Mercruiser carb autochoke question, with pictures

[Dave the Scot]

I'm totally new to boats, and it's been a while since I worked on a car with a carb, so can anyone tell me what's wrong with this picture?

Boat takes a while to start, but I got an assistant to turn the key while I rotated what I presume to be the choke by hand, and it started right up.

As you can see there's a bit of twisted wire trying do something, but it's a bodge that doesn't appear to be working.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Dave.

 

[gm280]

Dave the Scot, that is really hard to say because those wires seem to be very small gauge wires and not the usual gauge for an electric choke system. If you could remove the air cleaner and snap a few more pictures from different angles to allow us to actually see what you are seeing, then we could possible make more sense from that area. JMHO!

 

[ziggy]

don't know if this pic will help or not. my 165 is an L6, i think yers is the 4 cyl. mercrusier version. not sure if it used the same carb i got. but anyways.

i'm gonna guess the wire tie you have is to keep the linkage in the cam and the cam in the right position. the cam down by where the wire is. i had a carb on mine that that cam would flip over to the wrong side. (something wore out about it) my answer was a different carb.

 

[Grub54891]

Probably needs a new e-clip. That wire should not be there.

 

[Dave the Scot]

Thanks guys. I should have clarified it's not an electric choke, and the wire I was reffering to was just tying something together.

So, I think Ziggy is correct, and it's probably used to prevent the cam from going the wrong way. Presumable a new clip will cure this.

However, I doubt that is what is causing the autochoke from coming on?

My brain hurts until I understand the system :-(

 

[Dave the Scot]

Hold on a sec....

I didn't get a manual, and have never had a boat. Am I just starting it wrong?

Is there something I'm supposed to do with the throttle lever?

 

[Watermann]

Most of those non elec chokes are engaged when the throttle is opened up. For one non elec choke I had, you needed to run throttle all the way forward, bring back and then slightly advanced the throttle before starting.

Remember on those cold mornings with your old carb'd motor, first thing was to stamp the gas peddle to the floor, let off and hit the key while feathering the peddle as it roared to life? The extra fuel and kicking the choke plate closed combination is the key.

With some of the linkage cobbled up on your carb that may or may not work though. It's worth a try!

 

[Dave the Scot]

Thanks Waterman

 

[nola mike]

Your choke should be electric. It gets set when you pump the throttle. 12v to the coil on the choke opens it. Take off the air cleaner so you can see what's actually going on when you try to start it. Can't see what that wire is doing. Almost looks like it's keeping the linkage from moving?

 

[ziggy]

if ya get rid of the aftermarket wire cluster maybe ya can find out why somebody felt like that was the thing to do. perhaps leading ya to the real problem....

 

[biggjimm]

It looks like the wire is being used to hold the choke rod fastened to the fast idle cam instead of the little hair pin type clip that its probably supposed to have & I'd say that glob of wire is probably not letting the choke close correctly. You'll probably have to use the warm up lever or otherwise work the throttle partially to allow the choke to close as the idle adjustment screw rides against the fast idle cam & will prevent the choke from closing until the throttle is at least moved a tad bit & you may have to work the throttle a couple times to get enough fuel pumped in the cylinders to fire it up when it's cold. They're all different & you'll just have to play around with it to find the start up procedure that your particular engine likes. Good luck. Jim