1988 MERCURY 35 WILL NOT START

scottym

Recruit
Joined
Jan 17, 2003
Messages
3
I just stuck $600 into my engine. I got a new water pump as well as a new starter. when I picked it up it ran fine. So I took it out fishing and I ran into a problem. It would not start and go unless I held in the electric choke and started it in gear. If I start it in neutral it will not fire up. If I give it choke while it is in neutral it will fire up for a second and then it will die out. I changed the gas line and the fittings because I thought it may not be sucking the gas. Anybody have any suggestions? It is a 1988- 35 horsepower Merc tiller handle. Any help would be greatly appreciated
 

NathanY

Commander
Joined
Mar 16, 2002
Messages
2,408
Re: 1988 MERCURY 35 WILL NOT START

What kind of work did you have done, or did you say and I wasnt paying attention?
 

scottym

Recruit
Joined
Jan 17, 2003
Messages
3
Re: 1988 MERCURY 35 WILL NOT START

I had a new water pump installed and a new starter installed
 

NathanY

Commander
Joined
Mar 16, 2002
Messages
2,408
Re: 1988 MERCURY 35 WILL NOT START

did you check to see if one of the cables are broken that will not let you open the throttle? Or is it not a dual cable system? I runnin out of ideas.
 

Trent

Captain
Joined
Nov 17, 2001
Messages
3,333
Re: 1988 MERCURY 35 WILL NOT START

Normally an engine that will run only on the "choke" is a carb problem as in time to tear down and clean and put a kit in them. Check to make sure your fuel bulb is staying hard. Are you having to hold the "choke" on to always keep it running?
 

steelespike

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 26, 2002
Messages
19,069
Re: 1988 MERCURY 35 WILL NOT START

Be sure the tank vent is open ,see if squeezing<br />the primer bulb helps it to run.<br /> It appears it is starving for gas could be a carb rebuild with attention to cleaning also may need a fuelpump rebuild.Unhook line from pump to carb hold it in can carefully crank motor should be a good strong pulsing stream.If not rebuild pump.
 

scottym

Recruit
Joined
Jan 17, 2003
Messages
3
Re: 1988 MERCURY 35 WILL NOT START

I can get it to run fine if I hold the choke in and leave it in gear and give it gas. I remove my finger from the choke and it will run like a top until I have to turn the engine off. Would the engine run if it was a carb problem or is it a fuel pump problem or is a gas line problem?
 

RICKRICK1

Ensign
Joined
Jun 24, 2002
Messages
926
Re: 1988 MERCURY 35 WILL NOT START

Sounds like the idle is set to low. Are you using the warm up lever during start? Have you tried raising the idle speed, not sure what your idle RPM is but I'm sure some one on the board knows.
 
Top