Cold blooded mercury outboard

[bearberg]

I have 2000 90 horse mercury outboard motor that is very difficult to start. It usually fires right away, but if I don't get the thing choked and throttled immediately it won't start for what seems forever.. Any hints?? It is like it isn't getting gas, therefore it won't fire again.

[Hooked On a Feeling]

Are you priming the bulb? I've noticed that in cooler weather I need to prime the bulb.

[efgh]

I had the same thing with my Merc., If I primed the motor, it run fine, I replaced the whole fuel line, bulb and all, worked fine after this. must have been a bad check in the bulb that left the fuel run back into the tank.

[MuskieJunkie]

I had the same deal on my '94 60hp, I replaced the 10 year old fuel line and bulb, and that helped a lot. But now sometimes when it is really cold I need to hold the choke button on the key in for 10-30 seconds or idle up the throttle to keep it running for the fist minute. None of this is a problem once the engine is warmed up. Does anyone know if there is an internal automatic choke along with the manual electric choke that could have gone out? I can't believe the factory would design the motor so that you have to sit there and hold the key in unitl it warms up.

[Swimmer]

Good question. My older '89 Merc 25 has me holding the key in off and on for about 5 minutes and this is with the manual choke (on the motor)pulled out half way. At certain throttle positions (medium low) I still need to push the key choke at critical moments or she will die even WITH a warm motor. I think I read somewhere that the natural gumming of the carb will tend to lean it out. Don't know the best way of cleaning it though. It's been about ten years since it was serviced...so bring it in?

[Borch]

Muskiejunkie,

My 93 60hp merc is a bit cold blooded as well. Once I get it started I just have to bump the choke 1-3 times until it warms up a bit. Maybe you need to adjust you carbs a little bit.

Mine sure runs nice once it warms up though.

[Surface Tension]

Its normal to have to choke a cold engine at start up. The colder the temps the more you'll need to keep choking it.

There is a certain point to where having to keep choking it till warm up isn't normal though and a dirty carb could be the culprit.

[MuskieJunkie]

Quote:

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Mine sure runs nice once it warms up though.

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Amen to that brother. When I bought the boat I thought of trading the motor in on a 4 stroke yamaha, but after a few times on the water, forget that.

[walleyewild]

My 95 40 Merc is a little fussy when cold also but I have found that running Seafoam in every tank of gas really helps.