[HappyPappy]

I recently purchased an older Starcraft Holiday with a 90hp Mariner. It runs like a top but is hard starting, is this typical for these engines or is there a most likely cause for the hard starting? The person I bought it from said he always pumped the primer bulb alot. That doesn't seem to help. It doesn't seem to fire at all at first, then if I let it set for a few minutes and try again it fires and after 10 or 15 seconds of cranking it starts. I'm looking for suggestions on how to solve this problem so I don't have to go through a ritual everytime I start it.

Thanks
Pappy

[JUSTINTIME]

time to adjust the carbs and timing, called sync and link
my recomendation is get a shop manual
we can tell u on here but it would be a lot easier if u had the manual

also u might need to rebuild the carbs

[HappyPappy]

Thanks, I guess I should buy the shop manual first to see what all is involved in doing a sync and link and what special tools are needed. Do you have any idea what it cost to have this done?

Pappy

[andy6374]

Tell me your starting procedure....

[HappyPappy]

I squeeze the bulb until it's firm then crank it over for 10 seconds or so to see if it will fire, it usually doesn't. Then I crank it over for another 10 sec. pushing in the key (choke) in to see if it will fire it usually won't. Then I wait a couple of minutes before trying it again and it usually tries to fire. I then give it some throttle and keep trying until it starts and throttle back once it does. Keep in mind that I have only started it about 5 times and each time it hadn't been run for a while. Yesterday I started it using muffs for the first time in a couple of weeks and it started hard. Today I did the same thing and just squeezed the bulb until firm and it started up as soon as I choked it. Do you have a better procedure I should try?

Pappy

[andy6374]

After pumping the primer bulb hard, turn the key to the "on" (not start) position and hold in the key in for 4-5 seconds before actually cranking the engine. Now turn it over still with the key in (choke) with the throttle at a medium neutral. It should fire over quickly. You might have to keep it at a medium idle until it warms and/or hit the choke now and then to keep it from stalling.

So basically you need more choke.

[HappyPappy]

Thanks, I'll give that a try next time and see if it works better.

Pappy

[HappyPappy]

Andy, Just wanted to let you know that your tip on holding in the key for 4 to 5 seconds before cranking the engine over really seems to make a difference, it's starting up much better now.
Thanks
Pappy