My son has my old boat with a 92 135 Mercury. It has always been hard to start on a cold start but it's seems to be getting worse. Does anyone know of any thing that would help or we can do, even with a new battery it has run it down trying to crank. He makes sure that it tilted all the way down and he pumps up the bulb and pumps the key and rises the high idle bar, but still takes a while for it to cold start. After it starts the first time it will crank right up.

Check the spark plugs.

When was the last time you had the carbs rebuilt? Do you normally disconnect the fuel line and run the engine out of fuel before storage? Do you use fuel stabilizer between trips? After the first time it turns over do you let it run for a while until you have to restart it? I definitely agree with checking the spark plugs for corrosion, proper gap, and fouling. this may sound dumb, but are you using the proper fuel/oil mixture?

No have never rebuit the carbs. i'm sure they could use it. Also do not run the carb. dry after using i was told that was not a good thing to do and yes he uses Seafoam and the new marine sta-bilt. I think we will try new plugs and may even do a carb. kit. thanks for the information.

hmm... this is the first time I have heard that running the motor out of fuel could damage it. what were you told about how this would damage the motor if you don't mind me asking? I just might need to stop running mine dry!

Running a 2 stroke out of gas does not damage the motor. I have done it to my motor every time I have pulled mine off the lake for the last 8 years. I keeps the carbs empty so they will not get gummed up.

Strongly disagree. On a multiable carbed engine. Not all cylinders use the same amount of fuel, Nor are they the same temp in each cylinder. As the carbs run "out" of fuel, you are creating an extremely lean mixture, that is why the engine starts increasing in speed. Now you have created a "DRY" cylinder and piston, The cylinder and piston begins to super heat. You are burning off all the lubricant that the carb was trying to put in there. You do not see any damage immediately but it is occuring, slowly. That is why OMC, Mercury, and BMC does not allow you to disconnect the fuel line from their engines, and if you do, you will void your warrantee.

I agree with Mike completely. This is a bad practice that people need to guit. I think that you needles are better off sitting in liquid rather than dry. If you are storing the motor for a while use stabil or drain the carbs and fog the cylinders.

Crankbait,

Carbed Mercs have a tendency to be a little cold natured. Make sure the enricher is working. You should hear a clicking when you push the key in. Aslo it can help on my 175 yo open the throttle when priming. The other thing that helps is to have the motor level to tucked under. This is probably most important. I like to have it down when pumping the primer bulb.

WOW! thanks for the great info. I do believe I will quit running the motor dry. I never would have thought the 2 cylinders would have been consuming different amount of fuel.

Sounds like there is a difference of opinions. I have asked several different boat mechanics about running the gas out of an engine and have always been told that it did not hurt anything. I actually started doing this because I was told to by a marine mechanic. I may have to rethink it.

I'm no marine tech by trade, but I'll also have to agree with Mike. It causes excessive wear due to to running it dry. As stated, the lean condition increases revs, serving only to create more heat in the cylinder during that time. Put a kit in the carbs after cleaning the carp out of them, and then add some Seafoam to your gas.

yep..!!!

no fuel no lube ,id leave the fuel in and just add stabil

quote:(pumps the key) Hold in on key for 10 seconds before you engage the starter and keep holding untill motor trys to start, then raise fast idle and fire it up. Getting harder to start, several things can cause this including weak starter (not spinning fast enough), carbon, bad enrichment solenoid or wiring going to it, ignition switch not activating solenoid, reeds, week spark plug fire, low compression, weak or no fuel supply for the solenoid. As far as running the fuel out, NO! but I have customers that do it and you will never convince them other wise. GOOD LUCK