Help. Why won't my 2.5 merc run without choke?

[Rain City]

Just got up to Salmon Arm. Inflated the 8' and then proceeded to tear my arm apart trying to start it. Managed to get it going but it won't stay running without full choke. Gas is suspect at best. I haven't started it in a couple years. I'm going to get fresh gas in the morning but anything else obvious (to a mechanic) that I should try?

 

[brutus]

Just got up to Salmon Arm. Inflated the 8' and then proceeded to tear my arm apart trying to start it. Managed to get it going but it won't stay running without full choke. Gas is suspect at best. I haven't started it in a couple years. I'm going to get fresh gas in the morning but anything else obvious (to a mechanic) that I should try?

Carb need rebuild, cleaned

 

[SpringFever552]

Clean the jets in carb

 

[Go.Fish]

I’d drain the float bowl and tank if the gas is old... Add fresh gas and grab a can of seafoam and add to tank. That stuff does a really good job of cleaning carbs out

 

[Ringo]

Ethanol free fresh gas, add some Seafoam. You’ll be fine.

 

[Rain City]

Thanks guys. I'm tool-less here and don't have any time to **** with it. It'll be shore fishing for me if I have to do any real work.

 

[Ringo]

That small motor is super easy to fix. Buy Shell 91 or Chevron 94, I’d add 1/3 of a can of Seafoam to a 10L jerrycan and squeeze the bulb a few times then start. You may see some white smoke but that’s alright. Let it run idle for a few minutes and then slowly rev it up a bit.

Go.Fish’s advice is sound. If you have a Philips, see if you can drain that bowl. Sometimes, water from old gas gets trapped in the bowl and you can easily drain it. Good luck man.

 

[Rain City]

That small motor is super easy to fix. Buy Shell 91 or Chevron 94, I’d add 1/3 of a can of Seafoam to a 10L jerrycan and squeeze the bulb a few times then start. You may see some white smoke but that’s alright. Let it run idle for a few minutes and then slowly rev it up a bit.

Go.Fish’s advice is sound. If you have a Philips, see if you can drain that bowl. Sometimes, water from old gas gets trapped in the bowl and you can easily drain it. Good luck man.

I guess the thing does have oars too but I always seem to go around in circles when I'm trying to drink my beer.

 

[Thunder21]

Not to rub it in but Jesus Christ do you ever have a lot of boat issues. Talk about a run of bad luck.

 

[Ringo]

I guess the thing does have oars too but I always seem to go around in circles when I'm trying to drink my beer.

Oar’s good for Mary. Get that f…er running tomorrow.

 

[Rain City]

Not to rub it in but Jesus Christ do you ever have a lot of boat issues. Talk about a run of bad luck.

This has been going on 8 years now. No joke. Every trip I've ever planned on a boat has come with issues. I didn't even talk about both water pumps going last week in egmont.

 

[hippaisland]

This has been going on 8 years now. No joke. Every trip I've ever planned on a boat has come with issues. I didn't even talk about both water pumps going last week in egmont.

Good thing you’ve got a 30hp kicker now . All those nooks you caught are well worth it!

 

[Rain City]

I picked up a bottle if this Merc Quickclean stuff from a dealer in town. He says it's the same-ish as sea foam. Anyone ever try it?

 

[Reeltime]

Needs a N95 filter

 

[Gear'n'beer!]

99.9% of small engine issues are the carb. Those jets are just so tiny a microscopic piece gets in the system and it’s not gonna run. never used sea foam but taking it apart and some compressed air works wonders.
you need to go to c-tire and buy one (or more) of those little tool kits that go on for 75% off and pack it in your boat/rv/truck.

 

[Ringo]

I picked up a bottle if this Merc Quickclean stuff from a dealer in town. He says it's the same-ish as sea foam. Anyone ever try it?

Get er going. Who cares what you put in a 2.5. It’s just bad old gas.

 

[Rain City]

Get er going. Who cares what you put in a 2.5. It’s just bad old gas.

Golfing now

 

[brutus]

Golfing now

Lol your golf cart is going to crap out

 

[salmonkiller01]

I picked up a bottle if this Merc Quickclean stuff from a dealer in town. He says it's the same-ish as sea foam. Anyone ever try it?

Quick Kleen is great. Much better than sea foam imo

 

[Matt16]

These small engines have very tiny carb jets that clog very easily. You mustn't use ethanol in them or store without stabilizer. Ever.