1983 35 hp Merc.

[Bobalan]

At my wits end here, as stated in the title 1983 mercury 35 hp motor, well cared for, in storage (indoors) for the last six years. Was winterized and put away until dad decided he was not going to use it again and handed it down. I put in a new floor deck and carpet turned out great some day I'll add pics but that's another topic.

I replaced the plugs
I replaced the gas line
I changed the lower unit oil
I greased all the moving parts that need it
I emptied a small amount of fuel from the fuel filter and cleaned it up.
I got fresh premium grade gas and mix the proper oil ratio

Hooked up the water muffs to the engine and cranked her up, started right up, no water flow, shut it down immediately. Bad water pump

Water pump replaced by mechanic motor tested starts right up "You should be good to go"

Take the boat to local lake one evening and put her in, she starts right up and my son and I go on a nice little 30 minute ride around the lake (no wake idle speed)

Week later we decide to go fishing at another lake and don't even make it 30 feet from the dock. engine barely wants to start, idles like crap and all but dies.
Take it back to the mechanic, does some work on the carburetor, carburetor kit he says it needed, says he could not even get it started before.
Pick up boat stop at lake on the way home for a test drive wont even start! Call Mech. and he say to get a screwdriver to adjust the carburetor and see if it helps or bring it back. I did not have a screwdriver so I just when home it was closer than the boat shop.
I hook up the muffs, give it a quarter turn counterclockwise and she fires right up, a bit rough but its running, another 1/4 turn and it steadied out.
The boy and I load the gear hook up and take off for the lake, again we never get off the damn dock! she fired up the first few times and then died, after that it wont even start. I am so frustrated at this point I do not know what to do, I do not want to keep taking it in to get it worked. I do think the mechanic is diligent and been fairly reasonable with cost. I have not talked to the guy yet because he was closed for the day when all this started in again but will call on Monday in the mean time I though I'd try here for suggestions, I have been reading and visiting for a few months now and see that there a some very knowledgeable people here. Thanks for your time and any help is appreciated, I will try to answer any follow up questions as soon as I can.

 

[Bobalan]

Wow thought I'd at least get something

 

[seanymphmike]

This is for what it's worth...I'm a newbie here too. I struggled with my old '73 20hp for a year and a half before I got all my issues ironed out but now I couldn't be happier with it. Long periods of storage don't seem to agree with these things much. Don't give up though; patience and persistence pay off. Are you sure it's an '83? I don't show a 35 hp made in '83 but my info could be wrong. You say you replaced the gas line. I'm assuming that's the line from the tank to the engine. Did you also replace the fuel lines inside the engine cowling? You should have a line from the quick connect to the fuel filter and another from the filter to the fuel pump. If you had gunk in the filter, you could have deposits in these lines as well. Your new fuel could break these down and send debris into your newly rebuilt carburetor. You might need to change those out and clean out your carburetor again. Also be sure all your fuel line connections are tight. My mechanic forgot to clamp my fuel line after rebuilding my carburetor and it caused similar problems to what you're describing. Just some thought for what they're worth.

 

[Bobalan]

Boat was a 83 lund holdover purchased in 1984, and upgraded at the time, so that may be why some things do not add up (older model with newest motor added I guess ). My dad was the original purchaser I was only 7 years old when he bought it so I'd have to ask what the circumstances were for sure. I do have the original manual for it. Thank you also for the ideas!