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Mercury 9.8 only starts when on full throttle cold.

G

Gerald2341

New member
I've got a 1982 Mercury 9.8 (though I believe the entire powerhead has been replaced with one from 76) It will only start when I have it full throttle and in gear, obviously. The thing runs just fine everywhere else and starts at any throttle position when warm. My testing has just been in a barrel because I only recently picked this thing up and the lake is still frozen. I am mostly an OMC guy, so I don't know of the correct adjustments on these carbs etc. I decided it'd be best to ask you guys before heading onto the lake as I don't want to fall out of my boat on startup and have the thing drive away...

Thanks!
-Gerald
 
Sounds like your flooding it and touches off when it gets air? Try different methods of cold starting until you get it right. In neutral turn the grip to start and choke it. Pull the rope once and then unchoke and pull the rope again.
 
Common problem with them. I remove the neutral throttle limiter (near base of the carb on the left side). That allows more throttle--which it needs.

Jeff
 
ok, I had zip tied the lock out on the pull starter so I could give it full throttle even though it was in gear. I will do that when I get home. Also when I put in forward I think there is supposed to be a cable that pulls down on a latch to keep the outboard from coming up. know anything about this? my latch is pretty stuck, and the cable is very loose but it still attached to whatever pulls it down.
 
If it need to be at full throttle to start there is something wrong with the motor.----Safer to trouble shoot this starting issue.
 
ok, I had zip tied the lock out on the pull starter so I could give it full throttle even though it was in gear. I will do that when I get home. Also when I put in forward I think there is supposed to be a cable that pulls down on a latch to keep the outboard from coming up. know anything about this? my latch is pretty stuck, and the cable is very loose but it still attached to whatever pulls it down.
 
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