Interesting hard-start problem with 1970 Merc 1250

JasonJ

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2001
Messages
4,163
Went to use Skanky Beast today and had starting issues, but I don't think it is motor related. Usually I can prime the bulb and it gets rock-hard, and the motor fires right up. Today, I could not get the bulb to pump to rock-hard status, and I could hear that the fuel was being pushed back into the tank while squeezing. Tried spare tank and same thing, and it has a brand-new hose, bulb, and fitting. I cranked it for a few minutes and it started up finally, and cruised out and shut down. <br /><br />Sat out there for a few hours, and went to restart, would not start. Checked bulb, and it would not get rock-hard. I cranked and cranked, and the battery started to wear down to nothing. At this point I was stressing, so I took off the shroud, unhooked the quick diconnect, and using a key to depress the little ball in the fitting, I squeezed the bulb while aiming into each carb and shot a bit of gas in each. Hooked it up, pumped the bulb, and this time it came rock hard, and the motor fired right up. <br /><br />I feel like there was air somehow getting in the line and locking the fuel out or something, because using the key had a sort of bleeding off action. Keep in mind this happened with two separate tanks, all hoses and bulbs are new. It has been quite hot lately, which makes me suspect some sort of vapor issue in the line.<br /><br />Am I just going to have to do the bleed off procedure when the bulb never gets hard, or is there some great solution that I am missing? Motor runs great and always starts 98 percent of the time.
 

The Marine Doctor

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Jul 25, 2003
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2,177
Re: Interesting hard-start problem with 1970 Merc 1250

You are positive that you did not just pump a whole whack of fuel through the carbs and flood them?<br /><br />maybe a needle and seat let go.<br /><br />TMD
 

JasonJ

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Aug 20, 2001
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4,163
Re: Interesting hard-start problem with 1970 Merc 1250

Marine doc, I am sure nothing was getting to the carbs, I removed the shroud and watched while pumping, nothing dribbled out. Like I had said before, after depressing the little ball in the fitting and squirting the bit of fuel into the carbs, the bulb went rock hard after hooking it back up and pumping, and the motor fired right up, even with the battery almost dead. It was odd, but at least I know now how to remedy it if it happens again, but I would prefer a real solution.
 

mellowyellow

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Joined
Jun 8, 2002
Messages
5,327
Re: Interesting hard-start problem with 1970 Merc 1250

1) bad quick connect or wasn't connceted properly.<br />have heard people remove the ballbearing, but<br />mine is still there and works fine. O-rings<br />should be replaced at the very least.<br />2) bad primer bulb even if new. check valve is<br />supposed to prevent fuel from goin back into tank<br />at all times.<br />good luck,<br />M.Y.
 

The Marine Doctor

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Jul 25, 2003
Messages
2,177
Re: Interesting hard-start problem with 1970 Merc 1250

Even though you put fuel into the carbs..and it fired up...to continue running there HAD to be fuel in the carbs...as the pump would not bring it up that quickly.<br /><br />Check your choke to see if its closing or not.<br /><br />TMD
 

JasonJ

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2001
Messages
4,163
Re: Interesting hard-start problem with 1970 Merc 1250

Marine Doc, choke works fine. I have never needed the choke as long as I have had this motor, it always fires right up when cold, as well as warm. Usually when it is warm I can kick the idle lever up a bit and it starts right up. <br /><br />Today I took it out, and there was no problems. It pumped rock hard and fired right up, when out and shut down for a few hours, got some sun and some swimmin' and it pumped rock hard and fired right up when I was ready to come home. Who knows.
 
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