1997 90hp Mercury quick start then stall

[will1118]

I have already been out 5 times this year with no problems. Slowly putted around the lake on saturday for 10 minutes, after turning the engine off for about 20 minutes, it would start for about 3 seconds and die. Sounds like it was not getting enough fuel. There was more than normal amount of gas in the water and there was a small release of water/gas(?) about 20 minutes after trying to start it, unsuccessfully.

I did try to choke again, probably didn't need to. (push key in while turning to start).
Not sure if I flooded the carburetor?
Also found two "water plugs" loose in the bottom of the engine compartment. A local marine mechanic quickly called them water plugs, but i have been unssuccesful to find them online. Not even sure if they are related. Two, 2 inch black rubber tubes with plastic ball inside them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have yet to get the time to open her up, but hopefully someone can steer me in the right direction before i start cleaning carbs and following fuel lines for problems.

 

[CharlieB]

Couple of questions. Have you pulled the spark plugs to see how wet they are? Do you have a water separating fuel filter?

Flooding and fuel fouling spark plugs is a possibility. Same with getting a small amount of water into the carbs. A 'bead' of water has a lot more surface tension than gas and can suck up against a fuel jet and stop, preventing any fuel getting through. A motor can fire then sputter and die. One simple test is to use a small cup or bowl, remove the float bowl drain plug and catch the fuel that drains out. If there is a bead of water you will see it laying on the bottom under the fuel. Installing a water separating fuel filter can prevent a future occurrence. Change the spin-on filter annually.

If the spark plugs are excessively wet, spray them with a good solvent like the WalMart Super Tech Carb Cleaner. It is about the cheapest yet one of the best chemicals around. Let the plugs dry in the sun or blow off with compressed air.

While the plugs are out is a perfect time to do a bit of testing. All 2 strokes should be tested for compression as well as spark on each cyl at least annually. Then again every time there is a running problem as you want to verify the mechanical condition of the motor and the health of the ignition system. There are threads detailing procedure for both. It is actually pretty easy to do and saves a lot of guesswork and prevents spending money on un-needed parts..

 

[will1118]

Thanks for the reply, I did pull the spark plugs, they look good and i do not have a water seperating fuel filter. I want to get one after your explanation though. I managed to get it started later this evening after cleaning carbs and checking plugs. I beleive i flooded it, at least I hope that's the worst thing here. I hope she starts on the lake as easy as the driveway; I'm paranoid after reading so many similar stories online.

Again, thanks for the reply