2002 Merc 115 HP ELPTO 2+2 LOWER RPM & IDLE ISSUES

Lets start a 2+2 forum page because we all have different variations of the same issues with these engines. Mechanics hated them even though they were manufactured from 1988-2002. I have twin 1995 115's that have suffered from all the issues that we discuss but mine have run perfectly for years and I am willing to share what I have learned about them. I can only speak to my personal experience with these engines and no "mechanic" has ever touched them since new.

Accelerator pump is for transition .....Enricher is used for starting.

rusty51 said:

Thanks Rockfish9,

Thanks. That's something I haven't done yet this year and since the replaced reeds, but will do on the water this weekend and will post back results. So far I've added 1/4 turn more than the factory recommendation of 1 and 1/2 turns rich (which I know isn't the end-all), to keep from lean popping.

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Rockfish9 - Thank you!

Had a few minutes yesterday, took it out on the water, and did what you recommended. I wouldn't have believed it. Adjusted idle timing so it wouldn't die at idle and in forward - it was rough and shaking. Started with the top carb, adjusted in until it bogged (almost at the bottom), then turned out about 1 turn to where it sounded very good (going further appeared to make the engine sputter). Did the same with the 2nd carb and found it to not make any difference at all while adjusting, very strange, any ideas on that? Left that at 1 and 1/2 turns out! Finally, adjusted the idle timing back down to around 800 RPM (which seems to be better than 650), so now instead of the motor dying when shifting to fwd or rev, it's quite smooth (no clunking) and idles almost like a 4 stroke! Incredible! Still can't believe it. It appears to be way too rich at the OEM factory recommendations of 1 and 1/2 turns out. This is what they were set to all these years, and left there by the 3 shops I've brought it to ...

I can't believe that about 1/2 turn lean on the top carb made that much difference.

Still having a little bit of what feels and sounds like missing throughout the RPM range, but nowhere as bad as it was these last 6 years! Still going to link and sync regardless of what the Merc dealers said about it being correct.