I have a Briggs and Stratton 5hp motor for my jon boat, I bought it used last year.  The motor will start right up runs fine, but will not idle lower than half throttle...

this is a big problem when I shift from Neutral to drive because you are supposed to shift with the throttle way down and I have to shift with the throttle more than half way open....  

The throttle has a mark on it where you are supposed to put it when you shift from neutral and the motor shuts off each time I try to turn the throttle down...... any help would be greatly appreciated and I need to get this thing running smooth in the next few days.....

Thanks in advance....

Turn the idle adjustment screw on the carb clockwise until it will idle with the throttle all the way closed. You may have to play with it a bit to get it right. Could also be the throttle cable is out of adjustment.

David

I've never read anything good about these motors even still I'm trying to DIY one myself... Eska lower leg to B&S power head.

Check you fuel lines and your linkage, and your carb adjustments Something is a mist their.

Those motors are simple.

Sounds like sediment or something has plugged the gas passage for the idling circuit.  

Sounds like sediment or something has plugged the gas passage for the idling circuit.

i tend to agree with this,carb adjustment don't move by themselves......i use marine stable all the time and so far so good.....my 2 cents thats all

so lets say sediment or something is plugged.. how do I fix that....

I am decent with stuff like this and would prefer not to take it to get serviced as I am sure it will cost a fortune...

Sounds like sediment or something has plugged the gas passage for the idling circuit.

i tend to agree with this,carb adjustment don't move by themselves......i use marine stable all the time and so far so good.....my 2 cents thats all

I would also agree, its called the pilot jet.  There are two jets the main and the pilot.  The pilot is the smaller of the two.  

Is the motor a lawn mower style engine, ie. air cooled 4 stroke?  If it is all you would have to do is remove the bowl off the bottom of the carb and use a flat head screw driver to remove the jets then soak them in carb cleaner for 10-20 min and blow them out with compressed air.  (if they are fully clogged you may need a small wire to clear the passage)

If you posted a picture of the engine and the carb I may be able to give you more specific directions.  feel free to PM if you think it would help.  

Good luck the first carb you take apart is a learning experience, but don't be discouraged they are pretty simple all in all!

I would mix a tank of gas with some seafoam and run through it first. I thinks its about 7 bucks a can and well worth it. My ski boat had a bad hesitation just off idle and sometimes go dead at idle, so i ran some seafoam through it and now it runs like a champ.

One more idea- The idle circuits on the carb have very small orfices that will be the first thing to plug up if the fuel isn't clean. Just had this happen to the lawnmower yesterday, and several times on the Kicker on the boat. If there is a tapered adjustment screw, count the number of turns it takes to bottom it out (screw it gently all the way in) and then remove the screw. There may be two screws, do them both. With the screw out, squirt a shot of carb/choke cleaner into the hole with as much pressure as you can. Then replace the screws and adjust them to the same number of turns from the bottom as when you removed them. Do this on a cold engine. Start the engine and if you are lucky, you are done. Workes for me....

i HAVE A 5HP BRIGGS AND STRATTON OUTBOARD THAT SAT FOR 8 YEARS. GOT IT STARTED, IDLES SMOOTH, BUT IT CUTS IN AND OUT AT HALF THROTTLE. CLEAN THE CARB WITH NO CHANGE.     HELP! ANYBODY ELSE HAVE THIS PROBLEM?