Outboard not running so good at low speeds

[RiverRat1109]

I’m only on my 2nd time out on the water this season. When I put the boat in the water it takes a couple cranks before it fires up. Then it will sit and idle until I pull away. It runs pretty good going fast and at full throttle. When I back off and go to just cruise it doesn’t really move very good, almost like it might be trying to die out. I just kept giving it more gas before it actually got to the point of dying out.
does anyone have any idea of why this might be happening? What might be causing this?
After the first time out this year I thought I might be able to make it shift into gear better or run better if I took the control box apart to grease up the linkage inside. So I’m wondering is there anything that I could have done wrong or not have done with the control box that would make it do what it’s now doing?
Now, I really don’t know why I even messed up with it. The first time out this year it was running and moving good enough I probably shouldn’t have even tried to make it better. If it’s not broke don’t fix it. I really need to try harder to remember that one.
The boat is a 1984 Forester Phantom with a 1980 something Mercury 115 2 stroke outboard.
Thank you for reading my post. If you have any advice or thoughts on this issue please reply and let me know. Thank you very much

 

[racerone]

Hard to say.----But a 40 year old motor needs a compression test.---Post the numbers.-----Then test spark and see if it jumps a gap of 3/8" on all leads.----Carburetors must be clean.---Have your assistant operate the manual fuel pump at the lake.