[BrandonD]

I have a 1985 Mariner 175HP V6. It sat for who knows how long and now I can't get it started unless I pour a bit of gas into a couple of cylinders. Then it seems to start up and run fine. If I let it run for a bit after that (say 10 minutes) then stop it, it will start back up no problem. Maybe just because it still has a bit of gas in the cylinders? But then if it sits for a week I can't get it started again with out doing that trick again.

Any ideas?

I only looked at 2 spark plugs but they were not burnt up at all. Also when I first got it started after it sat for so long it ran for 3 minutes without the fuel pump even being hooked into the engine so there was probably a lot of gas sitting in it for that long. Not sure if that will give any clues as to what is going on.

Thanks

[ddennis]

Hopefully the gas you are pouring in is mixed properly with oil! Read this article on awakening a sleeping outboard.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=158086

Sounds to me at a minimum a fuel pump and carb clean/rebuild.

Then get a factory service manual for the engine. It is worth its weight in gold!

[BrandonD]

Thanks. I'll look @ that link. I do have the book on it, but I can't really figure out why this particular problem is happening.

I was thinking possibly the fuel pump, but when I get it started it will run forever. Idles fine and all of that. So it's getting fuel. And the oil is mixed in automatically. I have a separate oil tank from my gas tank.

Seems like when I crank it I don't get enough gas into the cylinders.

[Faztbullet]

Sounds to me the primer choke is not working or stopped up. Could be bad or key switch bad on push to choke

[BrandonD]

Thanks Faztbullet. I bet that is the problem. I'll see if the manual tells me how I can check that.