1996 Merc/Mariner not starting...need HELP!!!

Hey guys my Mariner is normally hard to start when it has been sitting around for a few days, usually one squeeze of the bulb and a couple of long chokes and she will start, yesterday nothing worked could not get it started. I let it sit for 30 with the throtle open thinking that I had drowned her and again no luck starting......Let her sit for another 45 minutes and finally after a couple of squeezes of the bulb and three long starts with the choke she finally turned over and started. All the time that she wouldn't start she sounded like she had no gas (You know that sound that an engine makes when you're out of gas). If anyone can give me some ideas or have had this problem before, please shoot me a response.

Thank you all so much,

Peter

Re: 1996 Merc/Mariner not starting...need HELP!!!

It is a good idea to first check for adequate spark and compression before troubleshooting the fuel system, if for no other reason than to definitively eliminate them as possible causes before spending a lot of time trobleshooting the fuel system. Plus confirming you have adequate spark and compression is relatively easier and quicker to do.

After you have eliminated compression and spark, there a many different things you can do to solve a fuel system related problem. More than I can readily list. You will find a lot of suggestions by doing a search on this forum.

To get you started,
- Make sure the choke (enrichener valve) is working OK
- Squeeze the fuel bulb while cranking the motor to see if it starts better.
- Spray 50:1 fuelil mix into the carb throat to see if it starts better.
- Adjust the idle jets to link and sync spec (so many turns out)
- Clean the carbs