2003 Mercury 25 HP won’t crank

[Rss0213]

My son was out on the water yesterday and had an issue getting the motor to start. At first it started fine, but there was a good bit of smoke when it turned over. It was having an issue staying started when he was idling, and then it wouldn’t turn over (only starter was working). Now the starter won’t do anything. When I turn the key I just hear a click in the motor, but the starter doesn’t engage. I’m wondering if the starter died while he was trying to get it to turn over? How should I troubleshoot this?

 

[Texasmark]

Check your battery terminal voltage when somebody turns the key to START. If less than 10 volts, get a charge on that battery or a new one if it is sulphated up and won't carry the 100 amps required to start your engine with a decent terminal voltage. Wally world had load testers in the service bays.

 

[racerone]

Mixing gas and oil at 50:1 or 4 stroke ?----Replaced water pump impeller recently or never ?---Pull starter apart for inspection.

 

[Rss0213]

Mixing gas and oil at 50:1 or 4 stroke ?----Replaced water pump impeller recently or never ?---Pull starter apart for inspection.

Check your battery terminal voltage when somebody turns the key to START. If less than 10 volts, get a charge on that battery or a new one if it is sulphated up and won't carry the 100 amps required to start your engine with a decent terminal voltage. Wally world had load testers in the service bays.

Okay, it’s not the battery or the starter. I think the starter was having issues because sometimes it gets ‘stuck’ engaged with the motor. I didn’t notice this until I took the cover off and watched it. It doesn’t do this every time, and most of the time it cranks fine.

Turns out this appears to be a fuel issue. Once I realized the starter was okay I got it to crank, but it won’t stay running. It wants to stall out while it’s running. But I can pump the in-line bulb and keep the fuel flowing sometimes. If I don’t do that, it stalls. I took the fuel filter off and it looks okay, but I’m losing flow somewhere along the way (and I haven’t found any leaks - hose seem to be okay)... Know what I should check next?

 

[Rss0213]

Giving this a bump to see if someone will respond...

 

[Sea Rider]

Assume the tank's air valve was open when experienced that issue ? When was the last time the carb was fully serviced (cleaned) if it was a carb related issue once working and idling fine if the motor tends to starve and need to prime the bulb again and again, it's a fuel pump related issues, probably the internal diaphragam has ballooned, hardened ?

Happy Boating​

 

[Texasmark]

Agree with Sea Rider on the fuel pump not sucking. If the tank vent were closed and the pump was pumping you would have a collapsed bulb and couldn't get it to puff up so that you could squeeze it.

There are fuel pump repair kits numerous places, may be here.

 

[flyingscott]

Does the flywheel turn by hand? Does it pull over easily? What is your compression?