Unlike me, my outboard seems to be having difficulty getting gas after it has been sitting idle for a few days.  I pump the bulb plenty and prime it (once as instructed) but I almost run out of cranking power before I get it to fire up.  I'm pretty sure it's not getting gas as once it DOES start and has been running, it never fails to start IMMEDIATELY afterwards (and always continues to run just fine).  Is there any trick for getting gas to the carburator more quickly (i'd rather not use starting fluid)?  Or could there be another problem I haven't discovered yet?

Does the primer ball get hard? If not, that may be part of the problem. You make no mention of a choke? Every carbed motor I've had required choking.

Yep, maybe not "as a rock" but firm.  No choke to speak of.  Just a plunger primer.

Yep, maybe not "hard as a rock" but firm.  No choke to speak of.  Just a plunger primer.

A couple of things, first as mentioned, does the primer bulb pump up so it gets firm?  If it's not getting firm, you may have a bad bulb or a needle/seat stuck open.

 

Do you quit pumping it once it does get firm?  If not, you could be forcing the needles in the carbs off the seats and letting fuel push by and flooding it.

 

Next it would help to know the year and model of the motor, unless you know if it has a manual or electric chock and have checked to see if it's working. 

A couple of things, first as mentioned, does the primer bulb pump up so it gets firm?  If it's not getting firm, you may have a bad bulb or a needle/seat stuck open.

 

Do you quit pumping it once it does get firm?  If not, you could be forcing the needles in the carbs off the seats and letting fuel push by and flooding it.

 

Next it would help to know the year and model of the motor, unless you know if it has a manual or electric chock and have checked to see if it's working.

I'll have to check on the model. It's about a 15 year old 25 horse Evinrude. Been solid as a rock except this little "glitch."

I'll go easier on pumping the bulb. Never thought about flooding it this way. Thanks!

You could also try fast idling it when you try to start it and see if that helps at all if you haven't already. 

if it's only 15 years old and an Evinrude, that means its a four stroke.  Hate to tell you this, but other than general knowledge of a four stroke, I don't know crap about yours. 

 

I would have to say check the basic items.  Pull the cover off, if it's electric choke, make sure the solenoid is activating the choke system.  If it's manual choke, make sure it is.   It's possible you may not even be choking it. 

 

Next thing I would do is take a squirt bottle with some gas in it.  Take the cover and the air silencer off the carbs.  Pump the primer bulb, open the throttle, give each carb a squirt of gas, close the throttle, other than fast idle, and then see how it starts.  If it start right up, you will know it's not getting gas.  So you can looking at the choke system.

 

Might be dirty carbs if they've never been rebuilt.  Might just need a linc and sinc.  A manual is needed to do that..

 

Forgot to mention, do a compression check.  Low compression will make a cold motor near impossible to start.