My 1st Mercury and a couple problems

[imafishingfred]

I purchased a used 2003 25HP Mercury 2 stroke w/ controls for a project boat. I have converted a console steer to a stick steer. When we took the boat out this past weekend the outboard would not start using the starter. It acted as if the battery were dead trying to turn but real slow. We rechecked the connections and the voltage and still the same. We ended up using the pull rope to start it. It seemed to run fine except that it was idling extremely high. It did not idle like this when I purchased it. Could the starting problem be causing the high idle? This is my 1st Mercury and I know nothing about it.

 

[aussieflash]

Re: My 1st Mercury and a couple problems

Check and clean out all old fuel from carbs and tank.Sounds like it's running lean(restricted fuel).motor isn't that old...do you have Merc service manual?If not,buy one.Best money you will ever spend.

 

[imafishingfred]

Re: My 1st Mercury and a couple problems

Check and clean out all old fuel from carbs and tank.Sounds like it's running lean(restricted fuel).motor isn't that old...do you have Merc service manual?If not,buy one.Best money you will ever spend.

Fuel wasn't old. I've been running it with muffs and it has run fine. I put new gas and oil in the same way I have been since I bought it and haven't had a problem. I also run seafoam as a fuel stabilizer in every tank.

 

[imafishingfred]

Re: My 1st Mercury and a couple problems

So my starting problem has been solved. Dead cell in my battery. I haven't had a chance to run it yet to see if it is still idling high. Could the charging system (thinking it has low voltage) have been causing the high idle?

 

[danamul]

Re: My 1st Mercury and a couple problems

that was my thought your battery was dead, IDK maybe your timing off or you could of done something with the pull rope, I knew your battery was low. good luck

 

[imafishingfred]

Re: My 1st Mercury and a couple problems

So my starting problem has been solved. Dead cell in my battery. I haven't had a chance to run it yet to see if it is still idling high. Could the charging system (thinking it has low voltage) have been causing the high idle?

Anyone know about this?