1988 mercury 100 outboard

[COACHoWILSON]

I have a 1988 Sea Ray Seville with a Mercury 100 hp outboard engine. It ran last year. This year I have been unable to get it to run. From the people I have talked to that know more than me, they have said the engine is not getting gas. We have replaced the fuel pump, rebuilt the carbs, changed the plugs, and pumped out all the old gas mix and put in new. I realize that all of these things are not fuel related, but this is what we have done so far. The plugs get fire. We noticed last night that the fuel filter wasn't filling up with fuel. The primer bulb does get hard when priming the engine. I know this is kind of all over the place, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to get opinions on here. Thanks.

 

[hotrod53]

Re: 1988 mercury 100 outboard

Is it possible that you let it sit with fuel in the bowls and the needle valves are now stuck shut? I have had this happen to my 50 hp Merc about 4 times. It can happen as quickly as a day or so because of the ethanol in the fuel will swell the rubber tips on the needles. If you pumped the bulb and it got hard, you could then remove the bowl drain in the top carb and see if it has and fuel in it. If the needle is stuck closed, the ball will get hard and the bowl will be empty other than whatever drippage made it around the needle.. that's where I'd start.

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1988 mercury 100 outboard

Take a little fuel mixture (gas and oil) and put it into a squirt can, squirt it into the carb throats and see if it will start.

 

[COACHoWILSON]

Re: 1988 mercury 100 outboard

We rebuilt the carbs so if it was doing that it should not be doing that any longer. I haven't tried squirting the mix into the carbs, but I will. It has started a couple of times, very very randomly, but it always chokes out. Is there anything that could be clogged up from the gas tank to where the fuel line connects to the outboard? Possibly something that wouldn't allow enough fuel to go to the engine for it to start?

 

[hotrod53]

Re: 1988 mercury 100 outboard

Ethanol in the fuel will eat up the rubber lines, maybe your fuel lines are restricted? I assume you do have any vents on the tank open, right?