25hp 2 stroke outboard

[1986tracker]

Don't kill me for posting this as I have given a good shot at searching the forums. New member here, been viewing for a long time. I have an 86 tracker panfish with what I believe is an 84 merc 25 2 stroke. Carbs were professionally cleaned a while back before I got it ( my father in law had it done) but it hasn't run great in a few years. You have to keep the idle cranked up to keep running or she will die. I am assuming the carb needs rebuilt again. I run non ethanol and stabil for storage. My plan is to do the decarb with seafoam spray and run a tank through with seafoam and if it persist to not idle then I will pull the carb. Problem is I can't seem to find a rebuild kit this old outboard- would a newer kit work?

Lastly - I fish mostly around fort bragg NC as well as Jordan lake nc. The bragg lakes limit to 25hp which why we aren't upgrading. Is there a bigger carb that would fit the 25hp block or am I pissing up a rope on this one?
Thankyou much

 

[carholme]

Re: 25hp 2 stroke outboard

What is the s/n of your engine just to confirm the year.

If it is an '84, 8237072 REPAIR KIT-CARB is still available.


Gerry

 

[1986tracker]

Re: 25hp 2 stroke outboard

I will check when I get home today. I have seen sites that offer rebuild kits the just advertise as merc 25hp 197x through 199x. Almost just took a chance and bought one.

Is it safe to say that upgrading to a newer better or bigger carb is not an easily feasible option? The reason I ask is I can find great prices on used 30-40hp carbs off a 2000 model merc. I could buy on and have the parts readily available for rebuilds if it would bolt up and the linkages weren't to out of whack and I could detune it enough?

 

[1986tracker]

Re: 25hp 2 stroke outboard

Update - sorry I forgot to get the serial number but I did seafoam spray the carb this week. It starts up first crank on the water or the muffs everytime with no choke or pumping the bulb but still won't idle without the idle lever raised. To get it to shift I have to drop the idle lever and immediately throw her into 3/4 or more throttle to keep running. Then I can drop the speed to an almost slow troll maybe a little faster than an idle. This leads me to believe the carbs may be clean and just need a little adjustment rather than a rebuild? Any advice on adjustments?

 

[oldman570]

Re: 25hp 2 stroke outboard

Put some sea foam in the fuel and run the motor at idle for a while on muffs and then take it to the ramp and leave it strapped down good on the trailer and see if it will go into gear and idle down and shift into gear without giving it much fuel. It might have the idle jet still plugged some from setting and the sea foam in the fuel will help clean it out. JMO
Oldman570

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: 25hp 2 stroke outboard

I would turn my idle screw to seat lightly, and count the revolutions. then I would remove it and spay it, with choke cleaner with the little red tube on the can. Then I would use a piece of 25 lb. mono fishing to make sure it is not blocked. put screw back in till lightly seated and back it out 1 and 1/2 revolutions see what happens. FORGET ABOUT THE BIGGER CARB.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: 25hp 2 stroke outboard

Is this a tiller, or console driven motor? That may change things. MORE info

 

[1986tracker]

Re: 25hp 2 stroke outboard

Duckdown I never thought about trying to clean the idle screw that way - if I understand this right I can take that screw out and clean it without having to buy the rebuild kit? That's some good info and I will definitely try it. Not get to it this weekend because the wife and I finally have a weekend off work together and she may not place fishing as high on the priority list as I do. The outboard is on an old tracker panfish that a front drive stick steer. I assume at the engine all linkages would be the same as a console boat but instead of a steering wheel there is a stck steer at the front just like the old airboats I grew up with in Florida. The boat was owned for many years by an older gentlemen who retired as a game warden. He set it up with the 25hp because of outboard size limitations in the area but hardly used it until my father in law bought it about 4 years ago. Fun fact of the day here - I renewed freshwater licenses yesterday and they lifted all the outboard size limitations on the army base I fish. I won't be buying another outboard any time soon unless something crazy comes along. I also won't be asking anymore about upgrading the carb to a bigger unit. Thankyou for the tips and I will update you as soon as I get a little further into it. Please advise if you think of anything else. Thankyou much.