Some help trying to rescue my 1987 115hp Mercury

hokiepoq

Seaman
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
70
This is the Mercury that was partially submerged. I'm getting close but not quite there and was looking for suggestions. What works: The trim/tilt, starter, fuel-enricher (choke). I compression checked all the cylinders and they are between 90 - 100. I have the fuel fed from a separate tank with fresh fuel. I've primed fuel through the system so it should be fresh. I pulled each carburetor and sprayed it off with carburetor cleaner including the float bowls (I didn't pull any jets). The motor will start will a little coaxing. I can keep it running as long as I keep hitting the choke - it speeds up, then dies down - hit the choke -speeds up, then dies down. If I just let it go, it dies out. It idles rough obviously.

That's where I am. I'm trying to figure out what to do next. Hitting the choke gets it going - does that mean its a fuel problem? If it runs rough, is there a chance that a cylinder or two aren't firing? If so, how do I test that? An obvious project - just looking for suggestions.

Thanks!
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
28,102
Re: Some help trying to rescue my 1987 115hp Mercury

Sounds like you need to rebuild the carbs, after cleaning the idle passages. I wouldn't wait for rrebuild kits. Just tear the carbs down and blow out the passages, reassemble and run the motor for 1 hour on the flusher, anyway you can keep it runniung.

Throw some oil in that beast and do the job quickly, or the bearings will rust (bad).
 

hokiepoq

Seaman
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
70
Re: Some help trying to rescue my 1987 115hp Mercury

Thanks! I'll give it a try!
 
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