1999 175 Johnson hard start

[pope]

Hi everyone. This is my first post on the forum. I'm a little new to outboard maintenance. My widowed sister had a boat I'm trying to get working for her. It takes awhile to start, bulb gets hard then not. If it starts then it is fine all day. Runs great. Starts right up. When it doesn't want to start, I take the air intake off. There will be gas in the three carb intakes on one side, the other three are hard. If I put my palm over each intake on the other side, it pulls gas and then starts and will run fine as long as it doesn't sit for more than a few hours.

What should I look at first?

thanks!

 

[racerone]

Are you pushing the key in WHILE cranking it over ?

 

[pope]

Are you pushing the key in WHILE cranking it over ?

No, is that the choke,. I'm coming from a tiller. First time without one. If that's the case, I feel pretty dumb.

 

[racerone]

What is the model # of this motor ?-----If it has carburetors it does NOT have choke plates.-----It has an electric primer valve that sprays fuel in for starting.-----It sprays fuel when open ( key pushed in ) and the motor cranking !!------Try starting it that way.

 

[pope]

Thank you all for the help. Everything is working as should.