Re: Newbie Needs Help
Make sure your battery is fully charged, they like lots o juice. Check the plugs, check each wire/plug for spark by pulling a plug and holding/grounding it next to the block while someone cranks the motor. Hook up a tank of fresh 50:1 fuel/oil mix and pump up the bulb till it hardens. Crank it a couple of times while someone watches the fuel pump and carbs for leaks. Check the lower unit lube, top it off if it needs it. Put it on the muffs and secure the muffs to the leg so they won't slip off. Turn on the water and crank it over. If it won't go, hit the choke button once...until it sputters. It should then fire right up. Get too heavy on the choke and it will flood. After it starts check for water from the tell tale hole. You may not have much at first but it should be throwing some water out there. If no water, shut it down fast and check the water pump/impeller. If you get a stream of water, let it warm up a little then push the fast idle arm up to boost the revs a little. The stream should improve. Should never get so hot that you can't touch the water jackets on the sides of the cylinders. Good luck. Merc 50's are sweet outboards...hard to beat. Mine's a 73 Merc 500 and just keeps on ticking.
