199 Mercury Force hard to start

[Force-tastic]

So my recently fixed 40HP (stator and regulator/rectifier) has developed an issue with starting.

Here is my starting routine:

1. Squeeze the fuel bulb until it is firm.
2. Push in and turn key
3. Coughs one quick cough and then spins and spins. (It used to fire up at this point and idle nicely)
4. Put it into neutral and add throttle. Push and turn and it fires up after some spinning and then revs up high.
5. Pull back on throttle and get it into gear asap before it stalls out again.

-I have a brand new fully charged battery that spins the starter really fast.
-I have adjusted the carb linkage to get the carb to open up to parallel. It would only open to 3/4 to parallel before.
-took off the carb and cleaned it out

There is a low idle screw on the carb that i was going to open up a small amount and there is a last idle adjustment by the flywheel. There is also a linkage to mechanically open the carb up a bit. Which is the place to start for this issue?

Thanks in advance!

 

[roscoe]

Well I'm going to suggest you do/finish a complete link n sync, step by step, to get your carbs, idle speed, and timing set properly

 

[jerryjerry05]

The low idle screw isn't a low idle screw.
It's an air/fuel mix screw. Start at 1 1/2 turn out.
Then after you figure out the running?? then adjust that screw for fine tuning.
Never heard of a 199 Force 40hp. ???
If it's newer than 1994 then you might be having trouble with the primer(choke).
Do a compression and spark test, post results.

 

[Force-tastic]

Oops…that is supposed to say 1996…

 

[Force-tastic]

I don’t have a compression tester and the spark is good.

So I turned out the air-fuel screw 1/4 turn and adjusted the high idle screw until it was keeping the engine at a higher idle. Worked really well. I will adjust it a bit more.

I think I am done playing with the adjustments for the season, over the winter I will rebuild the fuel pump and replace all the fuel lines.

Thanks for all the help. I am looking forward to playing with this outboard…it is super simple.