2 Stroke Mercury problem, flooded?

[Jmoney402]

Hey  all, I have to start by saying I have a very basic understanding of 2 Stroke motors. My old Mercury usually runs a bit rich, but also usually starts after a few tries. Last time out I was unable to get it started.

 

Upon turning the key over, it sounded like it wanted to go for multiple times. I then tried to start it with the throttle engaged and that also failed. After that trying to turn the key over it wasn't making any sound at all.

 

I tried to pull the spark plugs out and wipe them off, they are a bit dirty but don't look to be the problem to me. If I had to guess the carburetor is flooded. I have never tried to disassemble a motor but all service centers are backed up and don't have a ton of money. Also have limited tools and boat is in a single garage at an apartment complex.

 

With no experience is it worth it to try and take the carb out and clean it? I am weary of making things worse but don't want to spend hundreds on something I may be able to do at home. 

Any input or advice appreciated.

[looking45]

Check your kill switch. I was in a friend’s boat and had a similar experience. The motor turned over but wouldn’t start. After several tries, he got out of the drivers seat to  check the motor. I looked over and saw that the kill switched wasn’t hooked up. Reinstalled it and wer were good. 

[WRB]

With your limited engine knowledge my advice is don’t try taking the carburetor apart.

Things you can do is replace the spark plugs and replace the fuel filter. Replace the fuel line prime bulb.

Your engine throttle shouldn’t allow you to start in gear.

Beyond simple maintenance things take more skill. 

If you are trying to start the engine out of water stop doing that, unless you have water running through the engine, you will damage the water pump expeller. 

What year and model is your engine?

Tom

[Tennessee Boy]

Good advice from @looking45 and @WRB.

 

How long has it been since the motor last started?

[Jmoney402]

I have checked the kill switch, I also tried charging the battery. What I meant to say about starting with throttle engaged was that I put it in neutral and tried giving it gas. I have not tried to start it out of water, I live a few minutes from boat ramp. I don't know the exact year, I believe it is a 98-04 Mercury "bigfoot" 60hp.

 

Friday I had removed sonar unit connection from fuse panel to the starter battery because of power issues. Took the boat out Saturday and had no issues, did not take it out Sunday but Monday it would not start.

 

I am currently trying to charge batteries again just to make sure they are in fact charged, I do not have a multimeter but my Dad checked it before moving sonar connection. I may pick up a multimeter, inquire about spark plugs at O'Reilly's, replace fuel filter and prime bulb as suggested by @WRB. Again, I am trying to handle it right but also limit the amount of money I put into it.

[Deleted account]

I would diagnose the problem(s) before I'd go disassembling stuff. Spark, fuel, compression, electrical connections.

[Jigfishn10]

Water in the gas line?

[WRB]

If you have a Harbor Freight nearby get the Chicago Electric battery load tester, about $30. Test the battery under load, if the battery is in poor condition or a dead cell the load will indicate it. Saves money in the long run.

Tom

[marinetech]

Check the fuel lines. If you have the old gray merc hose it could be the liner has broke down due to ethanol fuel. If the plugs are dirty replace them , not a big expense. No sense trying to diagnose an outboard with bad plugs. After that determine if you have a fuel or electrical issue. When in doubt separate motor from boat. My best suggestion would be to purchase a REAL Mercury service manual. Do not buy an after market one.

[Way2slow]

"Battery"

[Alex from GA]

It's really hard to flood a Mercury 2 stroke.  What others have recommended are the things I would try.  Check for the right spark, blue not orange.  New fuel lines and a Mercury bulb.  New filter.  Run it with another tank if you can, that'll eliminate bad gas.  

[Way2slow]

Something you need to understand.  

The ignition voltage is generated by magnets in the flywheel and coils in there next to them. Most all, older and a lot of newer two stroke motors require at least about 250+ rpm to generate enough spark to fire the motor.  While a bad battery might be spinning the motor over, and struggling to do that, it's not spinning it fast enough to generate a good hot spark.

Then you get hit with the double whammy.  Not only is it not spinning it fast enough, if it has a power pack or ECM that depends on battery voltage to work, the battery voltage is dropping too low for them to operate.  Ever wonder why your depth finder turns off when you crank the motor? 

Then you get hit with the triple whammy.  Running a motor with a weak/bad battery makes the stator and Rec/Reg overheat from the constant load the battery is pulling with it trying to charge it, and can burn either or both out.  Every wonder why your tach quit working and then later find the motor won't start.  The rectifier is where the tach signal comes from so when it quits, so does the tach.  Or jut the Reg can go and tach still work but won't charge.

OH, what trouble being to cheap to replace a $100 bad battery can cause.  Of course, there is always the bad/dirty cables that can cause problems also.  

[MickD]

On 7/15/2022 at 2:00 PM, WRB said:

If you have a Harbor Freight nearby get the Chicago Electric battery load tester, about $30. Test the battery under load, if the battery is in poor condition or a dead cell the load will indicate it. Saves money in the long run.

Tom

Right on, voltage alone won't tell whether the battery is OK.  Most stores that sell batteries will test free.  If bad, buy from them.

 

If flooding was your problem the plugs should have been wet.  Gas problems (ethanol damage)  as suggested by others is a real possibility, too.  

[Dogface]

1 hour ago, MickD said:

Right on, voltage alone won't tell whether the battery is OK.  Most stores that sell batteries will test free.  If bad, buy from them.

 

 

Just had this same problem yesterday. The battery voltage was 12.4 volts but a load tester showed the battery was bad. 

[Way2slow]

If you are knowledgeable on the use of a good DVM, you can use it connected across the battery and crank the motor and see how much voltage drop it has.  My process is to check it at the at the lead terminals on the battery, and then move out to the conductors in the cable.  If the cables are good and have clean connection's, you will get the same reading you got on the lead battery post.  IF not, you need to clean, repair or replace some cables.