Re: 1976 115 hp Evinrude flooding
Does it start ok when warm?
What do you mean by "floods easily"? What are the symptoms? How do you know it's flooded? Any motor will flood easily if starting fluid is sprayed down its throat.
Your motor gets its lubricating oil from the fuel. Starter fluid has no lubricating qualities, so if you wouldn't run your motor with no oil, then don't start it with starter fluid.
If you have to spray fuel into the carbs, use pre-mixed gasoline in a spray bottle, but note that this indicates that something is wrong. The motor is starved for fuel, which means that it's not getting enough oil; it's a recipe for guaranteed catastrophic engine failure.
Most common cause of hard cold start: operator error.
Cold Start Procedure:
1. Open tank vent.
2. Squeeze primer bulb until firm.
3. Lift hi-idle lever full up.
4. Push key in (to choke) while turning it to "start".
5. When the engine starts, release the key.
6. Lower the hi-idle lever, giving it just enough gas to stay running until it warms up.
7. If it starts to die on you, punch the choke, that usually keeps it running.
If the motor has to spin more than 3 or 4 times on a cold start, it needs attention.
First make sure the choke plates are closing off completely when you engage the choke. That motor just isn't going to start unless it's choked.
If the choke is working properly, then rebuild the carbs. Install new kits. Start by following the "carb cleaning and rebuilding" link from the "top secret file" at the top of this forum.
The motor may very well be starving for fuel, so please don't **DO NOT** take it out and run it until the problem is resolved -- I'd really hate to see that fine old machine turned into an anchor.
Keep us posted....
