1972 Mercury 65hp won't fire

[Dave120]

This motor has been sitting for about 2 years. We wanted to take it out but can't get it to fire up. It cranks over fine so I checked the plugs and they give plenty of spark. I checked to see if the fuel was getting to the carbs by pulling off the fuel line, pumping the gas, then cranking it over. This engine has two carbs. How much gas should be coming out of one of the two gas lines, it wasn't shooting out as much as when I use the hand pump. Does the gas oil mix lose it's octane after sitting for 2 years? I would think it should still have enough flammability to at least make the engine sputter or something. Any answers to this?

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1972 Mercury 65hp won't fire

Use a squirt can and squirt some fuel in the carbs to see if it will start. If the low speeds are plugged on the carbs those engines won't start

 

[Yachtzee]

Re: 1972 Mercury 65hp won't fire

Two year old gas is bad. A thing called phase seperation. If it sat in the floats bowls till it dried out it may well have gummed up the carbs If it were me I'd dump all the old fuel and either pull, examine and clean the carbs or at least fill them up with some "deep creep" or "sea foam" let em soak a while flush it out and try again with fresh gas.

Those jets are not that big and it does not take much to clog em up.

Spray premix into the carbs to see if she will "putt" that way.
Never use ether lest you want to sieze it up.