Outboard won't prime

[SigSaurP229]

HELP!!!!! Can't take it anymore going to sink the this boat.

I bought a 1982 Mercury 50 hp in March and put it on my boat. I changed the lower unit oil verified the water pump was working. I bought a new fuel line, gas tank and battery. The motor runs great idles low and doesn't seem to have the power I think it should but runs out well. I run the boat about three times and the same thing each time. Fast Forward to the end of April I go to the ramp launch and the boat will not start. So I load up a spray bottle with premix spray gas in the carbs it starts and runs off of that gas and dies. So I am thinking carb rebuild.

I am looking inside of the motor and I see that the fuel line running to the carbs is rotten so I change it, figure I am this far into it I go ahead and clean the carbs, and rebuild the fuel pumps.

Now I am in the same position as before, primer bulb never fully hardens, gas goes into the carb bowls. engine will only start by spraying premix directly into the carb then it will run off of that premix then die.
Occasionally by adjusting the idle and lean rich on the carb I can get it to run but as soon as I shut it off I can not restart it without spraying premix directly into the carb and then it usually just dies if I do restart it.

HELP!!!! Parts are a pain to get ahold of, and I am supposed to take it camping this weekend. I just don't know what to do

 

[j_martin]

Re: Outboard won't prime

So why are you blaming an inanimate servant (boat) for your lack of maintenance?

The fuel line rotted, so there's probably debris from it in the carbs. I bet you haven't put a fuel pump kit in it for years. Just because you get some water through it doesn't mean the water pump is in good condition either.



At this point, I would replace all the fuel lines in the engine, put kits (gasket) in the carbs, cleaning and adjusting them as you go. Put in a fuel pump kit, and you should pull the LU and put in what water pumps are needed, at least a rotor. As long as you have bought the proper manual to get that done, go through the spark verification and linkage adjustment procedures, and then it should be good to go. You might be amazed at just how nice that motor can run.

hope it helps
john

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Outboard won't prime

So why are you blaming an inanimate servant (boat) for your lack of maintenance?

The fuel line rotted, so there's probably debris from it in the carbs. I bet you haven't put a fuel pump kit in it for years. Just because you get some water through it doesn't mean the water pump is in good condition either.



At this point, I would replace all the fuel lines in the engine, put kits (gasket) in the carbs, cleaning and adjusting them as you go. Put in a fuel pump kit, and you should pull the LU and put in what water pumps are needed, at least a rotor. As long as you have bought the proper manual to get that done, go through the spark verification and linkage adjustment procedures, and then it should be good to go. You might be amazed at just how nice that motor can run.

hope it helps
john

Hey John,

It wasn't me that performed the lack of maintenance when I bought the motor it was attached to a rotted transom. I pulled it off of the rotten transom and put it on my boat. I bought it as an upgrade, I have never changed a water pump that was throwing a water stream as heavy as this one when it runs right the pump is strong.

I have allready checked and adjusted linkages, when I cleaned the carbs I replaced all gaskets, and rebuilt both fuel pumps, with two new fuel pump kits. It just decided one day that it wasn't going to get fuel anymore and now I am stumped. It is getting a big fat blue spark to all four cylinders and the plugs are brand new as well, and compression is with spec on all four cylinders. When it runs off of the direct prime spray from a premix it runs great. I replaced all fuel lines in the motor and out of the motor.

Please don't accuse me of lack of maintenance as I have just had the motor for two months.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Check to make sure you put the primer bulb on in the right direction.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Outboard won't prime

it is facing the right direction

 

[Jacket4life]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Hey Sig-

You wil find out, (as I slowly am) that John is very crusty, but EXTREMELY knowledgable. I agree with you this time, you clearly stated that you had rebuilt the fuel pumps and carbs. But don't count him out, he is one of the most knowledgable and most active posters I have read on here in my short time on this board. He just has his own way of saying things that can rub people the wrong way sometimes. As you can see in this post, he tends to place blame (rightfully so most of the time!) on the owner, not the machine. But if he takes an interest, he will generally tell you how to fix your problem.

As to your problem, you have a fuel feed problem if the bulb will not get hard. That is a sorry but sad fact on these motors, and it may drive you nuts finding it. Starting at the tank, you need to check or replace all the fittings all the way to the carbs until you can get the bulb to harden. Until you get that done, there is no real way to know if you still have any problems at the carb or not. You will just continue to drive yourself crazy trying to adjust around a problem that isn't solved.

You didn't say if you own a manual for it. If not, you need to get one ASAP, preferrably the Mercury shop manual for your motor. In it, you will find instructions on doing a linc-n-synch. AFTER you have fixed your fuel problem, that is where you need to go next, because these motors can be seriously damaged by running them in a lean state.

Best of luck to you!

 

[j_martin]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Sorry for the crustiness, it comes with age. You said you found a rotten fuel line. They rot more on the inside than on the outside. It may have chit the bit right into your nice clean carbs, plugging up the seats.

It ain't that hard to check it out.

It don't make any difference who neglected it, it's still neglected and in need of some TLC.

And an old impeller will throw water right up till the blades blow off, leaving you stranded, and plugging up all sorts of places with small bits of rubber.

Preventative maintenance is prophylactic, not curative.

hope it helps
john

 

[Jacket4life]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Sorry for the crustiness, it comes with age. You said you found a rotten fuel line. They rot more on the inside than on the outside. It may have chit the bit right into your nice clean carbs, plugging up the seats.

It ain't that hard to check it out.

It don't make any difference who neglected it, it's still neglected and in need of some TLC.

And an old impeller will throw water right up till the blades blow off, leaving you stranded, and plugging up all sorts of places with small bits of rubber.

Preventative maintenance is prophylactic, not curative.
hope it helps
john

Holy cow, I spit water all over my keyboard when I read that! Pretty true, though!!!!

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: Outboard won't prime

I agree with John about the fuel line and I have'nt heard anything about re-building the carbs. Thats the first thing I do when getting a new engine to play with. Usually the needles and seats are leaky.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Ok soo a little update for everyone. I know standard maintenance is always a top priority, but it wasn't an option given to me. Last night I found a screw up from when I rebuilt the carbs (actually two of them). One I left the spring out on the upper carb the spring that goes behind the lean rich mixture screw and I found a small obsttruction in one of the needle passages going into the bowl. Not the inlet needle. It wasn't an entire blockage and I am not sure if it would have caused the problem. I replaced that rotten line at the same time I rebuilt the carbs. I am really thinking this is bad inlet needle and springs or improper float adjustment. Thx for your help even though u might be a crusty old man. ; ). On the plus side since this is the third time I have torn these carbs apart I am getting really good at it. I am also going to replace the primer bulb today all I am hearing is air rushing out of the carb when squeezing the bulb but I know the bowls are getting gas.

 

[Jacket4life]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Not trying to beat a dead horse, but if your bulb won't get hard after 5-6 squeezes, keep working on your fuel supply. Until you get to that point, running the engine is just going to drive you crazy adjusting for something that isn't fixed.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Update ok so here is what I did got a new fuel line and primer bulb all though I just put a new one on it in march. Tried to prime no luck all I here is air. I started at the tank verified that the pickup tube wasn't clogged. Connected fuel line tried to prime bulb so I took the female connector off of the fuel line on the engine side and siphoned aka sucked manually some gas through the line. Put the female connector back on and hooked it to the engine side. Pulled fuel line off of carbs squeezed primer bulb gas, and gas shoots out of line. Soo I hook gas line to carb bowls fill up. Apparently I was getting a very minute amount of gas to carbs before, and now they are filling up. Still can't get it to start but now if I shoot premix into carb it will start and stay running, which is an improvement but still won't start on just the primer bulb but I didn't have the choke hooked up so any ideas of where to go from here?

 

[j_martin]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Still can't get it to start but now if I shoot premix into carb it will start and stay running, which is an improvement but still won't start on just the primer bulb but I didn't have the choke hooked up so any ideas of where to go from here?

WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP CRUSTINESS WARNING

Hook up the choke, DUH.

hope it helps
John

 

[Jacket4life]

Re: Outboard won't prime

John, I just woke my wife up and it's your fault. I laughed so hard she started yelling at me to get off the damn iboats and come to bed!!

You are one of a kind, fella!

 

[sschefer]

Re: Outboard won't prime

I'd hook up a stepper motor with a cam to the trigger on the spray bottle and with a little duct tape and some wiring you'd be done with it...

Of course, you could always take the easy way out and do what crusty say's for once. Jeeze John, it's rubbing off....

SigSauerP229, not a bad weapon I like my P220. Hey, don't take any of this to heart.. We're just funnin around. Looks like you've got your answer with the choke. Just fix it and you should be good to go.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Outboard won't prime

No Luck it absolutely will not start on just the primer bulb and is now refusing to stay running again but I know that the carb bowls are filling up. The needles and seats are freaking spotless. Just will not run and I absolutely will not continue to start this thing with a spray bottle and I can't regulate the fuel flow enough to run it on just a spray bottle. I am just stumped, and frankly tired of throwing money at the thing because of lack of maintenance. HOW FREAKING HARD IS IT TO DRAIN YOUR CARBS BEFORE STORAGE. At least use some stabil and fogging oil. Old motor end of every season run motor disconnect fuel line let it run out of gas then open the bottom screw on the carb bowls and I never had a varnishing problem. End of Season battery on a trickle charger. Drain lower unit oil, and replace with fresh. I don't store gas so empty the tank and lines in weedeater or chainsaw. New Season begins change water pump battery on trickle charger. New Lower unit oil, New plugs, New Gas run a little seafoam and off to the races never had to clean a carb. OK so rant over. This is turning into a nightmare. Help me out here the only thing I think left is needles or float adjustment which seems more plausible? Thanks to old and crusty for the help

P.S. Yes I did rehook up the choke.

Edit P.S. Yes I know it is all in good fun. I had a P228 and a P226 never a 229 loved my P228 traded it for a 1997 Nissan 200sx was a great car til the wife crammed it in 2nd gear going 65 on the interstate mostly LEGALLY carry my G19 know though I am a smaller framed guy and prefer the lighter weight. I hope I don't offend anyone by using the Old and crusty line. I have lurked this board for years since 2005 but I never had any problems out of the old boat so never posted. I sold it and bought an ongoing project with no payments. Started as a 1972 Fish and Ski with a 40 hp Johnson Electric shift. Bad Low unit hull rough paid $300 bought a 40 hp evinrude paid $100 well bad compression and some career changes put it on the back burner. sold it for $175 and bought this Merc for $250 ran great with the exception of stated problem and additional bonus got Power tilt and trim. Fast forward I find a hull in Great shape on C/L with a Seized 40 hp merc thunderbolt for $150 including trailer, I buy it for just the hull and swap 50 hp motor to new hull swap new hull to my good trailer and selling the rest of it. Now I just want to get my motor running right and hopefully, I can come close to being even.

 

[Jacket4life]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Sounds like you have been doing great so far! You will have a really nice rig when you get the OB running right.

You have pretty much passed up my expertise, but I have a feeling John will be back with another round of , er, ummm, encouragement?!?!?

I know you are frustrated, but htese things really sing once they are right, and it sounds like you know how to do the maintenance once you get to that point. Keep your chin up! You will figure it out.

You are a step ahead of me, I have to tear my carbs down for the first time. My motor runs GREAT once it is warmed up, but the first 3-4 minutes, it will barely limp along and gas is SPRAYING out of the top carb from somewhere. Once it gets warm, the fuel leak goes away and it runs like a champ. Any ideas John, or just the same old same old: rebuild the carbs and do a linc and synch??? (I have a feeling that's what you are going to say...)

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Sorry Jacket,

I believe you have a clogged passage in the low speed side of the carb and you gonna have to do a rebuild with a new gasket set. Make sure its all tightened down only one reason they leak and that is bad gaskets.

 

[Jacket4life]

Re: Outboard won't prime

Yeah, that's what I figured. IT didn't run for 2 yrs. I did the "Ressurecting and old motor" deal on here and it fired right up. But after running 4-5 hrs. and 3 tanks of gas with Sea-Foam and doing a De-Carb, the fuel issue is not any better. If anything, it's worse. Got my manual ordered. When it gets here, I will orfer carb kits and fuel pump kits, then get after it. Hopefully mine goes better than yours has so far!

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Outboard won't prime

I have now replaced all hoses and primer bulb all the from carbs all the way back to the tank.

I have cleaned and rebuilt the carbs. No blockages.

I have replaced the needles and springs. The seats are non adjustable.
The floats are 1/4 " inch below the base of the carb.

I am stumped do you have any ideas?

Primer bulb now gets hard all the way.

But still no fuel delivery to the engine.