Hard to Start Four Stroke 15hp

sterios

Cadet
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
26
Pic Added to thread.

I picked up a 2007 Merc 15 hp fourstroke longshaft remote Model Number 15EL4S for a kicker and it's a pain in the butt to start. I has 1 hour of run time on it and looks brand spanking new. It was on a boat that was waaaay to big for it to push so sat in guys garage for three years. It was properly fogged before sitting for so long by Marina he bought it at. It takes about 5-10 minutes of cranking to get it to run on it's own. I can't find a choke on this motor anywhere and the manual sais it has one. I have removed and cleaned and blew out the carb. Checked the gap on the plugs. Replaced the inline gas filter and still hard to get going. It runs for a bit then 'sneezes' and dies. I notice on the carb side there is a brass looking knob that something can attach too but don't know what it is but it will move to two different positions forward and back and makes no difference when starting or running. Can anyone point me in another direction? Is there actualy a choke on these four strokes? Thanks
 

Star

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
481
Re: Hard to Start Four Stroke 15hp

On my 05 15hp 4stroke the choke is a knob on front botom of the motor. You have a remote, if you push in the key in the run position do ou hear a click. That is the choke selinoid closing the choke. I do not think they changed the carb on 07. Once this motor is setup right it starts easily. The carb has to be carefuly cleaned!!! Very small pasages on thi Idle circuit. This is probably is not your case because you said it did run after you started it. They run these pretty lean so you do have to open the throttle some, to fire it. Good Luck!!
 

sterios

Cadet
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
26
Re: Hard to Start Four Stroke 15hp

Thanks Star. I talked to a marine mechanic today and he said the same thing. The solenoid goes click when i push in the key but i'll have to check to see that it's actualy closing the throtle plate. Thanks
 

sterios

Cadet
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
26
Re: Hard to Start Four Stroke 15hp

I took a couple of pics of the part i'm talking about with the brass knob that looks like it connects to something.
In the first pic is shows the knob down

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/sterios/DSCN0770.jpg

In the second pic it shows the knob up.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/sterios/DSCN0771.jpg

I pushed the key forward and the solenoid looks like it works to close the throttle plate cus the nut under this brass knob rotates back and forth. Is there anything else I should be looking at beyond maybe cleaning the carb again? Thanks
 
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