1995 60 hp Bogging

[SeaHorse]

My new to me 95 merc 2 cycle 60 hp 3 cyl starts and fast idles fine, regular idle is very low. No pee stream. Water temp approx 38 degrees, air temp 55. Put in gear it dies until motor warms up 5 min, then you can very slowly urge it to get up and go. It helps if you push in the key to engage the enrichener. It then runs fine up at 4500 thru 5500 but try to cruise at 4000 and it fades back to 3330 then accellerates on its own back up to 3700, then fades back, etc. Holding in the enrichener helps and it will stay at 4000 when the throttle is set to about 4300. By the way, still no pee stream after running over 20 minutes. After docking I felt the powerhead and it was about 75 degrees all over. <br />Thermostat and gasket look fine. Plugs are new. Compression test cold is 125 all cylinders. <br /><br />I suspect that the idle circuit in one or more carbs (3) is gummed up. The idle air screws are quite accessable so I'll try some carb cleaner after removing and something in the gas. I guess the next step would be tear the carbs down and soak them to remove the gunk, re-gasket and reassemble. <br /><br />1) Think there's any magic gas additive that can clear this up?<br />2) Is the no pee stream normal?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 1995 60 hp Bogging

Fix one problem at a time. No tell tale is not normal and means either the tell tale is plugged (common) or the water pump is bad. Clear the line and since you have no idea of the history of this engine, replace the water pump to avoid a very expensive potential melt down from overheating. Since the enrichener seems to pep things up, that's an indication the carbs need to be removed, disassembled, soaked in carb cleaner, cleaned thoroughly, and assembled with new kit parts paying attention to float level settings. Spraying snake oil into the carbs does nothing but clean the throttle bores. The problem is internal and again, clogs mean lean conditions and that is death to a two-stroke. I hope you are getting the message that you need a service manual if you intend to do the work yourself. It's really not a very tough job nor is it expensive. Good luck.

 

[SeaHorse]

Re: 1995 60 hp Bogging

Thanks upinsmoke. I don't want my motor to go up in smoke. I put in a new impeller and old one was good. I have the service manual. <br />I guess I was hoping for a quick fix even though I know better. The only snake oil I know that really works is Sta-bil which has prevented carb problems for me for many years. I only wish the previous owner had used it.<br />I'll check that plugged tell tale. I thought a plugged one was rare.<br />Thanks again.

 

[SeaHorse]

Re: 1995 60 hp Bogging

Tell tale was plugged by a baby zebra mussel maybe 3/32 dia x 1/8 long. Carbs are apart, one had gook around the idle needle, all were set to the lean side of recommendation.