Mercury 9.8 hard to start when cold?

[swatkinz]

1981 Mercury 9.8 in good shape. This thing can take 20-30 pulls on the rope to get started when cold, but after that initial start, it cranks first pull EVERY time. Idles and runs great throughout the RPM range. Am I asking too much for it to crank more easily when cold or is there something that I can do to make this good motor even better?

 

[Laddies]

Re: Mercury 9.8 hard to start when cold?

I think thats the model that has a 2 piece choke butterfly, if thats the case the spring that hold the butterfly in the flat or closed position is weak or broken