97 Evinrude 90 HP starting issue

My motor has always been hard to start but lately more so. Pulled the cowl off and took off the air box cover. Pushed in the choke/primer on the key looking to see if it was shooting a little gas in the carb. I didn't notice any extra squirt so I wonder what exactly this pushing of the key does. I have found that it isn't a choke in the sense of the usual choke but it is supposed to squirt a little gas to help it start. Lately when it starts it seems like it is not running on all cylinders; it will eventually even out and run normally after a few minutes on the high idle. Without high idle it will die. On high idle it will run but rough. After getting going it will start and run normally all day. Does the primer when pushing in the key squirt gas that is visible or is it behind the butterflies on the carb where you can't see it? Also, when I turned the red flag it seemed to leak a little air/gas around the bottom of the knob. The red flag turns about 180*. Now it is pointing east if north is the bow of the boat. It can point west is about as far as it turns. Any ideas?

Those enrichment solenoids have a plastic actuator stem on the end of the electric coils piston that activates the valve to allow fuel to go into the intake. The end of that actuator wears. Take the 2 small fuel hoses off of the solenoid and turn the red handle 90 degress, fuel should come out if you have a good supply of fuel to the solenoid. Pump up the bulb and have someone try the choke at the key. Fuel should come out just like it did when you turned the red valve. If not check for solenoid getting voltage. If it is getting voltage their is a repair kit available but it doesn`t come with the plastic actuator. The whole enrichment valve is pretty high.

Thanks Gary will check that out. Does it dump the fuel behind the butterfly? Which carb supplies which cylinders?

Fuel comes out both spots when turning the red handle. You can hear the solenoid engaging when pushing in the key. I am going to try a new starting procedure and see if that helps. I have been told the best method is to turn the key to hear the beep, push the key, wait 8 seconds and turn the key to start it. Still can't figure out which carb goes to which cylinder. Upper carb to upper cylinders or upper carb to one side or the other?

Looking at boats.net it seems the top carb supplies top cylinders bottom carb bottom cylinders.

Does fuel come out good when pushing the choke? Cold start pump up bulb, turn key to on, hold in choke to count of 10, start motor and may require pushing of the choke if motor try`s to die. Yes on carbs.

Yes comes out both when pushing the key in. Was going to try out the new start procedure but the ramp by the house is full of jet ski and wakeboats. I don't think they understand what no wake means. Might go down there when the sun starts to set and watch the ramp follies.

Starting update. Used Gary's method above and it started just fine, second turn of the key. No running rough for five minutes before it evened out. Thanks for the tip. Apparently I have been flooding the heck out of it.