Ive searched for this to no avail. I have an 18 ft v hull with a 79 merc 80 horse motor. I bought it without verifying that it ran. I tore down the carbs and cleaned them. I did a compression check ( cold) and had readings in the 120's with about a 12% difference from best to worst cylinder. I replaced the one vaccuum line that I saw had some cracks. New plugs, new gas. I had a terrible time getting the thing to even idle without dying below 1k rpms, but I think Ive managed to get to that point. I could not under any circumstances get it into gear without it dying every time. Started out with the idle mix screws at 1 turn out. Played with about every possible combo in 1/8th increments, still would never go into gear without dying. I finally decided to see if i could manipulate the spark advance and throttle levers by hand as well as the throttle lever on the control, all at the same time.( I had the control box unbolted and had it in my lap while sitting beside the motor. Doing this I was able to get it into gear . Once I had it in gear and basically idling along, I could run it from the control only. Once It was in gear I attempted to re adjust the idle mixture screws by turning them counterclockwise waiting for it to stumble. It wouldnt do it and I had them backed out several turns. I finally screwed them in clockwise till it would stumble, then backed them out a half turn. I know this isnt proper procedure, but proper procedure didnt seem to do what it was supposed to. I took it out on the lake and opened it up and it ran quite well in my opinion.
So My problem is getting it in and out of gear without having to manipulate levers in just the right order. It seems that the lower cable puts the boat in gear , but the upper one does not move the throttle lever until you have the throttle lever moved way forward. it seemed that when I was doing it by hand, Id put it in gear with the control and at the same time advance the spark and throttle levers almost in unison to get it into gear without dying. Operating it from the control lever obviously does not do this. Is this a cable adjustment issue? I dont understand how the levers are all supposed to work together anyway, so Im having trouble figuring out how its supposed to be. Im not having to rev it way out to get it in gear. Im assuming im getting it into gear at about 800. Im thinking the stalling isnt a carb issue , but a control cable issue, but i could be wrong. Any advice from some of you experts? this is getting very frustrating. Thanks much
So My problem is getting it in and out of gear without having to manipulate levers in just the right order. It seems that the lower cable puts the boat in gear , but the upper one does not move the throttle lever until you have the throttle lever moved way forward. it seemed that when I was doing it by hand, Id put it in gear with the control and at the same time advance the spark and throttle levers almost in unison to get it into gear without dying. Operating it from the control lever obviously does not do this. Is this a cable adjustment issue? I dont understand how the levers are all supposed to work together anyway, so Im having trouble figuring out how its supposed to be. Im not having to rev it way out to get it in gear. Im assuming im getting it into gear at about 800. Im thinking the stalling isnt a carb issue , but a control cable issue, but i could be wrong. Any advice from some of you experts? this is getting very frustrating. Thanks much