Starter fluid everytime....

[lgaytan]

Hello
I have a 1978 Mercury 500 Thunderbolt 50HP, the motor idles good, runs good overall how ever every cold start needs to use some starter fluid, then when fishing I can move from one side to another with out issues then I stop fishing for an hour and to restart the motor I will need starter fluid, after that I can turn on and off the engine with out any issues.
The primer bulb is working good it stays hard that time so I think there is enough fuel in the carbs
What else should I check or is this normal, it is just bugging to have to take the cowl to apply the starter fluid everytime I need to start the motor after an hour of fishing.

Thanks

 

[racerone]

Check operation of the choke.----Do you push button in while cranking it over ?----Do you advance neutral warm up lever for cold starting ?

 

[boscoe99]

A cold motor needs a bit of extra gasoline to help get it going. Which is what a choke does. What you are doing with starting fluid. As asked, is your choke system functioning?

 

[lgaytan]

I do press the choke button and advance the warm up lever, I havent checked if the choke is actually closing the carb completely, I will take a look.
I put the startarter fluid directly to the carb air intake. Then crank.

 

[aspeck]

As others have said, check your choke to make sure it is functioning correctly.

 

[boscoe99]

Some motors like a bit of throttle. Some don't.

 

[racerone]

Throttle should be open a bit so that air flow will make the choke do it's job.

 

[airshot]

Every motor I ever owned liked a particular sequence, if you didn't follow it exactly, they were hard to start. Once you get your choke system figured out, experiment with starting procedures and see if that might help.
My Merc 40 doesn't like the key pushed in while cranking like the manual states...instead, it prefers the key turned to on ( not start) then pushed in and held about 5 seconds or so then stop pushing, move up fast idle, then turn to start....fires up immediately !!! If I hold the key in while cranking, it takes forever to start or often floods. Some are just fussy, but....you need all the pieces and parts to work properly to figure it out.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Using starting fluid on a 2-stroke will kill it

 

[racerone]

Not if used a little bit at a time to get a motor started.

 

[boscoe99]

Using starting fluid on a 2-stroke will kill it

Why? How?

 

[racerone]

Parts are coated with oil.----A wee squirt of starting fluid does not wash that oil away instantly !!

 

[lgaytan]

It was a quick fix, choke wss not closing completely.

Thanks

 

[boscoe99]

Being mostly highly volatile liquids I would have guessed starting fluid would be all vapor by the time it got through the carburetor.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Being mostly highly volatile liquids I would have guessed starting fluid would be all vapor by the time it got through the carburetor.

However no lubrication for the bearings, pistons, etc. so that first start up is going to be dry on the bearings.

the only thing you should be priming a 2-stroke with is a 50:1 mix

 

[racerone]

Nonsense-----When a 2 stroke is stopped there is oil all over the bearings and between the piston and cylinder bore.----How does a whiff of quick start instantly make that wash away on a cold engine?.----I have stated it many times.----Oil and lubrication in 2 strokes is not well understood.

 

[Texasmark]

It was a quick fix, choke wss not closing completely.

Thanks

Amazing the difference between choking effect of a closed choke vs a 90% closed choke. Some of my lawnmowers are real picky that way.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Nonsense-----When a 2 stroke is stopped there is oil all over the bearings and between the piston and cylinder bore.----How does a whiff of quick start instantly make that wash away on a cold engine?.----I have stated it many times.----Oil and lubrication in 2 strokes is not well understood.

most people spray enough ether into a small engine to start a 9 liter diesel at -40. While I agree that a quick .2 second blast from an ether can probably wont hurt. most people spray much much more.

 

[Chris1956]

If you do use ether on any motor, make sure you have a fire extinguisher nearby. Ether can easily catch on fire from sparks that do not ignite gasoline vapor. A motor can seem to have no spark, and then whoosh!
Ask me how I know.....

 

[lgaytan]

Amazing the difference between choking effect of a closed choke vs a 90% closed choke. Some of my lawnmowers are real picky that way.

Yes I would say this choke was 90%+ closed and that little amount off was enough for not starting by its own, fortunatelly it was a quick fix hoping to take it to the lake to test in real situation.
I've used so many times the starter fluid with no issues on the outboards for that how ever I have also read and heard several times it could damaged it. I think small amounts shouldn't harm it vapors or fumes of the starter fluid is what actually goes in and not a liquid that will wash away the oil.