if you modify or take it off without increasing the main jets to 72d's, you will melt it down.

Thanks for the info.  I am in need of some carb work.  It has had some trouble idling and running at low rpm's.  WOT is fine, but it will die if you idle for an extended period of time.  Thanks again.

With those carbs, don't trim motor all the way in at idle.  Motors needs to be approx level so the carbs will be level.  You should find it will idle better then.  

Also, pay attention to which way the idle adjustment screws work on those, they are backwards from what you would think.  Going in on the crew, (clockwise) makes them richer and out makes them leaner.   On the newer 96 and later carbs, in is lean, out is rich.  On your carbs you are adjusted the vacuum signal to the carbs not the fuel, that's why they are backwards.  The newer carbs you are adjusting the fuel when you adjust the idle.

If you do adjust the idle misture, do it on the lake, motor good and warm, in gear and level and at approx 600 - 700 rpm.  It's real easy to get them lean, causing the motor to lean spit and dye.  It's also easier to set them all the same number of turns and then adjust each on the same (if you turn one, turn the all the same amount).  Start trying to tweek each one can get touchy unless you've go a lot of experience with them.