1971 Mercury 20hp hard to pull start

[SeekanDestroy]

Hey everone i'm new here and new to these motors i just got it couple months ago and now just started to work on it i know its missing some parts but not sure what if anyone has pictures of the same motor it will help a'lot and a other thing when i try to start the motor its really hard to pull Thanks in advance..

 

[Maxz695]

Re: 1971 Mercury 20hp hard to pull start

check the ring that is in the puller housing it may have poped out preventing the cord from freely pulling I saw this on a yamaha but figure if the housing is plastic it may have happened here

 

[SeekanDestroy]

Re: 1971 Mercury 20hp hard to pull start

If its the thing i'm thinking i already checked that it pulls ok when the plugs are out

 

[Maxz695]

Re: 1971 Mercury 20hp hard to pull start

Hard to pull usually means good compression. are you using new gas and oil mixture? When you removed the plug did you check for spark at a 7/16th gap to ground? did you choke the engine ? there is alot of missing information here. remove the plugs check for spark. #1 check the plugs see if there wet #2 if you can do a compression test#3 New motor to you Get a manual (Recommended) #4 Get back to us

 

[SeekanDestroy]

Re: 1971 Mercury 20hp hard to pull start

the motor set well over 3 years i haven't try to start it yet due to its very hard to pull so that rules out #1 now #2 i will do tomorrow due to is very late #3 where do i purchase a manual from and whats the best way to check for spark

 

[Gomer50]

Re: 1971 Mercury 20hp hard to pull start

If that motor hasnt run in over three years,I would get a can of seafoam spray some in the cylinders rotate the flywheel to get that seafoam circulated.Let it sit for awhile do it again.This will free up any gunk possible frozen piston rings,etc.After that 2 cycle oil sprayed in the cylinders and cranked her around several times.Put the plugs back in and fire her up.Might smoke your neighbors out for a couple of minutes and no bugs will bother you for awhile.Good luck

 

[SeekanDestroy]

Re: 1971 Mercury 20hp hard to pull start

I will do this today other thing rats some how got inside the motor and chewed threw some wires and one spark plug wire dang rats so got to fix that

 

[Gomer50]

Re: 1971 Mercury 20hp hard to pull start

Well I dont know about other outboard manufactors but Mercury's wiring was notorius for dry roting insulation etc.As for the rats they probably didnt help any.The good thing is there arent awhole lot of wires to redo.Good luck.

 

[SeekanDestroy]

Re: 1971 Mercury 20hp hard to pull start

Yah they are pretty bad I think this motor use to have a starter some wires are cut

 

[oddcarout]

Re: 1971 Mercury 20hp hard to pull start

If that motor hasnt run in over three years,I would get a can of seafoam spray some in the cylinders rotate the flywheel to get that seafoam circulated.Let it sit for awhile do it again.This will free up any gunk possible frozen piston rings,etc.After that 2 cycle oil sprayed in the cylinders and cranked her around several times.Put the plugs back in and fire her up.Might smoke your neighbors out for a couple of minutes and no bugs will bother you for awhile.Good luck

This is the best advise I have found online. I have a '79 chrysler outboard that had been sitting outside for about three years when I bought it. it supposedly run before that time. I could barely pull it with the plugs in. Where I live in the middle of nowhere I could only get the SeaFoam Motor Treatment. I took a syringe and spraying it in each cylinder. With the plugs out i spun the crank by hand and then with the pull starter, it really freed it up. long story short in about 30 minutes I had it running.

Thanks for the Great advise.

Oddcarout