Merc 20 hp 2 stroke issues

[Ugafan]

I have read other posts with similar issues, but a little different. I will try to keep it short. Bought a carolina skiff with 1998 mercury 20 hp. Really hard to crank. Choke mechanism seems to work but won't help crank. Pull to prime knob doesn't seem to change idle speed at all. Have to use starting fluid to crank. Once cranked, will idle at times for long periods of time. If i throttle up slowly it stalls. Have to go quickly and then usually will sound good and rev up. But then when you go full throttle dies. Won't go more than 5-10 seconds at full throttle.
what I've done- new fuel and oil with seafoam added. New primer bulb. New spark plugs. New fuel filter.
Taken carb off and cleaned, but not sure how good.
I have verified fuel is good to fuel filter and primer bulb is full of fuel when engine dies. Carb bowl also full of fuel.
Does this still sound like clogged carb? Thanks in advance

 

[zippy83]

Check the fuel hoses inside the outboard. I have had similar issue and it turned out one of the hoses that leads to the carb was leaking all over place. Once replaced my 47 year old Merc has been on fire

 

[Ugafan]

Will do thanks. And will report back.

 

[Ugafan]

Took the cover off and observed. Cranks and runs. Idle speed starts out high then slows then eventually engine dies. No fuel leaking observed anywhere including at the outboard and fuel filter hoses to carb. Once engine dies tough to get to crank again. But once cranked will idle for a while again. But eventually dies and definitely will die as soon as given full throttle.

 

[Ugafan]

Today cleaned carb again. Haven't gotten it back on to try out, had to go back to work but have a question. If I disco the fuel line from output of fuel filter that is input to carb, and squeeze the primer bulb, nothing happens. I would expect that with every squeeze of bulb, gas should squirt out. Is it normal for no gas to squirt out?

 

[flyingscott]

Hopefully you bought the gasket kit with the primer and fuel pump assembly. Pull the filter out of the assembly and make sure.it.is.clean. Is the arrow on the prime ball facing the motor?

 

[Ugafan]

My motor doesn't have a fuel pump. Are you talking about the pump assembly on the carb? If so no I didn't replace it. Just thoroughly cleaned it. But it doesn't seem to be squirting gas into the carb. Do you think that is my issue?

 

[217andy]

You should be getting full flow of gas from the line disconnected from the carburetor while squeezing the primer bulb. I would suspect a bad check valve in the fuel connector on the motor or then you have a collapsed fuel line or clogged screen. There should also be a seperate filter between the fuel connector and the carb. (I think)

Also, as flyingscott said, check the arrow on your primer bulb.