Re: Need help identifying outboard motor
Looks like a Clinton 5hp, probably a Montgomery Wards Sea King, and missing its cowling, which is made of cheap plastic. This is just as well, since most of your experience with that outboard will be with the cowling off.
I just got rid of mine. It was OK, when it decided to run. It always ran great when I left the dock. Whether it would start later when I wanted to come back was always a matter of some concern. Fortunately, I boat on small lakes, and my electric trolling motor always came through for me.
Nice motor, though. The day I sold it, it actually started cold on the first pull and kept running for the nice man. I'm sure a look of abject shock passed over my face, but he was looking at the thundercloud of smoke it was making, so he didn't see me. He bought it anyhow, along with two other off-brand outboards I insisted be part of the deal.
Anyhow, mix your oil:fuel ratio at 24:1, based on the appearance of that engine. Use chainsaw oil, not TCW3 outboard oil. I can't see anything actually wrong with your carburetor, but I can only see one side of it.
To start it, apply full choke, set the throttle lever past the Start position, about halfway between Start and the Fast position. Hold your mouth in a sort of half-smile and half frown, close your left eye, and utter this incantation:
"Start, you sorry piece of junk, or I'll put you in the trash can and set you out on the curb on Tuesday!"
Then, pull smartly on the starter rope. Be very careful, though, not to pull it out to the end of its travel, or the demon Clinton of Hades will smite you with the rope when it breaks off at the knot after straightening the end of the recoil spring.
Having pulled it once, pull it again. Then pull it thrice. If you have done as I have said, your infernal engine will bark at you briefly. At that time, push the Choke button precisely one-third of the way in, and pull away. Once the engine sputters to life, you must instantly put your fingers upon the Choke button and manipulate it madly, hoping for continued running.
Once it is running, and it will be running at a high speed, indeed, causing water to erupt from the barrel you are running it in, in a positively Vesuvian manner. Gently...ever so gently...move the throttle lever to the left to slow the engine, keeping the fingers of your other hand always upon the Choke button, ready to enrichen the mixture should the engine begin to wheeze to a stop.
After three or four minutes of this, the engine will idle, after its fashion, although I recommend never moving the lever to the extreme left, lest you enrage the demon Clinton into ceasing to run for the remainder of the day.
Now, once the engine is on a boat and in the water, you must do all of this, while keeping the boat pointed in the direction in which you wish it to go, for the Great Clinton has decreed that no neutral gear ever appear on any of its demonic offspring.
Have fun!
