Anyone help with starting recent purchase - '84 Mercury 9.8

[WA-Newb]

On the boat I recently bought I have a 1984 Mercury 9.8 (Comet Lighting) for a kicker / trolling motor which started great when I went to buy the boat...started great (first pulls) on the first two outings...then on the third time out it will just not start.

It has compression (I can feel it) both plugs show spark with my tester...I just put new plugs in and even tried spraying a little gas / oil mix directly into the carb. Still nothing.

I am ordering a manual but I would like to get out and use it before the manual gets here (plus I doubt the manual will help with this one).

I am wondering if there are any electrical or mechanical devices that could need cleaning etc?
Or anything else I can look at or consider to be the problem.

The only known issue with this motor is the bracket that locks the motor in the run position is not releasing / latching correctly. You have to reach under the power head and latch it or unlatch it by hand.

Thanks in advance.

UPDATE: With the brand new plugs in I have primed gas bulb...gave it throttle and tried to start several times.
Plugs are completely dry..is that where the problem lies?

I am very new to all of this stuff still.

 

[WA-Newb]

Re: Anyone help with starting recent purchase - '84 Mercury 9.8

Just went out and drenched the inside of carb with carb cleaner...it starts each time I spray it in heavily.

I am guessing this means dirty orifices somewhere...can a newbie like me tackle this one?
Does the carb have to come off? and will it fall into a billion pieces if I am not careful?

Any help is appreciated...I am determined to get this thing running again so I can go cathc more DOG FISH...lol (I prefer those over the Kings I am fishing for...NOT!)

 

[liaison]

Re: Anyone help with starting recent purchase - '84 Mercury 9.8

If you have ANY mechanical skills at all, cleaning a carb is not that hard. 99% of the time, when ANY small engine won't start from fuel starvation, it can usually be attributed to a gummed up pickup tube in the float bowl. If you have already cleaned the bowl, find a tiny stiff wire and run it through the pickup tube, usually in the center of the bowl. That should fix the problem. By the way, I just bought an '84 Mercury 9.8 today. No telling what needs to be done but, since not a speck of paint is missing from the prop blades, I assume it has been in storage for most of its 28 year life. Good Luck, Tom

Just went out and drenched the inside of carb with carb cleaner...it starts each time I spray it in heavily.

I am guessing this means dirty orifices somewhere...can a newbie like me tackle this one?
Does the carb have to come off? and will it fall into a billion pieces if I am not careful?

Any help is appreciated...I am determined to get this thing running again so I can go cathc more DOG FISH...lol (I prefer those over the Kings I am fishing for...NOT!)