Trying to get my old boat engine back up and running. 

 

It's what I believe a 1976 mariner 25 hp, electric choke and start. 

 

Hasn't been ran for 2 years other than occasionally running it on muffs. Went to do that this year and started right up, ran good for 2 minutes, than I've had a hell of a time getting it running. 

 

Emptied old fuel, put 2 gallons of fresh 91. Replaced spark plugs. Seems to be a fuel issue, will start right up on a shot of ether. Primer bulb gets firm. Verified im getting pressure/ fuel past the fuel filter. Not really sure what action to take next. 

 

Any help is appreciated! 

Hopefully way2slow will be along shortly with solid advice.
 

Kind of sounds like maybe you sucked something up into the carb. If it were mine I’d probably take a fuel sample from close to the carb to see how it looks. I’m sure this isn’t always the case, but the couple times I’ve had a line deteriorate internally I could see it in the fuel. Should also show you water if present. If that’s good I would think maybe time for a carb cleaning. 

Sounds like a carb clean/rebuild and new fuel lines and fuel filter if it has one. You probably want to look at the impeller and lower unit lube as well.

Pull a spark plug should be clean but wet if it didn’t start. Leave the plug wire attached and turn over the engine checking for spark, could electrical with old wiring etc. No spark check voltage, may need a stator assembly.

Your Mariner is a Merc sold for export same engine.

More then likely a carb issue that needs cleaning.

Tom

Yep, plugs are getting wet. Have already checked spark to the engine block. Good spark.

If it starts and runs with gas or starting fluid spayed (I would recommend using 50:1 gas) in the carbs and won't without it, you have a fuel delivery problem.  That's somewhere between the fuel tank and the inside of the cylinders. 

You can pull a line off a carburetor, crank it over and see if it has a good flow of fuel there, if so, then pull the carbs off and clean/rebuild them.  If not pull the fuel pump and carbs off, and clean and rebuild them and make sure it has good fuel delivery to the fuel pump. 

If you are not extremely familiar with doing carbs, have a professional do them or you most likely won't fix the problem.

Also, as mentioned previously, replace the water pump.

 

By the way, it takes the proper fuel to air ratio to get combustion.  Wet plugs could mean it's getting too much fuel and wet fouling the plugs.  Again, a carb problem.  One is not going to start with wet fouled plugs no more than one that's getting no fuel.  

 

Was the carb. 

 

Been so busy with work, hadn't had time to tinker on it. Preformed several tests, and decided pull the carb off. Disassembled it and thoroughly cleaned it. Put back on and started right up. 

 

Thanks y'all