Having issues starting for the first time

[zippy83]

Hello All, I have a small problem. When I am starting my outboard (1974 50hp mercury) for the very first time if I mess up by not doing it properly it wont start for a while. So for example today after 3 weeks I took it out fishing. Once on the water I pumped up the fuel lifted the throttle lever about 3/4 pushed in the key and turned it... The outboard seems it would start but it doesn't. I think the reason is that the throttle lever wasnt all the way up... But the bigger question is why cant I start the outboard afterwards? Eventually it will start after some cranking attempts. Once started a d turned off it will start back up without any issues. Any ideas? Thanks Zipp

 

[roscoe]

engine may be flooding, causing it not to start.
Will not start until excess fuel dissipates from the crankcase.

 

[zippy83]

So Me trying to feed it more fuel is not helping eater then? How does the engine get flooded? By adding more fuel then I should?

 

[ihearth2o]

I'm thinking flooding too. might just be overpriming the fuel at cold starts. Could also be a sticky carb float.

 

[Chris1956]

It is doubtful that you are flooding that motor. More likely you are not choking it enough. Pump the primer bulb hard and force a bit of fuel into the motor, after that. Cold start all the way up. Hold the choke button while cranking, until she fires and starts. After she is running, lower the cold start if the RPMs exceed 2000, and feather the choke.

One more thing....choking efficiency is directly related to cranking speed. I would recommend you clean the battery cables and make sure the battery is spinning the motor as fast as possible.

 

[richg99]

Try starting without lifting the lever, or, with only lifting it only a bit.

If I am running the boat often, no lever is necessary.

some key setups have a "push to choke "(add gas) arrangement. If you are pushing the key in, AND lifting the lever, flooding (too much gas) is very possible. Sometimes ....less is best...

 

[ihearth2o]

It is doubtful that you are flooding that motor. More likely you are not choking it enough. Pump the primer bulb hard and force a bit of fuel into the motor, after that. Cold start all the way up. Hold the choke button while cranking, until she fires and starts. After she is running, lower the cold start if the RPMs exceed 2000, and feather the choke.

One more thing....choking efficiency is directly related to cranking speed. I would recommend you clean the battery cables and make sure the battery is spinning the motor as fast as possible.

Not saying this is wrong but how would this explain having to wait a while after initial attempt to start?

 

[inthedirtagain]

An overly rich condition is created when using the choke button. An engine needs to have a certain amount of air mixed with the fuel in order to fire up. When everything is warmed up, restarts are usually quick and simple because less fuel is required. However, a cold engine requires more fuel. If it gets too much, you have to crank and crank to introduce enough air back into the system. This is true for 2-stroke or 4-stroke carb'd engines. If you're old enough to remember carb'd engines in your car, you'd know that a flooded engine needs to have the throttle kept to the floor in order to clear out all the fuel and introduce enough air. This is most certainly true of my 1966 Mustang with the original 289/2bbl combo.

 

[Chris1956]

Old inline Mercs are very difficult to flood when they are cold, unlike auto engines. In addition, the driver had no control of the choke in the Mustang described, whereas the driver has complete control of the choke on that Merc Outboard.

Choke the crap out of that motor, and she will cold start easiest.

 

[Mi duckdown]

those old motors need lots of choking

 

[zippy83]

Ok so help me understand.. A cold engine is an engine that hasn't been running in a day or two. When it comes to chocking the engine I never understood that completely. When I slide my key into the ignition and push it in I can hear One click comming from the outboard. With the key pushed in I turn the key and start the engine? Is that the right way of doing it? Or should I turn the key to start the engine and then push it in while its starting? And I am assuming the throttle lever should be half way to fully lifted? Thanks zipp

 

[zippy83]

Ok so I fired it up today. It has been sitting in the garage since saturday. This time I decided to just turn it on without pushing the key in or lifting the throttle lever.. It fired right up no issues. Now I am confused on why it fired up without being choked?

 

[Chris1956]

What you described is very unusual, for a Merc. They almost never start without advancing the throttle and choking the daylights out of them.

Play the lottery!

 

[zippy83]

Yea I am now confused on how to go about starting going forward...

 

[Chris1956]

OK, read my 1st post. That is the correct cold starting procedure.