Power Loss

[JPSN]

Hi Folks! My first time here, great site!
My question is, I have a 1986 50 hp mercury engine on my fishing boat.
What its been doing for some time is this. When I go fishing it starts just fine but as soon as I start to give it power to go on plane it dosn't want to go on full power, The engine will attempt to kick in as I hear the engine trying but it keeps doing this until Ive traveled about 1/8 to 1/4 mile and suddenly it will kick in and it runs great all day. I can fish and have the engine off for hours and it starts and runs fine. It is only doing this on first start ups when I take it out. It had new plugs put in this year but it still does this and has been doing this for some time. I'm wondering if this is a choke problem of some kind. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks JPSN

 

[Laddies]

Re: Power Loss

It could be a lean idle adjustment on a carb but if it is a 3cyl 50 as the year implies a switch box failure will act the same. If telegraphing the choke a little when it's acting up don't help I would lean towards the switch box

 

[MercFan]

Re: Power Loss

Just to confirm that you are priming it till the bulb is stiff on that first start-up? You're also high idling it for a minute or so before you take off?

 

[JPSN]

Re: Power Loss

Hi Folks! My first time here, great site!
My question is, I have a 1986 50 hp mercury engine on my fishing boat.
What its been doing for some time is this. When I go fishing it starts just fine but as soon as I start to give it power to go on plane it dosn't want to go on full power, The engine will attempt to kick in as I hear the engine trying but it keeps doing this until Ive traveled about 1/8 to 1/4 mile and suddenly it will kick in and it runs great all day. I can fish and have the engine off for hours and it starts and runs fine. It is only doing this on first start ups when I take it out. It had new plugs put in this year but it still does this and has been doing this for some time. I'm wondering if this is a choke problem of some kind. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks JPSN

Thank You all for your replies, we found the problem, it was a bad wire between the coil and switch box, the #2 cylinder was not firing.